Mose Hayward Last updated: September 19, 2023

Weather in French: 172 French Words, Expressions and Phrases for the Weather

Whether you’d like to take part in the timeless Parisian sport of complaining about the weather, or if you’re one of those classier types who actually has a destination and wants to understand a forecast, this post will cover the vocabulary you need.

I’ll start with the absolute basic words, followed by intermediate vocab and a few fun expressions, among other things.

Finally, I’ll give you some tips on how to express your opinions about the weather in French.

Let’s get cracking!

Everyday French Words for the Weather
French Words for Extreme Weather Conditions
Scientific French Weather Terms
French Words for Weather Instruments
Il fait… — When the sky is making things
C’est… — “This is” just how it is
Il + [verb] — It’s doing something
Intermediate Weather Expressions
French Questions Related to the Weather
French Expressions Related to the Weather
French Proverbs Related to the Weather
Advanced: Getting Philosophical About the Weather in French
How to Practice French Weather Vocabulary with a Language Partner

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Everyday French Words for the Weather

Basic French Weather Words	English Translation	Example Sentence	English Translation
temps	weather	Il fait beau temps aujourd'hui.	The weather is nice today.
ciel	sky	Le ciel est dégagé ce soir.	The sky is clear tonight.
soleil	sun	Le soleil brille intensément en été.	The sun shines brightly in the summer.
lune	moon	La lune est pleine ce soir.	The moon is full tonight.
étoiles	stars	Les étoiles scintillent dans le ciel de la nuit.	The stars twinkle in the nighttime sky.
nuages	clouds	Les nuages couvrent le ciel aujourd'hui.	The clouds cover the sky today.
vent	wind	Le vent souffle fort près de la côte.	The wind is blowing strongly near the coast.
brise	breeze	Une légère brise rafraîchit l'air en été.	A gentle breeze cools the air in the summer.
pluie	rain	La pluie tombe depuis ce matin.	The rain has been falling since this morning.
goutte de pluie	raindrop	Une seule goutte de pluie déclencha des éclats de rire joyeux.	A single raindrop triggered bursts of joyful laughter.
neige	snow	La neige recouvre tout le paysage en hiver.	The snow covers the entire landscape in winter.
flocon de neige	snowflake	C'est beau à Paris quand il neige à gros flocons.	It's beautiful in Paris when large flakes of snow are falling.
brouillard	fog	Le brouillard réduit la visibilité sur la route.	The fog reduces visibility on the road.
rosée	dew	La rosée du matin brille sur les feuilles.	The morning dew glistens on the leaves.
givre	hoarfrost	Les arbres sont couverts de givre, créant un paysage féerique.	The trees are covered in hoarfrost, creating a magical landscape.
météo changeante	changing weather	La météo changeante rend difficile la planification des activités.	The changing weather makes it difficult to plan activities.
chaleur	heat	La chaleur est écrasante en plein été.	The heat is overwhelming in the middle of summer.
fraîcheur	coolness	J'apprécie la fraîcheur de l'air en automne.	I appreciate the coolness of the air in the fall.
froid	cold	Il fait vraiment froid dehors aujourd'hui.	It's really cold outside today.
climat	climate	Le climat de cette région est plutôt doux en général.	The climate of this region is generally mild.
averse	shower	Attends un moment, il y a une averse passagère.	Wait a moment, there's a passing shower.
crépuscule	twilight	Le crépuscule offre des couleurs magnifiques dans le ciel.	Twilight provides beautiful colors in the sky.
aube	dawn	Les oiseaux chantent à l'aube.	The birds sing at dawn.
marée	tide	Les marées sont influencées par la position de la lune.	Tides are influenced by the position of the moon.
arc-en-ciel	rainbow	Le drapeau arc-en-ciel est utilisé par la communauté LGBT.	The rainbow flag is used by the LGBT community.

