Cold weather can feel very different depending on where you are. Sometimes it bites your nose. Other times, it makes your fingers stiff. People often use similes to describe how cold it feels. Similes help make writing more fun and clear. They compare one thing to another using the words “like” or “as.” For example, someone might say, “It’s as cold as ice.”
In this article, you’ll learn similes that describe cold weather. These sayings can help you write better stories or just talk about how chilly it is outside. Some are funny, some are serious, but all give a clear picture of what cold really feels like. By the end, you’ll be able to spot these similes and even use them yourself. Let’s take a closer look at how people talk about cold days.
Similes For Cold Weather
1. As cold as ice
Meaning: Very cold
Give an Instance: My hands felt as cold as ice after snowball fighting. / The water from the hose was as cold as ice.
Substitute Meaning: Frozen solid / Ice-cold
2. As chilly as a freezer
Meaning: Feels like standing in a freezer
Give an Instance: The school hallway was as chilly as a freezer this morning. / Grandma’s basement is as chilly as a freezer.
Substitute Meaning: Very cold indoors / Cold and still
3. Like the North Pole
Meaning: As cold as a place with snow and ice everywhere
Give an Instance: It was so cold outside, it felt like the North Pole. / Our tent was like the North Pole during the camping trip.
Substitute Meaning: Arctic cold / Snowy and freezing
4. As frosty as a snowman
Meaning: Cold and crisp
Give an Instance: My fingers were as frosty as a snowman’s hat. / The air outside felt as frosty as a snowman.
Substitute Meaning: Ice-covered / Frozen
5. As cold as metal in winter
Meaning: Sharp and biting cold
Give an Instance: The slide at recess was as cold as metal in winter. / That park bench was as cold as metal in January.
Substitute Meaning: Bitter cold / Hard and freezing
6. Like snow on your skin
Meaning: Soft but freezing
Give an Instance: The wind felt like snow on your skin. / Touching the railing was like snow on your skin.
Substitute Meaning: Cold and gentle / Light but freezing
7. As cold as a popsicle
Meaning: Really cold and solid
Give an Instance: My toes were as cold as a popsicle. / His sandwich felt as cold as a popsicle after lunch in the snow.
Substitute Meaning: Stiff from cold / Frozen hard
8. Like a cold bath
Meaning: Unpleasantly cold
Give an Instance: The lake water felt like a cold bath. / Jumping in the pool felt like a cold bath in December.
Substitute Meaning: Shocking cold / Wet and freezing
9. As cold as outer space
Meaning: Extremely cold
Give an Instance: That morning was as cold as outer space. / Walking the dog before sunrise felt as cold as outer space.
Substitute Meaning: Beyond freezing / No warmth at all
10. Like winter in Alaska
Meaning: Harsh and freezing
Give an Instance: Our classroom was like winter in Alaska. / The wind outside felt like winter in Alaska.
Substitute Meaning: Extreme cold / Harsh winter feel
11. As cold as a snowball
Meaning: Small but very cold
Give an Instance: Her nose was as cold as a snowball. / My sandwich felt as cold as a snowball in my lunchbox.
Substitute Meaning: Tiny and frozen / Quick cold hit
12. Like walking into a fridge
Meaning: Sudden blast of cold
Give an Instance: Walking into the gym felt like walking into a fridge. / The library after recess was like walking into a fridge.
Substitute Meaning: Cool indoors / Unexpected cold air
13. As crisp as a frozen leaf
Meaning: Cold and dry
Give an Instance: The air was as crisp as a frozen leaf. / My hands felt as crisp as a frozen leaf.
Substitute Meaning: Sharp cold / Brittle feeling
14. Like touching snow without gloves
Meaning: Freezing to the touch
Give an Instance: The doorknob felt like touching snow without gloves. / My lunchbox was like touching snow without gloves.
Substitute Meaning: Icy to hold / Cold and sharp
15. As cold as morning frost
Meaning: Cold like the frost on the ground
Give an Instance: The grass felt as cold as morning frost. / My toes were as cold as morning frost in my boots.
Substitute Meaning: Light but freezing / Frosty feeling
16. Like standing in front of a snow machine
Meaning: Constant cold
Give an Instance: The fan was like standing in front of a snow machine. / My bus stop felt like a snow machine was blowing on us.
