188 Words for Rain (a damp tour of the British Isles)

Rain is more than just water from the sky. And in England, we have lots of rain, and like to spend a good portion of our lives talking about it!

Here’s a book to expand your vocabulary, so you can make your weather conversations even more interesting

188 Words for Rain takes us on a delightfully damp tour of the British Isles. England and surrounding islands have so much drizzly weather, that there are hundreds of words for the rain. From a ‘light smirr’ in Aberdeen to ‘it’s raining knives and forks’ in the Brecon Beacons.

Write and puddle-splasher Alan Connor digs deep into the meaning and quirky histories of words for rain. He gets caught in a ‘plash’ in Northumberland, and ponders why people picnic-in-the-car when it’s raining. In this charming and witty celebration of our national obsession.

Like many of rain words, kelsher is not said only in the west country. It’s used in Lancashire, and by earth scientists and minerologists, and always means the same thing. Heavy and brought on by strong wind.

Petrichor is the name that two Australian scientists came up with, when they saw that the English language lacked a word for the aromas released, when rain hits soil, catches its scent and bounces it into the winds.

Not Much Rain

Drizzle. This is light rain with small drops that fall close together, on a blurry damp day, where you can go for a walk, without getting soaked.
Spitting. This is so light, you can almost count the drops!
Sprinkle. This means a few drops, just a sprinkle, you may even wonder if its’ raining? It rarely lasts and won’t stop your plans.
Mizzle. This is soft rain, even finer than drizzle. This is common in southwest England, where it’s ‘damp’ but not always raining.
Shower. This is a short burst of rain that can be light or heavy, when the sun soon peeks out. Common in southern England as ‘scattered showers’.
Pattering. This is rain that makes soft sounds as it drops on leaves, the ground or windows. It paints a cosy picture of gentle rainfall, often in mornings and evenings.
Smattering. This is the same, but with even fewer drops, hardly enough to dampen the ground.
Mist. This is not rain, but makes everything wet! Mist forms when tiny drops in the air settle on skin, clothes and hair. Common in mornings and evenings, leaving the grass (and roads) damp.
Liquid Sunshine. This cheerful term is when it’s raining but the sun still shines. Ideal conditions for to spot a rainbow.
Squall. This is rain with sharp wind, which can turn ‘gentle rain’ into chaos in seconds.

Lots of Rain!

Downpour. This is heavy rain that falls fast and hard, and soaks you to your undies. Common in Cumbria, this is when people run for cover!
Rainstorm. This is a serious amount of rain, often with wind and sometimes thunder. Stay inside with a good book, as this rain can last for hours, and sometimes cause floods.
Sleet. This is a mix of rain and snow, which can make roads slippery. It’s not pure rain, as it partly freezes on the way down from the sky.
Torrential Rain. A huge amount of rain in a short time, which soaks you to the skin, and makes for poor visibility.
Cat-and-Dogs Rain. It’s raining cats and dogs’ is a slang phrase for heavy rain. But it’s not scientific!
Deluge. A flood of rain, much heavier than a downpour and covers vast areas, can even cause streets to flood and rivers to burst their banks. This is rain that appears on news bulletins.
Bucketing Down. This again is a slang phrase, a playful term of ‘sheet rain’ like someone is pouring a bucket of water over your head!
Cloudburst. This is an extreme downpour that comes out of nowhere. Clouds open up, and let everything go at once!
Dreek. This is a Scots word for dull, damp and chilly weather. When someone says ‘it’s dreek outside’, expect persistent rain and grey skies.
Monsoon. We don’t have this kind of rain in England, it comes with seasonal winds in Asia and Africa. Can last for several days.

How to Stay Safe During Thunderstorms

Keep a safe distance from trees and metal objects (umbrellas, golf clubs, motorbikes, wheelchairs, tent poles).
Stay inside cars (fabric tops could catch fire, if struck).
If exposed, squat close to the ground with hands on knees, and tuck head between them, touching as little of the ground with your body (don’t lie down).
If your hand stands on end, drop to the above position immediately.