it is raining cats and dogs: piove a catinelle. cielo sereno: blue sky fenomeni di precipitazione: rain [possibly with hail] or snow (precipitare: to fall with great velocity) banchi di nebbia, nebbia a banchi: clouds of fog ('clouds' at ground level) note: This expression: /it is raining cats and dogs/ actually describes what happens when a strong wind accompanies the rain; small animals are moved around and dropped to the soil at a distance; such string winds are rare in Italy, with the exception of Trieste and the ridge of our many mountains.