Weather Idioms and Weather Lore
"billy wind" ~ used primarily in England, referring to a blustery, howling wind.
"bolt from the clear blue sky" ~ something [usually wonderful or horribly tragic] has happened and it is sudden and unexpected.
"break the ice" or "ice breaker" ~ is the means in which someone opens up a conversation, generally to make others feel more relaxed or at ease.
"buzzards flying high indicate fair weather" ~ weather lore
"calm before the storm" ~ an unnatural lull or calm before an eruption of emotion or activity.
"chasing rainbows" ~ to try to find or get something that cannot be obtained.
"chill wind [of]" ~ to have fore-knowledge of trouble or a problem.
"cloud on the horizon" ~ this means you can expect trouble in the near future.
"cold light of day" ~ being grounded in reality, seeing things as they really are.
"come rain or shine" - pertaining to a personal goal or to achieve success, that no matter what it will be accomplished.
"comets bring cold weather" ~ weather lore
"don't have the foggiest idea" ~ having no knowledge of a person, place or thing.
"dry spell" ~ being unsuccessful for any length of time, abnormally.
"every cloud has a silver lining" ~ there is always good in a bad situation.
"face like thunder" ~ pertains to identifying someone, by reading the signs in their face, that they are very upset or angry.
"fair weather friend" ~ a person whom you engage infrequently, they are usually unreliable, and there are conditions attached the friendship.
"get wind of" ~ to be privy to information that should have been kept secret.
"greased lightening" ~ an event or moment that is happening extremely fast.
"head in the clouds" ~ not having one's mind on the topic at hand.
"if shooting stars fall in the south in winter, there will be a thaw" ~ weather lore
"in the dark" ~ to be left without information, to be uninformed, or without knowledge of an event, or a situation or problem.
"in the eye of the storm" ~ in the center of, or otherwise deeply involved in a problem or difficult situation.
"into each life, rain must fall" ~ something bad will happen to each and every one of us.
"it never rains, but it pours" ~ a small situation or problem becomes exacerbated by more trouble or problems.
"Jack Frost" ~ when all of outdoors is frozen, [weather lore], then Jack Frost has paid the region a visit.
"know which way the wind blows" ~ being able to judge someone's mood, or to prepare for changes in a situation.
"knows enough to come out of the rain" ~ may refer to someone who is stupid, or un-knowledgeable, but they have the sense enough to seek shelter or safety when a situation or event turns bad, or is imminent.
"left out in the rain" ~ to be left out of a problem or situation, without support or assistance.
"lightning under the North Star will bring rain in three days" ~ weather lore
"Mackerel skies and mares' tails; Make tall ships take in their sails." ~ Cirrus scattering clouds often follow warm weather that brings rain.
"make hay while the sun still shines" ~ to take advantage of a period of time or a situation as it may not last.
"on cloud nine" ~ a feeling of elation or extreme happiness.
"on a pink cloud" ~ a feeling of elation or extreme happiness - often used when one first begins recovery [from alcoholism] and are sober, one may experience extreme happiness, but are often not grounded or facing reality.
"once in a blue moon" ~ an event that occurs only very rarely.
"one crow flying alone is a sign of foul weather; but if crows fly in pairs, expect fine weather" ~weather lore
"pink at night, sailor's delight; pink in the morning, sailor's take warning" ~ or the idiom may use the color red, in place of pink. [Weather Lore] Pink at night is predicting that fair weather will occur the next day; however, pink in the morning cautions the viewer that rain or a storm may be imminent.
"rainbow to windward, foul fall the day; rainbow to leeward, rain runs away." ~ If wind is coming from the direction of a rainbow, then, rain is heading toward you. Likewise, if the rainbow is in the opposite direction, it has passed by you.
"rain on my parade" ~ to ruin or spoil something planned; or to usurp another's plans or event.
"rain on wet" - to make a situation worse.
"raining cats and dogs" ~ to rain very heavily.
"ray of sunshine" ~ to bring happiness or hope to a situation.
"reach for the moon" ~ to be very ambitious, to set your personal standards or goals very high and hope to obtain success.
"right as rain" ~ everything is going as planned.
"save for a rainy day" ~ to save something - usually money - for an unplanned event or unexpected debt.
"sail close to the wind" ~ means that someone may be doing something that is barely legal or somewhat dangerous.
"seagull, seagull, sit on the sand; it's a sign of rain when you are at hand" ~ birds tend to roost before a storm or hurricane. It is believed that it may be difficult for a bird to take-off when there is low pressure, or when the air has become thinner as the updrafts are lessened.
"seven sheets to the wind" ~ means a person is very drunk.
"shoot the breeze" ~ to converse in a casual or relaxed way.
"snowed under" ~ pertains to having so much work to do, it feels impossible to get through it all.
"steal my thunder" ~ to take the attention away from someone else.
"storm in a teacup" ~ to make a fuss or a problem out of something that is not important
"storm is brewing" ~ you believe that there may be trouble, anger or outbursts of emotion.
"stormy relationship" ~ usually pertains to an intimate relationship, during which many arguments or disagreements occur.
"take a rain check" ~ you will return later, but cannot take an immediate invitation or offer to do something or to be somewhere at an appointed time.
"tempest in a teapot" ~ to exaggerate an event in an attempt to make it worse.
"there is something in the wind" ~ someone may suspect that something important, or significant is about to happen.
"throw caution to the wind" ~ to forget planned commitments and do something wild and crazy or unexpected.
"twisting in the wind" ~ to be left alone and without assistance.
"two full moons in a calendar month bring on a flood" ~weather lore
"under a cloud" ~ in disgrace or under suspicion.
"under the weather" ~ to feel sickly or ill; not feeling "yourself" on a particular day.
"weather the storm" ~ to be successful upon surviving a difficult situation, period of time or problem.
"when halo rings the moon or sun; rain's approaching on the run." ~ A halo is caused by ice crystals that forms a clouds that indicate warm weather and predicts rain within a day.
"when leaves fall early, autumn and winter will be mild; when leave fall later, winter will be severe" ~ weather lore
"when porpoises and whales spout about ships at sea, storm may be expected" ~weather lore
"when windows won't open, and the salt clogs the shaker, the weather will favor the umbrella maker" ~ moisture in the air is very heavy, and rain is imminent.
"wind from the south, has rain in its mouth" ~ southerly winds usually blow before a cold front occurs, after which rain will generally happen in the east.
