'How's the weather?' vs 'What's the weather like?'

[Olympian]

Hello,

This question is about the difference, if any, between 'how's the weather?' and 'what's the weather like?'

(I have read this thread on these questions )

In a book that I came across, the question
'what's the weather like?' is answered with the following:
It's sunny/hazy/foggy/clear/smoggy/windy/humid/muggy/raining/drizzling/snowing

and the question
'how's the weather?' is answered with the following:
It's warm/cool/cold/freezing

I want to ask if this is correct. I have seen some discussion on another site where someone tried to distinguish between
'how's your boss' and 'what's your boss like', but that does not seem to apply in case of weather.

Actually, both the questions ('how's the weather' and 'what's the weather like') mean the same to me, and I answer 'it's hot/warm' or 'it's raining' depending upon how it is here. Is this wrong?

Thank you

[Raymott]

They mean the same thing to me.

[5jj]

To me, too.

Note that 'How's the weather like' is not natural English.

[Olympian]

@Raymott and @5jj, thank you.

@5jj, sorry, it is my mistake in copying the question. The question is 'How's the weather'.

I will edit my original post and make the correction.

Thank you

[BobK]

For me they mean the same. However, 'How's the weather', being syntactically less demanding, sounds to me like the sort of choice a non-native speaker might make. (Note, it sounds fine: when I hear 'How's the weather?' I don't think 'Uh-oh, we've got a foreigner here' () But if someone says 'Excuse sir, can you tell me some informations' I might expect to hear something like 'How's the weather?')

b

[Olympian]

For me they mean the same. However, 'How's the weather', being syntactically less demanding, sounds to me like the sort of choice a non-native speaker might make. (Note, it sounds fine: when I hear 'How's the weather?' I don't think 'Uh-oh, we've got a foreigner here' () But if someone says 'Excuse sir, can you tell me some informations' I might expect to hear something like 'How's the weather?')

b

@BobK, thank you. I don't say that, but my accent gives me away as a foreigner.

So, would a native English speaker say 'What's the weather like?'
Sorry, still a bit confused. Or, does it sound more natural with 'How's the weather there?'

[Barb_D]

The weather is here.
I wish you were beautiful.

[5jj]

I wish you were beautiful.

You lost me there.

[emsr2d2]

For me, they're both fine. The only difference I might consider is that my reply to "How's the weather?" would probably be shorter.

How's the weather?
It's good.

What's the weather like?
It's good. It's really sunny and hot but nice and cool at night.

How's the weather?
It's terrible.

What's the weather like?
Awful. It's been raining all day and they're talking about snow tomorrow.

[david11]

I don't understand Barb_D reply in this context.