When it comes to the weather forecast, there are terms you hear every day, phrases like "partly cloudy" and "mostly sunny."
In meteorology, like all sciences, these basic terms have a specific definition:
- Cloudy: 90-100% sky covered
- Mostly cloudy: 70-80% sky covered
- Partly Cloudy/Partly Sunny: 30-60% sky covered
- Mostly Clear/Mostly Sunny: 10-30% sky covered
- Clear/Sunny: 0-10% sky covered
Cloud cover can vary over the course of a day. That's the tricky part.
As a meteorologist for Spectrum News, effectively delivering information is my highest goal. We all strive to communicate in ways our viewers want, need, and find interesting.
So, in every morning forecast, I try to give viewers one forecast nugget to remember as they go about their day. It's usually two phrases and a number that best describe the expectations for the workday ahead.
- Mostly sunny, breezy, and warm. High 80.
- Mostly cloudy, some showers. High 75.
Now, clouds can vary quite a bit, not only through the course of the day but across the forecast area. There's a bit of a fudge factor involved scientifically, but most of us will likely generally experience those conditions.
One way to think of it is as a question and answer. Sunny? Mostly. Cloudy? Partly.
Hopefully, this gives our viewers the information they need in a personally meaningful way.