Raining frequently..

[kumar17]

When it rains at different times in a day, what will we call it?

The rain is not pouring continuously. For an example, it starts at 7 AM and stops at 7:30 AM and again starts at 8:20 and again stops after sometime. While it is not continuous but it rains frequently that we can't make any plans.

Is there any word or particular way to describe it?

 

[tzfujimino]

Hmm...
I think you mean "intermittent rain".
https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/intermittent

 

[emsr2d2]

When it rains on and off [STRIKE]at different times in[/STRIKE] over the course of a day, what [STRIKE]will[/STRIKE] do we call it?

The rain is not [STRIKE]pouring[/STRIKE] falling continuously. For [STRIKE]an[/STRIKE] example, it starts at 7 AM, [STRIKE]and[/STRIKE] stops at 7:30 AM, [STRIKE]and again[/STRIKE] starts again at 8:20 AM and again stops after some time. [STRIKE]While[/STRIKE] It is not continuous but it rains frequently [STRIKE]that[/STRIKE] so we can't make any plans.

Is there any word or particular way to describe it?

Please note my corrections above.

 

[PeterCW]

In BrE we would describe these short periods of rainfall as "showers" and weather of this type as "showery"

The UK Met Office web site explains the technical difference between "rain" and "showers"

 

[emsr2d2]

Weather forecasts in the UK sometimes refer to "intermittent showers" and "intermittent rain".

 

[PeterCW]

Weather forecasts in the UK sometimes refer to "intermittent showers" and "intermittent rain".

I never claimed that they were consistent.

 

[emsr2d2]

I never claimed that they were consistent.

I should have been clearer. I was just making sure the OP didn't think you were saying that BrE would use "showers" and "showery" instead of "intermittent XXX".

 

[Tdol]

How about scattered showers?

 

[emsr2d2]

How about scattered showers?

I would take that to mean that they were spread over various parts of a geographical area, rather than that the showers might happen multiple times.

 

[Tdol]

It covers number, location and timing when we don't know.

 

[tedmc]

It covers number, location and timing when we don't know.

I have not heard of things "scattered over time". Numbers don't scatter, do they?

 

[Tdol]

That would be an uncertain number of showers. My post was only referring to showers.

 

[emsr2d2]

"Scattered showers" suggests, to me, that there is no real certainty about the number, frequency or location of the showers.

 

[probus]

How about scattered showers?

Environment Canada, the governmrnt agency that does our weather forecasting commonly uses the phrase scattered showers and occasionally widely scattered showers.

To follow up on PeterCW's point, whether they are scattered in time or in space or in both, they would be perceived similarly by an observer as intermittent rain.

 

[SoothingDave]

They talk of "scattered showers" here frequently, too. The opposite would be "widespread," where it's raining everywhere over a large area (like the metro area). With scattered showers, it may be raining here, but not 25 miles away. But 15 minutes later it might be the opposite. It really depends on how scattered they are. If it's really scattered you might see no rain at all that day.