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DWW25921's avatar

When does it stop being partly cloudy and start being partly sunny?

Asked by DWW25921 (6498points) June 9th, 2014

What on earth do they mean? I live in a small rural area and the only thing we can count on when it comes to weather is that they are usually dead wrong. I’ve become pretty adept at looking up the radar and figuring it out for myself. It raises several questions…

Why the vague double meanings? Are forecasters really so worried about getting it wrong? It seems that there’s always a “chance” of something, anything and a little bit of everything! So they can say, “See, I was right!”

More and more I have noticed upon talking to people that everyone seems to be an expert on the radar. Do you look it up and figure it out for yourself too? Have you counted on a forecast to be right only to be betrayed by bad weather?

Inquiring minds want to know. :)

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6 Answers

ibstubro's avatar

Ha!

It depends on if your cup is half full, or half empty!

nogjam's avatar

There is more sun than clouds when it is partly cloudy.
There are more clouds than sun when it is partly sunny.

There is a difference.

hearkat's avatar

I think there’s a spectrum: Clear > Mostly sunny > A mix of sun and clouds > Partly sunny > Mostly cloudy > Overcast

I do look at the radar and satellite myself if there’s a bug storm brewing or I have special plans. Otherwise, I only look when getting dressed at what today will be, because they are so inaccurate more than 12 hours out. Even within the next 12 hours, I will formulate my personal forecast taking into consideration the trend of the past couple days and the wind direction and speed, etc.

DWW25921's avatar

I too find that I when consider the past few days into the current day it’s more accurate. Like tomorrow I expect it to be overcast and rain in the evening. All the weather reports say it will rain all day. Well, that’s not what I see on the radar…

Dutchess_III's avatar

Well, I glance outside. Right now it’s sunny…oops. Cloud just passed over the sun…oops, sun is back…oops! Got dim again. Like that.

DWW25921's avatar

They called for rain today. Every channel, all day. It was gorgeous. There was a brief storm after about 10 pm tonight… But all day is was very clear and sunny.

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