Substitute Meaning: Steady cold wind / Chill that doesn’t stop
17. As cold as a soda can from the fridge
Meaning: Icy but smooth
Give an Instance: His hands were as cold as a soda can from the fridge. / That metal gate felt as cold as a soda can.
Substitute Meaning: Cool and smooth / Freezing touch
18. Like a breeze from a glacier
Meaning: Cold wind
Give an Instance: The wind felt like a breeze from a glacier. / The open window let in a breeze from a glacier.
Substitute Meaning: Freezing wind / Air from icy places
19. As frozen as a TV dinner
Meaning: Fully frozen
Give an Instance: My juice box was as frozen as a TV dinner. / That lunch felt as frozen as a TV dinner left outside.
Substitute Meaning: Hard cold / Totally frozen
20. Like cold wind in your bones
Meaning: Deep cold that you can feel inside
Give an Instance: That wind felt like cold wind in your bones. / Shoveling snow felt like cold wind in your bones.
Substitute Meaning: Chilly to the core / Inside-out cold
21. As cold as a snowflake
Meaning: Light but icy
Give an Instance: Her cheeks were as cold as a snowflake. / The napkin felt as cold as a snowflake after being outside.
Substitute Meaning: Light chill / Small but freezing
22. Like ice under your feet
Meaning: Cold and slippery
Give an Instance: The sidewalk felt like ice under your feet. / The playground was like ice under your feet.
Substitute Meaning: Slippery and cold / Hard and slick
23. As cold as a forgotten smoothie
Meaning: Still cold after a long time
Give an Instance: My hands were as cold as a forgotten smoothie. / The juice bottle was as cold as a forgotten smoothie in the fridge.
Substitute Meaning: Long-lasting cold / Cold that stays
24. Like hugging a snowman
Meaning: Full of cold
Give an Instance: That sweater felt like hugging a snowman. / His coat was so cold, it was like hugging a snowman.
Substitute Meaning: Frozen and soft / Cold all over
25. As cold as early morning grass
Meaning: Chilly from dew or frost
Give an Instance: The soccer field was as cold as early morning grass. / My socks were wet and as cold as early morning grass.
Substitute Meaning: Damp and cold / Morning chill
26. Like the wind off a snowy hill
Meaning: Cold and fast
Give an Instance: The breeze felt like the wind off a snowy hill. / Her hair blew in the wind like it was coming off a snowy hill.
Substitute Meaning: Fast cold wind / Hilltop chill
27. As frozen as a playground slide in January
Meaning: Cold and icy
Give an Instance: The monkey bars were as frozen as a slide in January. / That seesaw was as frozen as a playground slide.
Substitute Meaning: Hard and freezing / Icy surface
28. Like standing outside in socks
Meaning: Exposed and cold
Give an Instance: The gym felt like standing outside in socks. / The floor was so cold, it was like standing outside in socks.
Substitute Meaning: No protection / Chilling from the ground
29. As cold as a scoop of ice cream
Meaning: Fun but freezing
Give an Instance: His hands were as cold as a scoop of ice cream. / My seat on the bleachers was as cold as a scoop of ice cream.
Substitute Meaning: Smooth cold / Fun but icy
30. Like a snowstorm in your jacket
Meaning: Cold even when bundled up
Give an Instance: It felt like a snowstorm in my jacket at recess. / I was shivering like there was a snowstorm in my jacket.
Substitute Meaning: Can’t escape the cold / Windy and freezing
31. As cold as the top of a mountain
Meaning: High and freezing
Give an Instance: The wind was as cold as the top of a mountain. / That morning run felt like climbing the top of a mountain.
Substitute Meaning: High-up chill / Peak cold
32. Like frost on your eyelashes
Meaning: Tiny, icy feeling
Give an Instance: The air felt like frost on your eyelashes. / That winter walk was like frost on your eyelashes.
Substitute Meaning: Small freezing bits / Chill that clings
33. As cold as the inside of a snow cave
Meaning: Cold all around
Give an Instance: My tent was as cold as the inside of a snow cave. / That blanket wasn’t enough it felt like a snow cave inside.
Substitute Meaning: Surrounded by cold / No warmth inside
34. Like an icy blast from a snowblower
Meaning: Sudden and sharp cold
Give an Instance: The wind hit us like a blast from a snowblower. / The air vent felt like an icy blast from a snowblower.
