How many types of rain can you think of? Drizzle, downpour, sprinkle—what else? Dive in to discover more! We’ll also explore vivid expressions to discuss rain at an upper-intermediate to advanced level. Let’s embrace the elements and enrich our vocabulary together!

Rain or Rains?

Rain is an uncountable singular noun, so it’s not used with the article “a:”

1. There will be rain in all parts of the country tomorrow.
2. Rain is forecast for the weekend.

However, rain can sometimes be used in a specific, countable sense to describe a particular instance of rain:

1. A light rain began to fall.
2. A sudden rain poured down just as we stepped outside.
3. After a long, dry spell, a gentle rain began to fall.

Now, let’s compare the meanings of heavy rain and a heavy rain. Heavy rain is uncountable and refers to rain in general. You would use it when talking about the condition or phenomenon itself:

1. Heavy rain is expected this afternoon.
2. Heavy rain had saturated the playing field.

A heavy rain, on the other hand, is a phrase used to refer to a specific instance or event of heavy rain, treating it as a countable noun:

1. We had a heavy rain last night that flooded the streets.
2. During our hike, we were caught in a heavy rain that soaked us to the skin.

It’s also worth remembering the plural phrase the rains, which refers to the season of heavy continuous rain in tropical countries:

1. The rains come in September.
2. The monsoon rains started early this year.

15 Common Types of Rain

Interestingly, there are quite a few words in English to describe virtually any type of rain, and it’s hardly surprising, given that English comes from England, which is famous for its rainy weather. In some English-speaking countries, people may be unaware of certain types of rain—those that may never occur where they come from—while in other English-speaking parts of the world, those rarer types are definitely recognized. One example of this is mizzle, which means light rain, but is apparently not exactly the same as drizzle. You can read a fascinating thread about this on StackExchange, which, incidentally, we started back in 2018. Meanwhile, let’s zero in on more common types of rain.

Word & rain intensity (if applicable)	Important notes	Examples
Drizzle 🌧	light rain with small, fine droplets	A light drizzle is falling.
Downpour 🌧 🌧	it falls intensely for a short period	We got caught in a torrential downpour.
Shower	brief, sudden bursts of rain, often interspersed with dry periods	1) We were caught in a heavy shower. 2) There was a light shower in the afternoon that lasted only a few minutes.
Sprinkle 🌧	very light rain, often barely noticeable	We’ve only had a few sprinkles (of rain) recently.
Rainstorm 🌧 🌧	a heavy fall of rain	We drove for five hours through a rainstorm.
Misty rain 🌧	light rain combined with fog or mist	The mountains were shrouded in a veil of misty rain.
Intermittent rain	it starts and stops, with dry spells in between	Intermittent rain made the roads slippery.
Freezing rain	it falls while temperatures are below freezing	The weather report warns of freezing rain overnight, leading to hazardous driving conditions in the morning.
Cloudburst 🌧 🌧	a sudden very heavy fall of rain	The cloudburst led to flash flooding in the low-lying areas.
Monsoon rain 🌧 🌧	seasonal heavy rain that occurs in tropical regions	The farmers eagerly await the arrival of the monsoon rain, knowing it will nourish their crops.
Sleet	a mixture of rain and snow ☔️ +❄️	The forecast predicted sleet for the evening, prompting us to prepare for icy conditions.
Gusty rain	rain accompanied by strong winds ☔️ +💨	We found ourselves caught in gusty rain, with the wind whipping the drops sideways and soaking us instantly.
Hail	small balls of ice that fall like rain 🧊	Hail the size of golf balls damaged cars and shattered windows during the intense storm.
Steady rain	it falls consistently over a period	The farmers appreciated the steady rain, as it allowed their crops to absorb moisture evenly.
Drifting rain (opposite: vertical rain)	it falls while being carried by the wind, giving it a sideways appearance ☔️ +🌬	As we stood on the porch, we watched the drifting rain move across the field, blown by the wind.

Did You See the Forecast?

Now, let’s boost our vocabulary even further by looking at how two friends—one who loves rain and one who hates it—discuss the forecast.

1. Just my luck – something that you say when something bad happens to you: I planned a picnic for today, and just my luck, it started pouring rain.
2. Soggy – wet and heavy (because of being soaked through): After the heavy rain, my shoes were completely soggy by the time I got home.
3. Gloomy – dark or dim (often used to describe a dreary atmosphere or weather that makes one feel down): The gloomy skies made it feel like evening even in the middle of the day.
4. To curl up – to sit or lie in a relaxed position, often in a cozy manner, usually with one’s knees drawn up: On rainy days, I love to curl up on the couch with a good book and a cup of tea.
5. Wet chill – a cold feeling caused by dampness in the air or from being wet: The wet chill in the air made us wish we had worn warmer clothes.
6. To seep in – to enter or permeate gradually: The rain began to seep in through the cracks in the old roof.
7. Wet chill seeps in – a cold feeling that gradually enters and becomes noticeable, often due to damp conditions: After being outside in the rain, I could feel the wet chill that seeps in, making me shiver.
8. Don’t get me started on… – used to indicate that a topic is frustrating or irritating but one could go on talking about it at length: Don’t get me started on the weather; I can’t stand the constant rain!
9. To pop (of colors that stand out) – to become suddenly noticeable or vibrant: After the rain, the colors of the flowers really pop against the fresh green leaves.
10. Aftermath – the consequences or aftereffects of a significant event: The aftermath of the storm left the streets flooded and scattered with debris.
11. Dreary /ˈdrɪri/ – dull, bleak, or depressing; often used to describe weather that feels lifeless or uninviting: The dreary rain made everyone feel sluggish and unmotivated.
12. To splash through puddles – to jump or walk through water that has collected in depressions on the ground, often playfully: The children giggled as they splashed through puddles on their way home from school.
13. Soaking wet – completely drenched or soaked through with water: By the time I reached my car, I was soaking wet from the unexpected downpour.
14. Fiasco /fiˈæskəʊ/ – a complete failure, especially in a ludicrous or humiliating way: The picnic was a soaking wet fiasco when the storm hit just as we were about to eat.
15. Drenched = soaking wet: I was drenched after getting caught in the downpour without an umbrella.

🌂 Which of the friends are you more like—Alex, who loves rain, or Jamie, who doesn’t like it when the wet chill seeps in? Where are you from, and how often does it rain there? What do you like to do on a rainy day? We’d love to hear from you in the comments below. Tip: try to use some of the vocabulary, preferably new or typically unused by you, to answer the questions—practice makes perfect!