French Words for Extreme Weather Conditions

French Words Related to Extreme Weather	English Translation	Example Sentence	English Translation
tempête	storm	Une tempête approche rapidement.	A storm is approaching rapidly.
ouragan	hurricane	Les habitants ont été évacués en prévision de l'ouragan.	The residents were evacuated in anticipation of the hurricane.
a été frappé par un ouragan	was hit by a hurricane	Le village côtier a été frappé par un ouragan dévastateur.	The coastal village was struck by a devastating hurricane.
saison des ouragans	hurricane season	Les préparatifs sont intenses pendant la saison des ouragans chaque année.	Preparations are intense during the hurricane season every year.
alerte ouragan	hurricane warning	Les résidents surveillent attentivement les alertes ouragans pour se préparer.	Residents closely monitor hurricane advisories to prepare themselves.
tornade	tornado	Une tornade a causé des dégâts importants dans la région.	A tornado caused significant damage in the area.
typhon	typhoon	Le typhon s'approche des côtes avec des vents violents.	The typhoon is approaching the coast with strong winds.
cyclone	cyclone	Le cyclone a laissé derrière lui une traînée de destruction.	The cyclone left a trail of destruction behind.
trombe	waterspout	Nous avons pu observer une trombe au large.	We were able to observe a waterspout out at sea.
rafale	gust	Les rafales de vent ont atteint des vitesses impressionnantes.	The gusts of wind reached impressive speeds.
éclair	lightning	L'éclair illumina le ciel pendant une fraction de seconde.	The lightning illuminated the sky for a split second.
tonnerre	thunder	Le tonnerre grondait au loin pendant l'orage.	The thunder rumbled in the distance during the storm.
grêle	hail	La grêle a endommagé les cultures dans les champs.	The hail damaged the crops in the fields.
grêler	to hail (hailstones falling); to cause damage by hail	L'orage a grêlé la voiture.	The hail storm caused damage to the car.
neige abondante	heavy snowfall	Une neige abondante a provoqué des fermetures d'écoles.	Heavy snowfall led to school closures.
avalanche	avalanche	Une avalanche s'est produite en montagne sans avertissement.	An avalanche occurred in the mountains without warning.
blizzard	blizzard	Le blizzard rendait la visibilité presque nulle sur la route.	The blizzard made visibility nearly zero on the road.
canicule	heatwave	La canicule a entraîné des températures record dans la région.	The heatwave resulted in record temperatures in the region.
gelée	frost	La gelée matinale a recouvert les champs d'une fine couche de glace.	The morning frost covered the fields with a thin layer of ice.
verglas	black ice	Faites attention en conduisant, il pourrait y avoir du verglas sur la route.	Be careful while driving, there might be black ice on the road.
pluie torrentielle	torrential rain	Les rues étaient inondées à cause de la pluie torrentielle.	The streets were flooded due to the torrential rain.
inondation	flood	Les habitants ont été évacués en raison de l'inondation.	The residents were evacuated due to the flood.
être inondé	to be flooded	La maison a été inondée.	The house was flooded.
sécheresse	drought	La sécheresse prolongée a eu un impact sur les réserves d'eau.	The prolonged drought has had an impact on water reserves.

Scientific French Weather Terms

French Weather Terms Used in Scientific Contexts	English Translation	Example Sentence	English Translation
prévisions météorologiques	weather forecast	Les prévisions météorologiques annoncent des averses pour demain matin.	The weather forecast predicts showers for tomorrow morning.
humidité	humidity	L'humidité est élevée après la pluie.	The humidity is high after the rain.
pression atmosphérique	atmospheric pressure	La pression atmosphérique est en train de chuter, ce qui pourrait indiquer une tempête.	The atmospheric pressure is dropping, which could indicate a storm.
rayonnement solaire	solar radiation	Le rayonnement solaire est plus intense à midi.	Solar radiation is more intense at noon.
prévisions	prediction	Les prévisions annoncent des averses pour demain.	The weather predictions forecast showers for tomorrow.
front	front (weather system)	Un front froid arrive du nord, apportant des températures plus basses.	A cold front is coming from the north, bringing lower temperatures.
météorologie	meteorology	La météorologie étudie les phénomènes atmosphériques.	Meteorology studies atmospheric phenomena.
climatologie	climatology	La climatologie se penche sur les schémas climatiques à long terme.	Climatology examines long-term climate patterns.
température	temperature	La température est en constante évolution.	The temperature is constantly changing.
précipitations	precipitation	Les précipitations annuelles moyennes varient d'une région à l'autre.	Average annual precipitation varies from one region to another.
éruption volcanique	volcanic eruption	L'éruption volcanique a provoqué une évacuation d'urgence.	The volcanic eruption triggered an emergency evacuation.
échelle de Beaufort	Beaufort scale	L'échelle de Beaufort mesure la force du vent.	The Beaufort scale measures wind strength.
condensation	condensation	La condensation forme des gouttes d'eau sur les surfaces froides.	Condensation forms water droplets on cold surfaces.
anticyclone	anticyclone	L'anticyclone apporte généralement des conditions ensoleillées.	An anticyclone typically brings sunny conditions.
dépression	depression	Une dépression s'accompagne souvent d'un temps pluvieux.	Depression often comes with rainy weather.
changement climatique	climate change	Le changement climatique a des répercussions mondiales.	Climate change has global repercussions.
réchauffement climatique	global warming	Le réchauffement climatique contribue à la fonte des glaces.	Global warming contributes to ice melting.
effet de serre	greenhouse effect	L'effet de serre retient la chaleur dans l'atmosphère.	The greenhouse effect traps heat in the atmosphere.
couches atmosphériques	atmospheric layers	Les couches atmosphériques varient en composition et en densité.	Atmospheric layers vary in composition and density.
stratosphère	stratosphere	La stratosphère abrite la couche d'ozone.	The stratosphere houses the ozone layer.
troposphère	troposphere	La troposphère est la couche la plus proche de la surface terrestre.	The troposphere is the layer closest to the Earth's surface.
ionosphère	ionosphere	L'ionosphère joue un rôle dans la propagation des ondes radio.	The ionosphere plays a role in the propagation of radio waves.
degré	degree	Il fait vingt degrés.	It's 20 degrees Celsius (68 degrees Fahrenheit).

