It has been raining vs it has been rainy

Both phrases are correct, but they are used in different contexts. 'It has been raining' is the more common and natural way to express that rain has been falling continuously. 'It has been rainy' is less common and is used to describe the weather or climate as being characterized by rain.

Last updated: April 08, 2024 • 827 views

It has been raining

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to indicate that rain has been falling continuously.

This phrase is used to describe a period of continuous rain. It indicates that the action of raining has been ongoing.

Examples:

It has been raining all day.
I heard it has been raining heavily in the mountains.
It has been raining non-stop since yesterday.
Do you know how long it has been raining?
The roads are flooded because it has been raining for hours.

Alternatives:

It has rained all day.
It has been raining for hours.
It has not stopped raining.
It has been pouring down with rain.
It has been drizzling all morning.

it has been rainy

This phrase is correct but less common. It is used to describe the weather or climate as being characterized by rain.

This phrase is used to describe the weather conditions as being rainy over a period of time. It indicates that the weather has been consistently rainy.

Examples:

The weather has been rainy all week.
It has been quite rainy lately.
The forecast says it will be rainy tomorrow.
The region is known for being rainy in the winter.
The summer has been unusually rainy this year.

Show examples from the web [+]

it has been rainy
Answer by: Accommodation Owner Jan 232013 Dear Tatiana, Thank you so much for your very kind review, It has been a very rainy Christmas and New year last year which is quite unusual.
Whether it's been rainy or windy, we've been visiting him every day.
After he starts his job, the weather has been rainy day after day.
Some African lungfish use gills in rainy season.
So when you're driving on rainy days...
Rainy nights are ideal for escape attempts.
The cause was a poor rainy season.
One rainy day Sharon looks outside.
Conditions were wet and rainy at times.
From rainy coast to rainy coast.
Portugal: After the heat of the rainy autumn of 2003 and 2002, the Portuguese wine bekammen 2004 a year with balanced webspace sun and rainy seasons.
We enjoyed some warm days of fantastic sun, one rainy and very damp day and a couple of rainy and chilly mornings, which turned into sunny afternoons.
In one unforgettable scene, Guido rolls out a never-ending red carpet so that his 'princess' can come down and join him on a rainy romantic rainy night.
Fabrizio Bindocci - Agronomist and Œnologist - Tenuta Il Poggione We had a mild and rainy winter followed by a mild rainy spring.
Let's just say somewhere less rainy than Seattle.
So we actually shot this over two rainy days.
Save the rest for rainy days.
Let's see, Lapsang Souchong, for those rainy mornings.
I do hope you enjoy these rainy New Mexican evenings.
I know, and the rainy season is just beginning.

Alternatives:

The weather has been wet all week.
It has been consistently rainy lately.
The forecast says it will be rainy tomorrow.
The region is known for its rainy winters.
The summer has been unusually wet this year.

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