Do You Like Winter?

It is commonly observed, that when two Englishmen meet, their first talk is of the weather, the 18th century writer Samuel Johnson famously remarked. This is still true today, but for most people it is rarely out of meteorological interest and indeed serves merely as an 1._, an easy way to start a conversation. Most weather-related vocabulary in English describes typical British weather – it is 2._ (grey), raining/ 3.____ (light rain), windy or foggy – but what about more extreme winter weather we experience in winter months?

Winter weather is characterised by lots of 4._, which falls onto the ground in drops (rain and drizzle), or snowflakes. 5._ is a mix of rain and snow. When the snow 6._ (or melts), it often turns into 7._ before it disappears. At very low temperatures, water 8._ freezes on the ground into ice crystal to form 9._ and water turns into ice, often forming long 10.____ hanging from roofs of houses.

In winter, weather conditions can sometimes be extreme, with very low temperatures and strong wind, such as 11._. In the mountains with lots of snow there is a danger of 12._, where large masses of snow roll down a mountain side, or a 13._, where the visibility is severely reduced by huge quantities of snow blown by the wind. Wind can also create a sudden burst of snow called a 14._, and when it blows large masses of snow into a heap, it is a 15.____.

If you have to travel in extreme winter conditions, you will first have to take a 16._ and clear the snow around your car. Then you will have to 17._ your windshield in order to see where you are going. If you are in a hurry, you might want to use the 18._ to remove the frost or snow from the car windows. As required by law, in the EU your car would have to be fitted with winter tyres, and 19._ for snow conditions. You must drive carefully, because wet roads can be 20._, and if they turn 21._, that can be very dangerous. The most dangerous form of ice is the so called 22._, which is transparent (clear) and therefore difficult to detect, especially at night. In areas with lots of snow, roads must be cleared by snow 23._, as well as de-iced or 24.____ (or salted). Gritting prevents the roads from freezing and the snow from sticking onto the road surface.

As you can see, there so many words you can use if you want to talk about winter weather. And if you want to be imaginative in saying it is really cold, you can say: It’s chilly; It’s nippy; It’s frosty; It’s biting cold; It’s freezing cold; It’s brass monkeys!