Reading About Weather

Weather is all around us every day — and we read about it everywhere: in newspapers, on apps, in science books, and on weather reports. This lesson is about reading weather texts and understanding the special words they use.

Key weather types

• Sunny — the sun shines and the sky is clear; it is usually warm.
• Cloudy — clouds cover the sky; it may be cooler and darker.
• Rainy — water falls from clouds; we need umbrellas and raincoats.
• Snowy — frozen water falls as snowflakes; it is very cold.
• Windy — the air moves strongly; it can be hard to walk outside.
• Stormy — strong wind, heavy rain, and sometimes thunder and lightning.

Key weather vocabulary

• Temperature — how hot or cold the air is, measured in degrees.
• Forecast — a prediction of what the weather will be like.
• Precipitation — water that falls from the sky: rain, snow, sleet, or hail.
• Thermometer — a tool used to measure temperature.
• Season — one of the four times of year: spring, summer, autumn, winter.

How reading a weather text works

• Scan the headings first — they tell you what each section is about.
• Find the key weather words inside each paragraph.
• Use the words around a new word to figure out what it means.
• After reading, try to say two or three facts you learned in your own words.