Summer weather idioms

Summer weather idioms

We’ve had the wintry weather idioms about wind, rain, and snow. Now it’s time to talk about blue skies and sunshine!

1. A ray of sunshine

If someone is a ray of sunshine, they bring a positive mood with them or make other people happy, in the same way as a real ray of sunshine.
You should come in more often! You’re a ray of sunshine in this dreary office!

2. A fair weather friend

Fair weather is like good weather. A fair weather friend is someone who only wants to be your friend when things are going well. When life gets tough and the storms come, this so-called friend won’t stick around. So this isn’t a true friend, but a superficial one who only stays for the good times.
I don’t need fair weather friends who disappear at the first sign of trouble!

3. Chasing rainbows

A rainbow is in the sky, and however hard you try, you’ll never be able to catch one. Therefore, trying to chase one is a pointless exercise. If people are chasing rainbows, they have completely unrealistic hopes, ambitions or expectations.
You need to stop chasing rainbows and accept that this idea is not going to work. It would be better if you put your energy into something else.

4. Come rain or shine

Unlike the fair weather friend, if someone is around come rain or shine, it means that they’ll always be there. Here, the word shine is referring to the sunshine.
You can rely on the coffee seller outside the station. He’s there every day, come rain or shine.

5. A ray of hope

It may just be one little ray, like a single ray of sunshine, but it is a positive thing that gives you hope that everything will be ok.
Due to all the problems we experienced last week, I thought we might not be able to finish this project on time. But I got some news this morning, which might be the ray of hope we’ve been waiting for!

6. A bolt from the blue

“The blue” here means a blue sky, and you don’t often get a thunder bolt when the weather is good and there are no thunder clouds. A bolt from the blue is therefore something unexpected (it can be good or bad).
I heard from my old boss yesterday. That was a bolt from the blue – I haven’t spoken to him for about 10 years.

7. Clear the air

A thunder storm can blast away all the tension that has been building up in the air. It makes the air feel fresher, cooler and more comfortable. Sometimes people need to do this too – to have a frank and open discussion or argument, to get rid of the bad feelings.
I had a massive row with my brother last night, but at least we got things out into the open and cleared the air.

8. Make hay while the sun shines

Like many old idioms, this refers to farming. You can’t make hay when it’s raining, because if the hay is wet inside, it will go mouldy. So if the sun is shining, it’s best to make the most of it and make your hay. It basically means that you should make the most of your opportunities while you have the chance.
We’ve got a long weekend coming up, so let’s make hay while the sun shines and do some work on the garden!

9. Brighten up someone’s day

This is when a nice or positive thing makes someone’s day happier or better.
Thank you for the flowers. They really brightened up my day, and my office!

10. It never rains, but it pours!

And finally for something that is an integral part of the British summer! The rain.
“It never rains, but it pours” is a way of saying there can’t just be one bad thing at a time. Everything has to go wrong at the same time. That’s just the way things go!
Two colleagues are off with the flu, the printer’s broken, and now the delivery van with the food for this evening has broken down!

Can you think of any more summer idioms to add to this list?

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