Picture this: you are waiting at a bus stop in Osaka when the person next to you smiles and says, 今日はむし暑いですね。 You have no idea what they said — so you just nod awkwardly and stare at your phone. Sound familiar? Weather is the single most common small-talk topic in Japan. It comes up between strangers, colleagues, neighbors, and shopkeepers every single day. More than politeness, it is a social ritual. If you can talk about the weather naturally in Japanese, you can connect with people anywhere in Japan. This article gives you every word, phrase, and piece of cultural context you need to do exactly that — from reading a weather forecast to complaining about the August heat like a true local.
| Japanese | Reading | English |
|---|---|---|
| 晴れ（はれ） | hare | sunny / clear sky |
| 曇り（くもり） | kumori | cloudy |
| 雨（あめ） | ame | rain |
| 雪（ゆき） | yuki | snow |
| 風（かぜ） | kaze | wind |
| 台風（たいふう） | taifuu | typhoon |
| 霧（きり） | kiri | fog / mist |
| 嵐（あらし） | arashi | storm |
| 雷（かみなり） | kaminari | thunder / lightning |
| 蒸し暑い（むしあつい） | mushiatsui | muggy / hot and humid |
| 寒い（さむい） | samui | cold (weather) |
| 暖かい（あたたかい） | atatakai | warm |
Basic Weather Words: Sun, Clouds, Rain, and Snow
The four fundamental weather conditions — sunny, cloudy, rainy, snowy — are the backbone of every weather conversation and forecast. Let’s look at each one with natural example sentences.
晴れ（はれ） — Sunny / Clear
晴れ functions both as a noun and as the base of the verb 晴れる（はれる）, meaning “to clear up.” On weather apps, it appears with a sun icon. In forecasts, you will often see it paired with other conditions using the connectors のち (later) and 時々 (sometimes).
明日は晴れるでしょう。（あしたははれるでしょう。）
Tomorrow it will probably clear up. (でしょう = forecast-style “probably”)
曇り（くもり） — Cloudy
from 雲（くも）, meaning “cloud.” A classic forecast phrase is 晴れのち曇り（はれのちくもり） — “sunny, then cloudy later.”
午後から曇りになりそうです。（ごごからくもりになりそうです。）
It looks like it will get cloudy from the afternoon.
雨（あめ） — Rain
雨 is the noun for rain. The verb “to rain” is expressed as 雨が降る（あめがふる） — literally, “rain falls.” In the progressive form: 雨が降っています = “it is raining.”
外は雨が降っています。傍を持っていきましょう。（そとはあめがふっています。かさをもっていきましょう。）
It’s raining outside. Let’s take an umbrella.
雪（ゆき） — Snow
Like rain, snow uses the verb 降る（ふる）: 雪が降る = “it snows.” Snow is common across Japan’s mountain regions, Tohoku, and Hokkaido in winter, and even Tokyo sees occasional snowfall from late January to February.
北海道では、冬にたくさん雪が降ります。（ほっかいどでは、ふゆにたくさんゆきがふります。）
In Hokkaido, a lot of snow falls in winter.
You will also hear forecasts using the pattern 。でしょう (deshou) — a polite, softened form of です used to express probability in formal or broadcast speech. And 降水確率（こうすいかくりつ）, meaning probability of precipitation (“chance of rain” as a percentage), is the first number to check on any Japanese weather app.
Temperature Expressions: Hot, Cold, and Everything In Between
Japanese has several pairs of temperature adjectives that trip up English speakers, because the distinctions are not captured by a single word in English. Knowing these differences will make your Japanese sound much more natural.
