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.