5 English Weather Words

This is a short, daily podcast for intermediate to advanced English learners who want to build natural English vocabulary through stories and real-life usage.

In this episode of The English Like a Native Podcast, Gabriel and Isla head out from Ullapool for a clifftop walk in the Scottish Highlands, where harsh weather forces them to search for shelter.

You'll learn useful English words for describing weather conditions.

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Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:05

Hello and welcome back to your English Five a Day. On the English Like a Native podcast. This is your daily podcast that's designed to help you to build natural English vocabulary through stories. My name is Anna and today is week nine, day two of our story following Gabriel, who is currently in the Scottish Highlands. Yesterday Gabriel arrived in Ullapool with Isla and experienced the dramatic beauty of the highland landscape, sweeping valleys, rolling hills and untamed mountains. Today Gabriel and Isla set out for a walk along the coast where the weather quickly reminds them that the highlands can be as wild as they are beautiful. Supporting materials for this podcast are available over at www.joineelan.com forward slash plus. Let's begin, as we always do, with a snapshot of what's to come. As Gabriel and Isla walk along a cliff top path, low hanging cloud drifts across the valley, and a biting wind sweeps over the exposed headland. The landscape looks beautifully windswept, and when a sudden shower arrives, they rush to find shelter. But soon afterwards the clearing skies reveal the sparkling lock below. Wonderful. Let's now break down the vocabulary that we are targeting today. Biting wind biting we spell B I T I N G a biting wind is a very cold, sharp wind that feels almost painful on your skin. So you might say a biting wind blew across the harbour. Next we have clearing skies. Clearing skies clearing C L E A R I N Glearing Ski describes when clouds begin to disappear and the weather improves. For example, after the storm, the clearing skies revealed the mountains. Next we have low hanging cloud low hanging cloud. Low hanging is LOW hyphen H A N G I N G low hanging cloud. This is a cloud that sits low in the sky, often covering hills or valleys. For example, low hanging cloud drifted across the valley. Next we have a sudden shower. Sudden shower. Sudden shower describes rain that begins unexpectedly and usually lasts for a short time, for example. A sudden shower forced them to take shelter. Last on today's list is windswept. Windswept, we spell this W I N D S W E P T Wind Swept. All one word. Windswept describes a place exposed to strong winds, often giving it a wild appearance. And actually you could use this adjective to describe a person who's been blown about a lot. So I might say, Oh, you look windswept today. If someone's walked into the office with their hair blown all over their face and uh looking like they've just been walking through a hurricane. They might be a little windswept. So here's an example. You might say the windswept cliffs overlooked the sea. Fantastic. That's our five items for today. I want you to listen carefully for those expressions as they appear naturally in today's story. After the most delicious home cooked seafood meal that Gabriel could ever remember eating, he and Isla finally set out for their walk. Now, though, some low hanging cloud had appeared, casting shadows on the valley below. They exchange only a few words as they head for a cliff top. At a bend in the path, Isla reaches for Gabriel's hand and leads him along a narrow trail that hugs the edge of the land. Soon they feel the full force of a biting wind as they reach the exposed headland. But it's worth a little hardship to be able to admire the glorious windswept views all around. They laugh nervously as they battle with the wind, but take care not to get too close to the edge of the cliff. As they walk along the headland, Gabriel sees Loch Broom sparkling below. Tiny islands dot its surface and mountains rise darkly beyond the water. Heather and wild grasses cling to the cliff edge, while gulls wheel above, their cries carrying on the wind. A sudden shower catches them, and Isla pulls Gabriel over to some yellow gorse bushes, where they try to take shelter. Lean in like this, she shouts. Gabriel does as he is told, but trips on an exposed route. He ends up falling backwards into the bush, tearing holes in his lightweight jacket. Isla helps Gabriel to his feet, and they rush off to find another place to shelter. The skies are already clearing, though, and they slow down and start heading back to Isla's family home. While walking, Isla tells Gabriel how much she longs to return to Ullapool to live and work in the environmental sector. Gabriel looks at his torn jacket and notices that he has cut his hand. The same hand that Isla took to lead him up to the clifftop. It isn't a deep cut, though, nothing serious. Nothing serious. Gabriel, whose curiosity is pulling him in search of adventure and discovery, feels the symbolism immediately. He has to do something soon. Alright, let's now pause there and bring today's vocabulary back into focus. I will repeat each item twice, leaving you an opportunity to repeat out loud after me, and then I'll remind you of the definition. Here we go. Biting wind. Biting wind. This describes a very cold, sharp wind that feels almost painful. Next, repeat after me, clearing skies. Clearing skies. Fantastic. This is when clouds begin to disappear and the weather improves. Next, repeat, low hanging cloud. Low hanging cloud. Fantastic. This describes cloud that sits low in the sky, often covering hilltops or valleys. Next we have sudden shower. Sudden shower. This is rain that begins unexpectedly, but usually only lasts for a short time. And finally, repeat after me, windswept. Windswept. Fantastic. This adjective describes something or somewhere exposed to strong wind, often giving it a wild appearance. Windswept. Amazing. So Gabriel and Isla have survived a very highland walk. Wind, rain, and all. But tomorrow, Gabriel sets off alone on a new adventure. Tomorrow, Gabriel boards a ferry to the Summer Isles, where he spends the day hiking around a remote island and reflecting on what his journey might mean for the future. That's all from me for today. If you're enjoying the podcast, please leave a like, a rating, or review. I very much appreciate it. And remember to come back again tomorrow. Until then, take care and goodbye.