French Words for Weather Instruments

Weather Instruments in French	English Translation	Example Sentence	English Translation
thermomètre	thermometer	J'ai consulté le thermomètre pour vérifier la température extérieure.	I checked the thermometer to verify the outdoor temperature.
baromètre	barometer	Le baromètre indique que la pression atmosphérique est en baisse.	The barometer indicates that the atmospheric pressure is dropping.
hygromètre	hygrometer	L'hygromètre mesure l'humidité relative dans l'air.	The hygrometer measures the relative humidity in the air.
anémomètre	anemometer	L'anémomètre tourne rapidement à cause du vent fort.	The anemometer is spinning rapidly due to the strong wind.
pluviomètre	rain gauge	Le pluviomètre enregistre la quantité de précipitations tombées ce mois-ci.	The rain gauge records the amount of precipitation that has fallen this month.
girouette	weather vane	La girouette indique la direction d'où vient le vent.	The weather vane indicates the direction from which the wind is coming.
pyranomètre	pyranometer	Le pyranomètre mesure le rayonnement solaire reçu à la surface de la Terre.	The pyranometer measures the solar radiation received at the Earth's surface.
néphélémètre	nephelometer	Le néphélémètre est utilisé pour évaluer la concentration de particules dans l'air.	The nephelometer is used to assess the concentration of particles in the air.
radiosonde	radiosonde	La radiosonde collecte des données atmosphériques pendant son ascension en ballon.	The radiosonde collects atmospheric data during its ascent on a balloon.
télémètre laser	laser rangefinder	Le télémètre laser est employé pour mesurer la distance entre deux points précis.	The laser rangefinder is used to measure the distance between two precise points.
aérosol compteur de particules	aerosol particle counter	L'aérosol compteur de particules détecte et mesure la concentration de particules fines dans l'air.	The aerosol particle counter detects and measures the concentration of fine particles in the air.
posemètre	light meter	Le posemètre indique l'intensité de la lumière dans un endroit donné.	The light meter indicates the intensity of light in a given location.
sonde de température	temperature probe	La sonde de température mesure la chaleur dans le sol.	The temperature probe measures the heat in the ground.
sonde d'humidité	humidity sensor	La sonde d'humidité surveille le niveau d'humidité dans l'air.	The humidity sensor monitors the humidity level in the air.
célomètre	ceilometer	Le célomètre mesure la hauteur de la base des nuages au-dessus du sol.	The ceilometer measures the height of the cloud base above the ground.

Il fait… — When the sky is making things

Il fait literally means “it makes” and you’ll use it with some of the most basic weather expressions, as follows:

"Il fait" Weather Expressions	English Translation
Il fait froid.	It's cold.
Il fait très froid.	It's very cold.
Il fait frais.	It's cool (temperature).
Il fait beau.	It's nice out (Literally: It makes beautiful).
Il fait chaud.	It's hot.
Il fait mauvais.	The weather is bad.
Il fait moche.	The weather is bad (Literally: It makes ugly).
Il y a du vent.	It's windy.
Il y a du soleil.	It's sunny.
Il y a du brouillard.	It's foggy. (Literally: There is fog).

C’est… — “This is” just how it is

You can also start your basic weather sentences with c’est (lit., this/that is), followed by an adjective:

"C'est" Weather Expressions	English Translation
C'est nuageux.	It's cloudy.
C'est gelé.	It's icy.
C'est glacé.	It's icy cold.
C'est orageux.	It's stormy.
C'est humide.	It's humid.

