Cloud Description
SKY CONDITION | DEFINITION / DESCRIPTION |
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Clear or Sunny Skies |
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Partly Cloudy |
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Partly Cloudy to at Times Cloudy |
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Mostly or Mainly Cloudy |
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Cloudy |
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Overcast |
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Wind Description (Based from the Beaufort Wind Scale and the Saffir-Simpson Scale)
WIND DESCRIPTION | UNITS in KPH | UNITS in KNOTS | DESCRIPTION AS OBSERVED |
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Light Winds | 19 or less | 10 or less |
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Moderate Winds | 20-29 | 11-16 |
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Moderate to Occasionally Strong |
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Fresh Winds* | 30-39 | 17-21 |
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Strong Winds | 40-50 | 22-27 |
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Gale: |
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Stormy: |
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*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
Precipitation (Rain & Rainshowers) Description
I. Rains
- 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.
RAIN CLASSIFICATION | DEFINITION / DESCRIPTION |
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Very Light Rains |
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Light Rains |
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Moderate Rains |
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Heavy Rains |
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Monsoon Rains |
Other Descriptions:
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Occasional Rains |
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Widespread Rains |
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Frequent Rains |
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Intermittent Rains |
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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 |
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Scattered Rainshowers |
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Isolated Rainshowers |
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Occasional Rainshowers |
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Squally Rainshowers |
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Sea Condition as affected by Wind Force (Based from the Beaufort Wind Scale)
WIND FORCE | UNITS in (MPS) | UNITS in (KTS) | WAVE HT. (METER) |
SEA CONDITION |
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Calm | 0-1.5 | 0-3.0 | 0.1 |
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Smooth | 1.5-4.0 | 3.0-8.0 | 0.1-0.5 |
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Slight | 4.0-8.0 | 8.0-16.0 | 0.5-1.25 |
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Moderate | 8.0-11.0 | 16.0-22.0 | 1.25-2.5 |
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Rough | 11.0-16.0 | 22.0-32.0 | 2.5-4.0 |
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Very Rough | 16.0-20.0 | 32.0-40.0 | 4.0-6.0 |
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High | 20.0-26.0 | 40.0-52.0 | 6.0-9.0 |
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Very High | 26.0-34.0 | 52.0-68.0 | 9.0-14.0 |
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Phenomenal | >34.0 | >68.0 | >14.0 |
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