Weather Terminologies
Weather Terminologies
Cloud Description
SKY CONDITION DEFINITION / DESCRIPTION
Clear or Sunny Skies State of the sky when it is cloudless, totally clear or with a few small light clouds visible.
Has a total cloud cover of less than one okta.
Partly Cloudy State of the sky is within 2-5 oktas total cloud cover or has between 30% to 70% cover of the celestial dome.
Partly Cloudy to at Times Cloudy Mostly partly cloudy but there are times when more than 70% of the celestial dome is covered with clouds.
Mostly or Mainly Cloudy The sky is mostly covered with clouds but with possible brief periods of sunshine.
The total cloud cover is between 6 to 8 oktas.
Cloudy The sky is covered with clouds between 6 to 8 oktas or has more than 70% cloud cover.
Predominantly more clouds than clear sky.
For a longer period during the day, the sun is obscured by clouds.
Overcast The sky is totally or completely covered with thick and opaque clouds, 8 oktas or around 100% cloud cover.
Wind Description (Based from the Beaufort Wind Scale and the Saffir-
Simpson Scale)
WIND DESCRIPTION UNITS in KPH UNITS in KNOTS DESCRIPTION AS OBSERVED
Moderate Winds 20-29 11-16 Wind raises dust and loose paper.
Small branches are moved.
Moderate to Occasionally Strong Moderate winds mostly persist but there are instances during the f
Widespread damage.
2 Violent Storm* 103-117 53-63
*Terms that are not normally used by meteorological centers in forecasts formulation and communication
Gust - any sudden brief increase of wind speed usually less than 20 seconds followed by a lull or slackening in wind speed
Overcast sky with continuous or steady precipitation that may last several hours.
Has a water droplets of 0.5 mm or greater in size but if widely scattered the drops may be smaller.
Associated with meso-scale (synoptic) system or macro-scale (large scale) system like TC's, Easterly Waves,
Monsoons, Fronts and ITCZ.
Very Light Rains Scattered drops that do not completely wet an exposed surface regardless of duration.
Light Rains The rate of fall is from trace to 2.5 mm per hour.
Individual drops easily identified and puddles(small muddy pools) form slowly.
Small streams may flow in gutters.
Moderate Rains The rate of fall is between 2.5 mm to 7.5 mm per hour.
RAIN CLASSIFICATION DEFINITION / DESCRIPTION
Heavy Rains The rate of fall is greater than 7.5 mm per hour.
The sky is overcast, there is a continuous precipitation.
Falls in sheets, misty spray over hard surfaces.
May cause roaring noise on roofs.
Heavy and continuous precipitation attributed to either the Southwest or Northeast Monsoon.
Frequent Rains Precipitation occuring regularly and often throughout the time duration.
II. Rainshowers
Precipitation of short duration but usually of greater intensity from convective clouds(primarily cumulus or
cumulonimbus)
Characterized by sudden start and sudden end of precipitation, rapid change in intensity.
RAINSHOWERS DEFINITION / DESCRIPTION
Scattered Rainshowers The rain-bearing clouds is distributed spatially resulting to rainshowers occuring to the bigger part of the forecasted area.
Isolated Rainshowers The rain-bearing clouds is small and isolated resulting to rainshowers occuring only to a small part of the forecasted area.
Occasional Rainshowers There is a large amount of convective clouds and precipitation occur in most parts of the forecasted area occasionally, and
Squally Rainshowers Showers accompanied by brief but sudden strong or gale force winds.
Sea Condition as affected by Wind Force (Based from the Beaufort Wind
Scale)
WAVE HT.
WIND FORCE UNITS in (MPS) UNITS in (KTS) (METER) SEA CONDITION
Calm 0-1.5 0-3.0 0.1 Ripples with the appearance of scales are formed but w
foam crests.
Smooth 1.5-4.0 3.0-8.0 0.1-0.5 Small wavelets, still short but more pronounced.
Crest have glassy appearance and do not break.
Moderate 8.0-11.0 16.0-22.0 1.25-2.5 Moderate waves taking a more pronounced long form.
Many white horses are formed-a change of some spray
Very Rough 16.0-20.0 32.0-40.0 4.0-6.0 Moderately high waves of greater length.
Edges of crest begin to break into spindrift.
Foam is blown in well-mark streaks along the direction
the wind.
High 20.0-26.0 40.0-52.0 6.0-9.0 High to very high waves with long overhanging crests.
The surface of the sea takes on white appearance.
The thumbling of the sea becomes heavy with visibilit
affected.
behind waves.
of foam.
Phenomenal >34.0 >68.0 >14.0 The air is completely filled with foam and spray.
Sea completely white with driving spray.
Visibility very seriously affected.