Il + [verb] — It’s doing something

The verbs pleuvoir (to rain) and neiger (to snow) are used in the third-person singular:

Verb	English Translation	"Il" + Verb	English Translation
pleuvoir	to rain	Il pleut.	It's raining.
neiger	to snow	Il neige.	It's snowing.

Intermediate Weather Expressions

Intermediate French Weather Expressions	English Translation
Le ciel est clair.	The sky is clear.
Il pleut à seaux.	It's raining buckets.
On crève de chaud.	The heat is killing us!
J’adore quand il pleut.	I love it when it rains.
Je déteste quand il fait trop chaud.	I hate it when it’s too hot.

French Questions Related to the Weather

How to Ask About the Weather in French	English Translation
Quel temps fait-il ?	What is the weather like?
Quel temps fait-il à ... ?	What is the weather like in ... ? (replace ... with a specific place like Montreal, New York, etc.)
Quel temps fait-il aujourd'hui ?	What's the weather like today?
Comment sera le temps demain ?	What will the weather be like tomorrow?
Est-ce qu'il va pleuvoir aujourd'hui ?	Is it going to rain today?
Est-ce qu'il fait chaud dehors ?	Is it hot outside?
Est-ce qu'il y aura du soleil ce weekend ?	Will there be sunshine this weekend?
Est-ce qu'il va neiger demain ?	Is it going to snow tomorrow?
Quelle est la température prévue pour cet après-midi ?	What's the forecasted temperature for this afternoon?
Est-ce qu'il y a du vent aujourd'hui ?	Is it windy today?
Est-ce qu'il fera plus frais ce soir ?	Will it be cooler tonight?
Est-ce que le temps sera nuageux demain ?	Will the weather be cloudy tomorrow?
Est-ce qu'il y aura des averses cette semaine ?	Will there be showers this week?
Est-ce que le temps s'améliorera plus tard ?	Will the weather improve later?
Quand est-ce que la chaleur va diminuer ?	When will the heat decrease?
Comment est la météo en ce moment ?	How is the weather right now?
Est-ce qu'il y a un risque d'orage ce soir ?	Is there a chance of thunderstorms tonight?
Est-ce qu'il fera plus froid qu'hier ?	Will it be colder than yesterday?
Quelle est la prévision pour la semaine prochaine ?	What's the forecast for next week?
Est-ce qu'il fait doux dehors ?	Is it mild outside?
Est-ce que le temps est agréable aujourd'hui ?	Is the weather pleasant today?
Quand est-ce que le soleil se couche ?	When does the sun set?

French Expressions Related to the Weather

French Weather Idioms	Literal Translation	Meaning
Il pleut des cordes	It's raining ropes	It's raining cats and dogs
Il pleut comme vache qui pisse	It's raining like a pissing cow	It's raining hard
Il fait un froid de canard	It's duck cold	It's freezing cold
Avoir le vent en poupe	To have the wind in one's sails	To have good luck or favorable conditions
Prendre le vent	To catch the wind	To gain an advantage from a situation
Faire la pluie et le beau temps	To make the rain and the nice weather	To be in control, to have power
Ventiler quelqu'un	To fan someone	To criticize or scold someone
Tomber comme des grêlons	To fall like hailstones	To fall in great numbers or rapidly
C'est du vent	It's wind	It's empty talk or a promise that won't be fulfilled
Faire un froid de loup	To be cold (like a wolf)	To be extremely cold
Il fait un temps de chien	The weather has gone to the dogs	The weather is horrible
Il pleut des hallebardes	It's raining halberds	It's pouring buckets
Une pluie battante	"Beating" rain	Pounding rain
Trempé comme une soupe	Soaked like a soup	Soaked to the skin
Être trempée jusqu’aux os	Soaked to the bone	Soaked to the bone
Ça caille	To curdle (like curdling milk)	It's freezing.
Il fait un soleil de plomb	The sun is made of lead	It's blistering hot.
Un été pourri	A rotten summer	A horrible summer (ruined by bad weather or rain)
Il y a un brouillard à couper au couteau	The fog is so thick you could cut it with a knife	The _______ is so thick you could cut it with a knife (replace the blank with anything that can be considered "thick," like an accent)
Il fait un temps de Toussaint	It's All Saints' weather	Gloomy and cold weather typical of the month of November
Le fond de l’air est frais	The back of the air is cool	The weather is actually colder than it seems
Noël sous la neige	Christmas under the snow	A white Christmas
Les saints de glace	Ice saints	A period of three days in the month of May when it’s believed that the weather can suddenly turn cold and there’s a risk of frost. The saints referred to are St. Mamertus, St. Pancras and St. Servatius, whose feast days are celebrated on May 11, 12 and 13 respectively.