| Japanese | Reading | English | Key distinction |
|---|---|---|---|
| 暑い（あつい） | atsui | hot | Weather / ambient temperature only |
| 熱い（あつい） | atsui | hot | Objects: food, drinks, surfaces |
| 寒い（さむい） | samui | cold | Weather / air / how you feel outside |
| 冷たい（つめたい） | tsumetai | cold | Cold to the touch: water, metal, drinks |
| 涅しい（すずしい） | suzushii | pleasantly cool | A comfortable cool — not unpleasantly cold |
| 暖かい（あたたかい） | atatakai | warm | A comfortable warmth — spring-like |
| 蒸し暑い（むしあつい） | mushiatsui | muggy / steamy | Hot AND humid — the classic Japanese summer word |
蒸し暑い（むしあつい） deserves special attention. Formed from 蒸す（むす） (to steam) + 暑い（あつい） (hot), this word perfectly captures the intense, dripping humidity of a Japanese summer. Tokyo regularly hits 35℃ with over 80% humidity in July and August. If you visit during summer, you will say むしあつい approximately one hundred times per day.
The four seasons in Japanese are: 春（はる） spring, 夏（なつ） summer, 秋（あき） autumn, 冬（ふゆ） winter. Together they are called 春夏秋冬（しゅんかしゅうとう）. Japan’s seasons are strongly felt: spring is mild with occasional rain and famous cherry blossoms, summer is intensely hot and humid, autumn brings pleasant cool air and vivid foliage, and winter is cold and dry on the Pacific side while bringing heavy snowfall to the Japan Sea coast.
Yuka今日もむし暑いですね。外へ出たくないまで！（きょうもむしあついですね。そとへでたくないまで！） — It’s so muggy again today. I don’t even want to go outside!
Reiわかる。日本の夏はやっぱりくしい。涅しい秋が待ち遠しい！（わかる。にほんのなつはやっぱりくしい。すずしいあきがまちどおしい！） — I know. Japanese summers are really brutal. I can’t wait for the cool autumn!
Japanese Weather Phenomena: Rainy Season, Typhoons, and Cultural Seasons
Japan’s weather is not just about daily conditions — it comes wrapped in rich cultural meaning. These seasonal phenomena have their own vocabulary that appears constantly in news, conversation, and daily life.
梅雨（つゆ） — The Rainy Season
Between late May and mid-July, Japan enters a prolonged rainy season called 梅雨. Despite being written with the characters for “plum” (梅) and “rain” (雨), it is always pronounced つゆ — not うめあめ as you might expect. This is one of the most important seasonal words in Japanese; locals will reference it constantly during this period. Grey skies, persistent drizzle, and rising humidity define these weeks. Most of Honshu, Kyushu, and Shikoku are affected; Hokkaido largely escapes it.
梅雨のころは、毀になりやすいです。（つゆのころは、かびになりやすいです。）
During the rainy season, things get moldy easily.
台風（たいふう） — Typhoon Season
Japan’s typhoon season runs from roughly June through October, peaking in August and September. When a typhoon (台風) approaches, transport links are suspended, tourist attractions close, and locals stock up on supplies. You will hear 台風情報（たいふうじょうほう） — typhoon information — on every news broadcast. Knowing this word is essential for anyone traveling to Japan during summer or early autumn.
花見（はなみ） and Cherry Blossom Weather
花見 refers to the cultural practice of viewing cherry blossoms — a central spring ritual. The ideal 花見 day is sunny, warm, and gently breezy, and Japanese people watch the weather forecast closely to plan their picnic. You will often hear 花見日和（はなみびより） — “cherry blossom viewing weather” — used to describe a perfect spring day.
花粉症（かふんしょう） — Hay Fever Season
Spring in Japan also brings 花粉症, a severe hay fever season triggered by cedar and cypress pollen. Millions of Japanese people suffer through February to May with masks, eye drops, and antihistamines. 花粉症 is so culturally pervasive that it is essentially treated as a seasonal weather condition — “pollen season” is forecast on the news right alongside temperature and rain.
最辺、花粉症がひどくてつらいです。（さいきん、かふんしょうがひどくてつらいです。）
My hay fever has been really bad lately, it’s rough.
Weather Small Talk: How to Start and Respond Naturally
In Japan, commenting on the weather is the smoothest possible way to start a conversation with almost anyone. It is friendly, non-intrusive, and socially expected. The key is knowing the right phrases — and the social particle that makes them work.
