In my video Weathering the Storm in Golden October, I was in the garden enjoying the calm before the storm. In German we do have weather warnings, image this…
I was in the garden, enjoying the weather when suddenly my phone kept buzzing, the weather service had put out a warning, it was hard to believe that a storm warning was made. Later that evening, the wind was howling round the house.
So in this lesson we’ll learn how to talk about extreme weather, how to give a warning, and how to explain what will happen if people ignore it.
Level: B1
Activity
What’s the worst weather you’ve ever been caught in?
Did anyone warn you before it arrived?
Extreme weather vocabulary
| Word / phrase | Meaning (German) | Example |
|---|---|---|
| a gust (of wind) | a sudden strong wind (Böe) | A gust nearly took my hat off. |
| a gale | a very strong wind (Sturm) | There's a gale blowing tonight. |
| torrential rain | extremely heavy rain (Starkregen) | The torrential rain lasted all afternoon. |
| a flash flood | a sudden flood after heavy rain (Sturzflut) | The underpass was closed after a flash flood. |
| a thunderstorm | a storm with thunder and lightning (Gewitter) | We sat inside and watched the thunderstorm. |
| hail | small balls of ice falling from the sky (Hagel) | The hail dented the car roof. |
| black ice | thin, invisible ice on the road (Glatteis) | Drive slowly – there could be black ice. |
| a heatwave | a period of very hot weather (Hitzewelle) | Nobody slept well during the heatwave. |
| a power cut | when the electricity stops (Stromausfall) | We had a power cut for three hours. |
| a freak storm | a sudden, unexpected storm | Nobody saw that freak storm coming. |
Giving warnings
From gentle to strong
- It might be a good idea to stay in tonight. (gentle)
- You should charge your phone, just in case.
- I'd advise you not to drive this evening.
- Watch out for fallen branches on the road.
- Don't go near the river!
- Stay indoors! (very strong – an imperative)
Reporting a warning: advise / warn + someone + (not) to
- The weather service has warned people not to travel.
- The police advised drivers to use the motorway.
warn is stronger than advise. It suggests real danger.
Describing the damage
- The storm caused a power cut.
- The wind brought down two trees on our lane.
- The church roof was badly damaged by the gale.
- The flood destroyed the old bridge.
Simon says: Remember my post on hedging? Brits even hedge about the weather. If I tell you it’s a bit blowy out there, I might mean the trees are bending sideways. And this weather is nuts! is a very informal way of saying it’s crazy. My favourite phrase on a stormy day is better safe than sorry: it’s better to be careful now than to have a problem later.
Grammar – the first conditional
If + present simple, will + verb
We use the first conditional to talk about a possible future situation and its result. It's perfect for warnings.
- If you drive tonight, you'll get stuck behind fallen trees.
- If the river rises any more, the road will flood.
- You'll be cold if you don't take a coat.
Careful: no will after if. ✗ If it will rain… ✓ If it rains…
Practice
A. Complete with: advised, warned, caused, damaged, watch out
- The storm a power cut in the whole village.
- for ice on the steps this morning!
- The police people not to go near the coast – it was really dangerous.
- Our garden shed was badly by the wind.
- The station staff passengers to check the app for updates.
Show answers (A)
- caused
- Watch out
- warned
- damaged
- advised
B. Put the verbs in the correct form (first conditional)
- If it (snow) tonight, the buses (not run) tomorrow.
- You (get) soaked if you (walk) to the station.
- If the wind (get) any stronger, more trees (come) down.
- I (cancel) the lesson if there (be) a power cut.
Show answers (B)
- snows; won't run
- 'll get / will get; walk
- gets; will come
- 'll cancel / will cancel; 's / is
Language learning can be really challenging. I know, because I’m a language learner myself. I hope the information and activities were helpful. Try the following:
Your friend wants to drive to a party during a storm. Write them a short text message warning them. Use one imperative and one first conditional sentence.
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Read the original story here: Golden October
Image credit: Photo by Justin Wolff on Unsplash
Justin Wolff https://unsplash.com/@jayphoto
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