What does "Scattered Thunderstorms" mean?

[JulieNMM]

(Feel free to move if this is the wrong place!)

We're leaving in 36 hours for 2 weeks in Florida -- first 3 days in Tampa and then 10 days in Orlando. The forecast for the next 10 days says "Scattered Tstorms" with a high around 90 for all the days.

So I'm just wondering, what does that mean? Will it be totally warm and sunny part of the day and then there will be a thunderstorm for an hour and then it will go back to sunny again?

Someone please explain!!!

Thanks,
JULIE

 

[Bigbluebear]

It means that it will probably rain every day at some pont, maybe for hours, or maybe for half an hour.

However the showers are normally isolated so it could be dry at one park and torrential rain at another.

So basically is just your donald duck whether you get caught in it or not.

 

[Alye]

It means it will rain on one side of the street and the other will be dry.

It also means that the humidity will make the sun moot.

 

[bradk]

scattered actually refers to the percentage of the area covered by the storm, not how often it rains. specifically, scattered means 30-50% of the area will experience rain at some point.

 

[asmarykay]

scattered actually refers to the percentage of the area covered by the storm, not how often it rains. specifically, scattered means 30-50% of the area will experience rain at some point.

I just thought it was a phrase coined by weather forecasters in GA & FL who want the summer off.

Starting in May through early Sept the forecast is - "Highs in the low to mid 90's with a chance of scattered afternoon thunderstorms"

 

[bradk]

believe it or not, there are differences between partly cloudy and partly sunny too.

it's all dictated by percentages. the term chance by itself indicates a probability of 30-50% of rainfall. if it's less than that, it's a slight chance, more is a likely chance.

scattered is in the middle with isolated being less coverage and numerous covering more area.

but what it comes down to is everything is 50/50 - it either happens or it doesn't

 

[larryz]

We got scattered by a thunderstorm Tuesday afternoon at DHS. It hit just as we were leaving, and when we got dropped off in the parking lot, we were soaked to our underwear before we could get halfway to the van.

 

[Navywife508]

I just thought it was a phrase coined by weather forecasters in GA & FL who want the summer off.

Starting in May through early Sept the forecast is - "Highs in the low to mid 90's with a chance of scattered afternoon thunderstorms"

Growing up in Florida we heard this all time. You got this one so right!

 

[TheRustyScupper]

Scattered is what the crowds did when the thunderstorms came.

 

[eeyoregon]

It means you are traveling during hurricane/rain season so you will likely have afternoon thunder/lightning and rain. Bring your ponchos!

 

[RllngRckBrw]

We were there 3 weeks ago with "scattered" thunderstorms possible every day (some more than others). It rained three times. One was a small drizzle when we were at World Showcase,. Another was the hardest rain I have ever seen but only lasted a half hour (luckily we saw it blow in and we decided to go shopping on main street). The last time was a decent storm, and we waited outside of Pecos Bill's under the overhang because we could see the clearing in the clouds. It only lasted 10 min. Overall it is not a big deal. These storms are easy to dodge or just get a poncho and go for it. Finding an indoor line or attraction usually gives you enough time to avoid the "scattered storms".

 

[gatorfreud]

I am in Florida already and anxiously awaiting DH's arrival so we can hit our WDW trip!!! I went to Sea World with some friends yesterday and the forecast said scattered T'storms starting at 10am all day... it was gorgeous until about 2pm, the clouds came in, rained about 10 min, sprinkled a bit after that. Overcast and not too hot at all. My sister was at Universal at the same time, and about 2:30pm she said it was pouring. But it's all usually over quickly. The luck of the draw, just bring a poncho (or not, I put mine on for about 3 minutes and it was so hot and sticky, that we just took cover for a few minutes instead!). But I wouldn't worry...

Have fun!

 

[HALEYSMOMMOM]

Really, i don't think you have to worry, It will probably be a rain shower in the afternoon some days, depending on if you are in the right location or not. Probably will not last long at all. That's our experience, and we've been quite a bit. One night, when it was forcasted scattered tstorms, we were watching illuminations in Epcot, and supposed to meet some family there, but they were stuck in their car in the parking lot, where it was t storming. It was clear as a bell for us! They really are widely scattered most of the time. No worries, have fun!

 

[nhpgator]

being a 5th generation floridian and daughter of a forecaster - here's my two cents - as someone said weathermen can take the summer off unless there is a hurricane (which they all seem to live for) because the summer is pretty much mid 90's, humid and scatter t-storms - ok back to point
here's what you can expect

• it will be hot
• it will be humid
• it will rain somewhere in the afternoon but as someone said one side of the street could be dry while the other is wet
• thunderstorms mean dark clouds with ... you guessed it thunder - and thunder means lightning... so find a good store to duck into (with the your 100,000 new closest friends)
• showers are usually not accompanied by thunder and it can look gorgeous and sunny outside - these are usually short in duration... and totally baffling to some people
• that all being said - it is still Walt Disney World have fun - look on the bright side and bring a poncho!!

Tasha

 

[littlewitch34]

Not to knock you or anything (I still do ten-day forecasts!) but I took a weather and climate class last year, and the professor informed us that a 10-day forecast is pretty likely to be inaccurate after the first 36-hours of the forecast, because that's what they can predict better.

I don't know if that's true or not, but I still read the forecasts every day.

And the forecast every day for FL is hot, humid, scattered T-storms

 

[bradk]

well, that's 75% true. in orlando, during hurricane season, forecasts or not, the weather is usually predictable in that it will be HHH with a good chance of quick afternoon showers.

but as a whole, and what I constantly try to remind folks in most cases is that forecasts are useless beyond 3 days and even same day isn't always all that reliable. i plug in an example of where a car is cruising at 60MPH and all other things being equal, you know where that car will be in 3 hours except when it has to make a sudden stop due to a deer in the road for example.

 

[luckytobeme88]

I have noticed that same forecasts repeat themselves every single day in Orlando. There's sun, a lightning bolt, and rain drop in the weather casts. Don't worry about it. If it rains, so be it...

 

[aladams2]

I'm a wife to a WEATHER DUDE. Scattered thunderstorms means it's a hit and miss storm. It could hit Toontown but miss Mainstreet. There is thunder and lightening so do take cover if it is a hit where you are. They usually don't last long so don't leave. It also means after the storms hit it gets extremely humid!! Hope that helps.

 

[littlewitch34]

I'm a wife to a WEATHER DUDE.

A weather dude? That's we called our professor!