Notice how nearly every Japanese weather phrase ends in ですね (desu ne) or ますね (masu ne). The particle ね (ne) invites the listener to agree, turning a statement into a warm, shared observation. It is the secret ingredient of natural Japanese small talk. Without it, your weather comments sound flat; with it, they sound effortlessly native.
| Japanese | Reading | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|---|
| 今日はいい天気ですね。 | Kyou wa ii tenki desu ne. | What lovely weather today, isn’t it. | Any fine day — a classic opener |
| 最辺、どうも天気がおかしいですね。 | Saikin, doumo tenki ga okashii desu ne. | The weather has been strange lately, hasn’t it. | Unusual weather, any season |
| 雨が降りそうですね。 | Ame ga furi sou desu ne. | Looks like it might rain, doesn’t it. | When sky looks threatening |
| 寒くなってきましたね。 | Samuku natte kimashita ne. | It’s gotten cold, hasn’t it. | Autumn turning to winter |
| 暖かくなりましたね。 | Atatakaku narimashita ne. | It’s gotten warm, hasn’t it. | Winter turning to spring |
| お天気が続くといいですね。 | Otenki ga tsuzuku to ii desu ne. | I hope the good weather lasts. | After a nice stretch of weather |
One pattern worth memorizing is 、なってきましたね (natte kimashita ne): [adjective] + なってきましたね = “it’s become [adjective], hasn’t it.” This is the standard way to comment on a weather shift. For example: 暖かくなってきましたね (it’s gotten warm), 寒くなってきましたね (it’s gotten cold). The verb なる signals a change, and きました marks that it has already happened. Add ね at the end and you have instant natural small talk.
Yuka今日はいい天気ですね。暖かくなってきましたね。（きょうはいいてんきですね。あたたかくなってきましたね。） — The weather is lovely today, isn’t it. It’s gotten so warm.
Reiそうですね！もう春が来たんですね。花見に行きたいです。（そうですね！もうはるがきたんですね。はなみにいきたいです。） — Right! Spring is really here, isn’t it. I want to go for hanami.
Reading a Japanese Weather Forecast
Japanese weather forecasts use a specific set of vocabulary that you will not always encounter in everyday conversation. Once you know these terms, you can read any Japanese weather app or watch a TV forecast with confidence.
| Japanese | Reading | English |
|---|---|---|
| 最高気温（さいこうきおん） | saikou kion | maximum temperature (daily high) |
| 最低気温（さいていきおん） | saitei kion | minimum temperature (daily low) |
| 降水確率（こうすいかくりつ） | kousui kakuritsu | probability of precipitation (% chance of rain) |
| 時々（ときどき） | tokidoki | sometimes / occasionally |
| のち（後） | nochi | later / then (transition word) |
| 晴れのち曇り（はれのちくもり） | hare nochi kumori | sunny, then cloudy |
| 曇り時々雨（くもりときどきあめ） | kumori tokidoki ame | cloudy with occasional rain |
| 大雨警報（おおあめけいほう） | ooame keihou | heavy rain warning |
Here is what a typical Japanese weather forecast sentence looks like:
東京の明日の天気は晴れのち曇りで、降水確率は40パーセント、最高気温は28度の見込みです。
（とうきょうのあしたのてんきははれのちくもりで、こうすいかくりつは40パーセント、さいこうきおんは28度のみこみです。）
Tomorrow’s weather in Tokyo is sunny, then cloudy, with a 40% chance of rain and a forecast high of 28 degrees.
The two connector words のち and 時々 appear in almost every Japanese forecast. のち（後） indicates a sequential change — first this, then that. 時々（ときどき） indicates something that happens occasionally throughout the day. Memorize these two and you can parse almost any Japanese forecast description.
Yuka明日の降水確率、チェックした？60パーセントだって。（あしたのこうすいかくりつ、チェックした？60パーセントだって。） — Did you check tomorrow’s probability of rain? They’re saying 60 percent.
Reiそれは持っていかないと。午後から曇り時々雨らしいよ。（それはかさをもっていかないと。ごごからくもりときどきあめらしいよ。） — Then I’d better bring an umbrella. Apparently it’s going to be cloudy with occasional rain from the afternoon.
