Meteorological idioms

A list of meteorological idioms.

Cloud

Black cloud hanging over one's head

A black cloud or dark cloud was an indication of a gloomy day, and anyone associated with a black cloud, especially one hanging over someone's head, was said to be having a bad day.

"It's like this big, black cloud with lots of thunder and lightning all around us."

• A simile used by Corin to explain to Tuvok what her fear would look like in a physical form. (VOY: "Innocence")

"Just follow the black cloud"

• Quark about how to locate Odo, who he described as "one depressed ex-Changeling." (DS9: "Apocalypse Rising")

"The only dark cloud I see around here is you."

• Jadzia Dax to Worf while visiting Risa in 2373. (DS9: "Let He Who Is Without Sin...")

"A black cloud hanging over (your) head"

• While conferring with B'Elanna Torres about her Day of Honor, Neelix offered a suggestion, without knowing why such a cloud hung over Torres' head, he offered to be her "pressure valve". (VOY: "Day of Honor")

Cloud of doom

Clouds of war

The clouds of war referred to the threat of an impending war.

Sisko was at a loss for why the station's personnel were so optimistic, despite him seeing the clouds of war (referring to the threat of a Dominion war) on the horizon. (DS9: "In the Cards")

Cloud one's _____

Cloud with a silver lining

Head in the clouds

One who had their head in the clouds was distracted.

Parting clouds

Silver lining

A silver lining was a positive side to a negative situation, referencing the idea that clouds always have the sun shining through them.

When Worf, who was lost in the jungle with Dax, noted that their tricorders were useless as a result of him bypassing the Dominion encryption lockouts, she accused him of "looking for the cloud in the silver lining", i.e. being pessimistic. He countered that he was not, as he actually enjoyed the idea of being directionless in the jungle. (DS9: "Change of Heart")

When the EMH, who had had his ethical programs deleted, was trying to access Seven of Nine's cortical node, he told her that there was a silver lining, in that she would soon reach Earth. (VOY: "Equinox")

Rain

It never rains but it pours

Meant that many problems came all at once.

In 2285, when Carol Marcus contacted James T. Kirk with an urgent message, Leonard McCoy remarked that it never rains but it pours. (Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan)

Rain on one's parade

To rain on one (one's) parade was to spoil their fun.

In 2372, Dr. Julian Bashir, annoyed by Elim Garak's intruding upon his Julian Bashir, Secret Agent holo-novel program, told him that he could stay, but to keep quiet and not rain on his parade. (DS9: "Our Man Bashir")

Right as rain

If something or somebody was as right as rain, they or it were perfectly fine.

Julian Bashir once noted that Odo could not hold his shape in the atmosphere of Gaia, but that he would be as right as rain after he left the atmosphere. (DS9: "Children of Time")

Take a rain check

To take a rain check was to postpone something.

When Troi wanted to give Data a rain check on discussing the effects of space travel on his positronic net, he did not understand and thought she wanted to check if there was water in something of his. (ENT: "These Are the Voyages")

Storm

Calm before the storm

Eye of the storm

Port in the storm

Talk up a storm

Wind

A warm wind blowing in from Minicoy

Get wind of something

Meant to hear of a matter.

Sisko told Kira that the Cardassian government had gotten wind of her plan to search for the Ravinok. (DS9: "Indiscretion")

Grimp said that as soon as the FCA's lobes got wind of Rom's union, they were doomed. (DS9: "Bar Association")

Bashir told Richard Bashir that his career could be in jeopardy if Dr. Zimmerman got wind of their secret. (DS9: "Doctor Bashir, I Presume")

Go whichever way the wind blows

May the wind be at our backs

See which way the wind is blowing

Sniff the wind

Throw something to the winds

Weather

Weather

To withstand and come safely through.

In 2375 the USS Voyager weathered an ion storm. (VOY: "Once Upon a Time")

Under the weather

Not feeling healthy.

B'Elanna Torres told Neelix that Seven of Nine was feeling "under the weather" when she was suffering the Borg equivalent of multiple personality disorder in 2375. (VOY: "Infinite Regress")