Learning Sign Language - ASL Weather

Everybody talks about the weather. It's the best conversation starter in the world. Let's see how to talk about the weather using American Sign Language. Bear in mind that in ASL, you don't have a sentence structure as found in English, you can simply sign together two terms, like, for example, weather and cold, and the person you are talking to will understand that you are saying the weather is cold.

Weather - Hold up both hands before you, palms facing outward, with the first three fingers held up straight and the little finger bent to meet the thumb. Move hands downward in a wavy movement. The sign for weather can also be done using just one hand.

Awful - Hold your hands before you at shoulder level, pointing outward, palms facing each other. Keep all fingers straight. Bend the second finger of both hands to meet the first digit of the thumb and straighten it again, raising both hands above the shoulders as you do so. Grimace as you do so.

Awesome - Same sign as above, except you wear a broad smile.

Autumn - Hold your arms before your chest, with the right hand at the left shoulder level and the left hand at the right ear level. Keeping left hand in its position, move right hand up and down twice.

Bad - Same sign, except your right palm will be facing downward as you bring it down on your left palm. And you make a facial grimace to go with it.

Cool - Hold your hands before you at shoulder level with the palms facing upward and the fingers splayed. Move hands inward and outward.

Day - Hold your left arm bent before you with the palm pointing straight and facing downward. Rest your right elbow on the left hand with the right arm held upright and the right index finger pointing upward. Now bring down the right arm in an arc across your body to rest on your folded left arm.

Good - Put your right palm to your mouth, palm facing you, and bring down the right palm, still facing upward, onto the left palm. Smile as you do so.

Happy - Hold your hands at chest level with the flat palms turned toward you. Move both hands simultaneously away and nearer to your body in up and down, forward and backward circles.

Hot - Put your right hand to your mouth and make a motion of removing something and dropping it downward.

Rain - Hold your hands up before you above shoulder level, with the fingers straight and the palms facing downward. Make a downward and upward motion with both palms

Snow - Hold both hands in front of you with the palms slightly downward. Move hands from side to side, all the while making fluttering movements with your fingers.

Springtime - Hold your right hand before you with the palm upward and all the fingertips meeting the thumb. Hold the right hand slightly below the thumb and close-together fingers of the left hand. Move right hand upward, opening up the fingers in a blooming gesture. Do this twice to sign springtime.

Sun - Hold your right hand to the side of your face, palm facing outward. Curve the top digits of the fingers slightly and against your brow, with the thumb against your cheek. Move hand away and slightly up.

Sunlight - Make the above sign for sun and then open and close your fingers in a slightly downward direction.

Summer - Draw your right hand index finger, held straight, across your brow as though wiping away sweat, and then crook the finger at the side of your head.

Temperature - Hold your right hand horizontally before you at chest level with the index finger held pointing left and the other fingers curved inward. Hold the left hand vertically with the left hand index finger pointing upward and making a cross with the right hand index finger.Move the left index finger up and down.

Warm - Bunch your right hand fingers to your mouth and then open all fingers, moving hand away and forward from face as you do so.

Weather - Hold up both hands before you, palms facing outward, with the first three fingers held up straight and the little finger bent to meet the thumb. Move hands downward in a wavy movement. The sign for weather can also be done using just one hand.

Wind - Hold your hands before you, palms facing each other. Move both hands from side to side in a wavy motion.

Winter - Hold your hands up before you with the palms facing inward and each other. On both hands, bend your little finger to meet your thumb. Move arms slightly closer and away. This sign can also be used for 'cold'.

Wonderful - Hold both hands up at shoulder level with the palms facing outward. Move hands slightly forward and back in position. Do this twice.