French Proverbs Related to the Weather

French Weather Proverbs	English Translation	Explanation
En avril, ne te découvre pas d'un fil.	In April, do not shed a thread.	It's cautioning against being too quick to shed warm clothing in April, as the weather can still be unpredictable.
Quand le vent est au sud, il fait bon pour la bouche ; quand le vent est à l'est, il fait bon pour la charcuterie ; quand le vent est à l'ouest, il fait bon pour la forêt ; quand le vent est au nord, il n'est bon pour personne.	When the wind is from the south, it's good for your mouth; when the wind is from the east, it's good for cured meats; when the wind is from the west, it's good for the forest; when the wind is from the north, it's good for no one.	This proverb uses humor to suggest that winds from different directions have specific effects or benefits.
Soleil levant, pluie avant.	Rising sun, rain to come.	If the sun rises while it's still raining, it's likely that the rain will continue.
Rosée du soir, il fera beau le lendemain.	Evening dew, it will be fine tomorrow.	If there's dew in the evening, the next day is likely to be sunny.
Arc-en-ciel le soir, fait bon espoir; arc-en-ciel le matin, pluie en chemin.	Rainbow in the evening, good hope; rainbow in the morning, rain on the way.	Seeing a rainbow in the evening can be a sign of good weather ahead, while a morning rainbow often predicts rain.
Neige en janvier, blé au grenier.	Snow in January, wheat in the granary.	If it snows in January, it's a positive sign for the upcoming harvest.
Orage de nuit, peu de mal, mais bien du bruit.	A storm at night doesn’t do a lot of damage, but makes a lot of noise.	Don’t worry, it will all be okay in the morning.
Le soleil du matin ne dure pas tout le jour.	The morning sun doesn't last all day.	A project that starts well can sometimes end in disaster.
Le soleil brille après la pluie.	The sun shines after the rain.	After a difficult period, things will get better.
Une hirondelle ne fait pas le printemps.	One swallow does not a summer make.	Don't jump to conclusions on the basis of one hint or sign.
Noël au balcon, Pâques au tison.	Christmas on the balcony, Easter at the embers.	A warm Christmas will mean a cold Easter.
En mai, fais ce qu’il te plait.	In May, do as you please.	You can dress however you want in May.
En juin, tu te vêtiras d’un rien.	In June, you don't have to wear much.	In June, it's so hot that you don't need to wear too many layers of clothes.
Chaleur d’août, c’est du bien partout.	In the heat of August, everything’s fine.	Everything is good in August since it's the height of summer.

Advanced: Getting Philosophical About the Weather in French

The following dialogue was written by Raymond Queneau:

LA PASSANTE : Vous vous intéressez à la météorologie, Monsieur ?
ETIENNE : Un peu. Je possède un parapluie.

(PASSERBY: Are you interested in meteorology, sir?
ETIENNE: A little. I own an umbrella.)

Etienne’s quip illustrates the silliness of weather as a subject of passionate interest and conversation.

Honoré de Balzac takes a similar criticism in a more metaphorical direction:

Il est dans le caractère français de s’enthousiasmer, de se colérer, de se passionner pour le météore du moment, pour les bâtons flottants de l’actualité. Les êtres collectifs, les peuples seraient-ils donc sans mémoire ?

(It’s part of the French character to get excited, upset and passionate for passing weather patterns, for the floating sticks that are the news. The collective bodies, the peoples, will they therefore be without memories?)

Note that météore can be a meteor, but also any phenomenon observed in the atmosphere.

How to Practice French Weather Vocabulary with a Language Partner

If you have a language exchange partner or fellow learner, you can practice your weather vocabulary using the phrases above.

Google Images is also useful for getting pictures of the weather to talk about in practice conversations, use in classrooms and copy for online flashcards.

You can also create flashcards to study up for your conversation, whether you do it by hand the old-fashioned way, or with a specialized flashcard app like Anki.

You can also use an immersion language app like FluentU, where you can both create flashcards from the words you want to learn and hear them used by native speakers in authentic French videos. Listen to weather-related words (and many others, of course) being used naturally in videos like movie trailers, TV show clips, commercials, vlogs, interviews and many others.

You can collect words as flashcards directly from videos through interactive subtitles that show you contextual definitions as you watch.

FluentU then lets you review these flashcards using adaptive quizzes that change their questions based on your progress with each word. On the iOS and Android apps, these quizzes include speaking questions for pronunciation practice.

Now that you have all of these French weather vocabulary, take out that umbrella, get your French-speaking friend to tag along and start chatting!