Substitute Meaning: Quick cold gust / Sharp wind chill
35. As cold as an icicle
Meaning: Thin and freezing
Give an Instance: His fingers were as cold as an icicle. / That metal spoon was as cold as an icicle.
Substitute Meaning: Pointy cold / Long and freezing
36. Like dipping toes in icy water
Meaning: Sharp, surprising cold
Give an Instance: The cold floor felt like dipping toes in icy water. / That first snowball was like dipping toes in icy water.
Substitute Meaning: Sudden cold shock / Stings a little
37. As cold as a snow cone
Meaning: Fun but chilly
Give an Instance: My drink was as cold as a snow cone. / The bench was as cold as a snow cone on a hot day.
Substitute Meaning: Sweet cold / Frosty and fun
38. Like cold air from a cracked window
Meaning: Small but steady chill
Give an Instance: The classroom felt like cold air from a cracked window. / I had to move my seat it felt like a cracked window behind me.
Substitute Meaning: Sneaky cold / Chilling breeze
39. As cold as an early snow
Meaning: Cold before you’re ready
Give an Instance: That wind was as cold as an early snow in October. / My fingers felt as cold as an early snow.
Substitute Meaning: Surprise cold / Not ready for it
40. Like cold wind in a tunnel
Meaning: Cold that moves around
Give an Instance: The hallway felt like cold wind in a tunnel. / The wind on the bridge was like cold wind in a tunnel.
Substitute Meaning: Spinning chill / Windy and cold
41. As cold as your face after sledding
Meaning: Numb and red
Give an Instance: Her cheeks were as cold as after sledding. / My nose was as cold as a sledding day.
Substitute Meaning: Wind-burned cold / Frozen face
42. Like ice stuck in your boots
Meaning: Cold that’s hard to ignore
Give an Instance: It felt like ice stuck in my boots all morning. / That puddle was like ice stuck in your shoes.
Substitute Meaning: Wet and freezing / Freezing from the feet up
43. As cold as a forgotten snowman
Meaning: Still cold long after
Give an Instance: My water bottle was as cold as a forgotten snowman. / That leftover soup was as cold as a forgotten snowman.
Substitute Meaning: Old but still cold / Lasting cold
44. Like frost crawling up the windows
Meaning: Cold slowly spreading
Give an Instance: The house felt like frost crawling up the windows. / My legs felt like frost was crawling up them.
Substitute Meaning: Spreading cold / Chilling layer
45. As cold as the underside of a snow-covered porch
Meaning: Hidden and deep cold
Give an Instance: That garage was as cold as under a snow-covered porch. / The doghouse was as cold as the bottom of a snowy porch.
Substitute Meaning: Deep winter chill / Quiet, stuck cold
Find the “Similes For Cold Weather”
Reading Passage
It was the day of the school’s winter festival. James pulled on his coat and stepped outside. The air was as cold as ice, and his nose started to sting. As he walked to the bus stop, the sidewalk felt like ice under his feet, and he had to move carefully. The wind blew like a breeze from a glacier, making his eyes water.
On the bus, the metal seat was as cold as a soda can from the fridge. James rubbed his hands together, but they still felt as cold as a popsicle. When they arrived at school, he hurried inside. The hallway felt like walking into a fridge, even with all the kids around.
During recess, he picked up a snowball, and it was as cold as a snowflake. His fingers turned red like his face after sledding last weekend. He couldn’t wait for hot chocolate, especially after sitting on a bench as frozen as a playground slide in January.
Directions for Students
Underline or list all the similes used in the story.
Answer Key
- As cold as ice
- Like ice under his feet
- Like a breeze from a glacier
- As cold as a soda can from the fridge
- As cold as a popsicle
- Like walking into a fridge
- As cold as a snowflake
- Like his face after sledding
- As frozen as a playground slide in January
- As red as his face after sledding
Conclusion
Similes help us describe cold weather in fun and clear ways. They let us compare the cold to things we already know, like ice or snow. This makes writing and speaking more interesting and easier to picture.
Now that you’ve seen many examples, you can start using them in your own stories or conversations. Try noticing similes in books, movies, or when people talk about the weather. The more you practice, the more natural it will feel.
