Words you should know in my country: England

People laugh at the English for talking about the weather. Our climate is temperate so it is quite gentle -- we don't get violent storms, typhoons, long dry seasons, monsoons or blizzards. But throughout the year, one day can be beautiful sunshine, the next can be pouring with rain. No-one knows what the weather will do next, so we talk about it.

Here are some phrases you can use to talk about the weather:

'It's raining cats and dogs' -- this means it's raining hard. No-one knows why we say this.
'It's throwing / tipping / pissing it down.' -- it's raining.
'It's brass monkeys.' -- it's cold. It's short for a phrase which might be rude but probably isn't. Learn more here.
'It's a bit parky.' -- it's a damp, foggy, cold day.
'It's a bit nippy.' -- it's very cold indeed with a nasty wind that goes through your clothes.
'It's a real pea souper.' -- it's foggy and I can't see much.
'It's a bit muggy.' -- it's humid.
'What a lovely crisp day. -- it's still, dry and sunny with a bit of frost (this is only in our winter).
'What a beautiful day. -- it's not raining; the sun is shining and it's unseasonably warm (in winter) or not as hot as it was yesterday.
'Mother Carey's plucking her chickens / shaking her pillows.' -- it's snowing.

And if you don't know the right words to describe what's happening, try 'I can't believe this weather.' -- whatever it's doing, it will have surprised an English person.