天あまが抜ぬける

expression, ichidan verb

the skies open up; rain cats and dogs

Idiomatic expression for extremely heavy rain, as if the sky itself has broken open. More vivid and colloquial than 大雨が降る.

• 急きゅうに天あまが抜ぬけたような雨あめが降ふり出だした。

  Suddenly it started raining as if the skies had opened up.

• 天あまが抜ぬけるほどの土ど砂しゃ降ぶりで、外そとに出でられない。

  It's raining cats and dogs, so I can't go outside.