Ah, the weather. The number one go-to (and no brainer) conversation starter for everybody everywhere.
How many times has it saved a hapless, speechless conversationalist break a monotonous silence?
Whether you're worming your way into an awesome conversation or just genuinely interested to know how to say weather-related things, this guide has got you covered.
Get this list in PDF format
Let's go through the list of vocabulary about weather in French!
1. Weather conditions
| Weather Conditions | Conditions atmosphériques |
| The weather is bad. | Il fait mauvais. |
| The weather is cloudy. | C'est nuageux. |
| The weather is cold. | Il fait froid. |
| The weather is cool. | Il fait frais. |
| The weather is foggy. | Il y a du brouillard. |
| The weather is gray. | Il fait gris/maussade. |
| The weather is hot. | Il fait chaud. |
| The weather is humid. | Il fait humide/lourd. |
| The weather is mild. | Il fait doux. |
| The weather is nice. | Il fait beau/bon. |
| The weather is rainy. | Il fait pluvieux. |
| The weather is stormy. | Il fait orageux. |
| The weather is sunny. | C'est ensoleillé |
| The weather is windy. | Il y a du vent/ C'est venteux. |
| It is freezing. | Il gèle |
| It is snowing. | Il neige. |
| It is hailing. | Il grêle. |
| It is raining. | Il pleut. |
| It is raining in torrents. | Il pleut à torrents. |
| break/clear up | s’éclaircir |
| break in the weather | l’éclaircie (f) |
| breeze | la brise |
| fog | le brouillard |
| frost | le gel/le givre |
| hail | la grêle |
| heat | la chaleur |
| black ice | le verglas |
| ice | la glace/le gel/le verglas |
| mist | la brume |
| overcast | couvert(e) |
| rain | la pluie |
| rainbow | l’arc-en-ciel (m) |
| shower, rain shower | l’averse (f ) |
| snow | la neige |
| sun | le soleil |
| thaw | le dégel |
| torrential rain | une pluie diluvienne |
| wind | le vent |
| coolness | la fraîcheur |
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2. Extreme weather
| Extreme Weather Conditions | Conditions atmosphériques |
| Natural Disasters | sévères et désastres naturels |
| avalanche | l’avalanche (f) |
| cyclone | le cyclone |
| disaster zone | la zone sinistrée |
| dog days | la canicule |
| drought | la sécheresse |
| earthquake | le tremblement de terre |
| eruption | l’éruption (f) |
| flood | l’inondation (f) |
| hurricane | l’ouragan (m) |
| iceberg | l’iceberg (m) |
| landslide | le glissement/l’effondrement de terrain (m) |
| lava | la lave |
| lightning bolt | la foudre |
| lightning | l’éclair (m) |
| monsoon | la mousson |
| seismic | le séisme |
| shock | la secousse |
| snowstorm | la tempête de neige |
| squall | la rafale |
| storm (at sea) | la tempête |
| storm | l’orage (m) |
| thunder | le tonnerre |
| tidal wave | le raz-de-marée |
| tornado | la tornade |
| torrential rains | les pluies torrentielles (fpl) |
| tsunami | le tsunami |
| typhoon | le typhon |
| windstorm | la tempête de vent |
3. Weather report
| Weather Report | Le bulletin météorologique |
| annual | annuel(le) |
| atmospheric pressure | la pression atmosphérique |
| average | moyen(ne) |
| barometer | le baromètre |
| change | le changement |
| coolness | la fraîcheur |
| degree | le degré |
| disturbance | la perturbation |
| drop | baisser |
| forecast | la prévision |
| high pressure | la haute pression |
| hit hard | taper/frapper fort |
| in the shade | à l’ombre |
| low pressure | la basse pression |
| mildness | la douceur |
| minus | moins |
| plus | plus |
| precipitation | la précipitation |
| rise | monter |
| shine | briller |
| sunrise | le lever du soleil |
| sunset | le coucher du soleil |
| temperature | la température |
| thermometer | le thermomètre |
| variable | variable |
Here is an example of weather forecast on French TV. (Note: It might be difficult to understand everything).
Now that you have finished reading this you can start practicing the French weather vocabulary that you have learned. Time to start talking with people about the weather in French!
Please tell us in the comment section if there is some topics for vocab that you would like to review.
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Here are some FAQs about French Weather
How do you say “weather” in French?
La météo !
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What kind of weather does France have?
Because France is such a geographically diverse country, the climate and weather varies greatly between regions. You can expect the typical weather characteristic of each of the four seasons, though the snowfall expected during the winter season only occurs in the Alps and the Pyrenees.
In spring, the temperature is around 10-20 degrees Celsius, paired with heavy rainfall and spring showers. Pack for unexpected weather in this season. Summer, on the other hand, is quite hot, ranging from 15 to 30 degrees Celsius. Pack light, and have sun protection (sunglasses, umbrellas, etc.).
Fall is slightly chillier than spring, and pleasant in the early months. But nearing November, it gets much colder as the rainy season approaches. Pack in preparation for not only cool weather, but warm weather as well; heat spells have become increasingly common in the recent years.
If you’re in France during the winter, pack heavy winter clothing! Unless you’re going to the west coast or the south of France, be aware that temperatures often fall below 0 degrees Celsius. If it’s windy, it can feel even colder, so pack accordingly.
How do you say seasons in French?
Les saisons !
What are the four seasons in French?
Spring is le printemps, summer is l’été, fall or autumn is l’automne, and winter is l’hiver.
Aujourd’hui on peut dire “Ça caille”. (Merci pour cette liste – c’est très utile.)
Oui on peut dire ça
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