Common Mistakes English Speakers Make with Weather Japanese
Even learners who know the core vocabulary often slip up on these specific points. Here are the mistakes worth knowing about before they become habits.
Mistake 1: Confusing 暑い and 熱い — both read あつい
暑い（あつい） describes hot weather or ambient temperature: 今日は暑いです = “It’s hot today.” 熱い（あつい） describes an object that is physically hot — food, a drink, a surface: スープが熱いです = “The soup is hot.” They sound completely identical. The kanji are the only difference — and in conversation, context determines which is meant. Using 熱い for weather (or 暑い for soup) sounds odd to native speakers. Tip: 暑い is the sun/summer one (bigger, 暑 has more strokes); 熱い is the fire one (熱 contains the 火 fire radical at the bottom).
Mistake 2: Using 冷たい for cold weather
冷たい（つめたい） means cold to the touch — cold water, a cold drink, cold metal. It is not used for weather. Saying 今日は冷たいですね for “It’s cold today” sounds very strange — almost as though the air itself is cold like ice water. The correct word for cold weather or feeling cold outside is 寒い（さむい）. Rule of thumb: if you can touch it and it feels cold, use 冷たい. If you are talking about the air or weather, use 寒い.
Mistake 3: Using 晴れ as a verb without conjugating it
晴れ（はれ） by itself is a noun meaning “sunny / clear sky.” To express that the sky “clears up,” you need the verb 晴れる（はれる）. Saying 明日は晴れ when you want to say “it will clear up tomorrow” sounds incomplete. The correct form is 明日は晴れるでしょう or 明日は晴れます. Think of 晴れ as the weather-app icon label — the noun — and 晴れる as the action.
Mistake 4: Saying 雨です to mean “it’s raining”
雨です literally means “it is rain” — grammatically valid but unnatural. Japanese expresses the act of raining with the verb 降る（ふる）: 雨が降っています = “rain is falling / it is raining.” Alternatively, you can say 雨が降りそうですね (it looks like it’s going to rain) using the -そう form attached to the verb stem 降り to express likelihood.
Quick Quiz: Weather Japanese in Action
Test what you have learned. Try answering each question before looking at the answer below it.
Q1. Which word describes cold weather — 寒い（さむい） or 冷たい（つめたい）?
A1. 寒い（さむい）. 冷たい is for objects that are cold to the touch (a cold drink, cold water). 寒い describes the temperature of the air or weather.
Q2. How do you say “it is raining” naturally in Japanese?
A2. 雨が降っています。（あめがふっています。） — The verb 降る（ふる） in te-form + います = present progressive.
Q3. What does 梅雨（つゆ） refer to?
A3. Japan’s rainy season, running roughly from early June to mid-July across most of Honshu. Despite its kanji meaning “plum rain,” it is always read as つゆ — not うめあめ.
Q4. In a weather forecast, what does 晴れのち曇り（はれのちくもり） mean?
A4. Sunny, then cloudy later. のち means “then / later” and is a standard forecast connector indicating a sequential weather change.
Q5. Your friend says 最辺、寒くなってきましたね。 What are they commenting on?
A5. They are observing that the weather has gotten cold lately — a natural autumn-to-winter small-talk comment. The pattern [adjective stem] + くなってきましたね means “it has become [adjective], hasn’t it.”
How did you do? Which words or phrases tripped you up? Share in the comments below — we love hearing which weather expressions surprise learners most. If you are preparing for JLPT N5 or N4, weather vocabulary like this appears regularly in the listening section, so these phrases are well worth practicing.
Keep Learning
📖 Want to take your Japanese further? Practice speaking with a professional Japanese tutor on italki — affordable 1-on-1 online lessons at your own pace.
About the Author
Daisuke is the creator of JP YoKoSo — a Japanese learning site for English speakers. Every article is written to explain Japanese clearly, with real examples, grammar notes, and practical tips for learners at every level.
💬 Found a mistake or have a question? Contact us here — we review and update articles regularly.
Comments