Good Question: Reply All
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- It's a "what's the difference between this and that" series of Good Questions. Flurries and showers? Colleges and Universities? John and Jack? We're replying all to Good Questions from WCCO viewers.
What's the difference between snow flurries and snow showers? -Mary Vellmure, Woodbury
"It's pretty subjective," said WCCO meteorologist Mike Augustyniak. He said that snow showers typically refer to a snowfall similar in duration to a rain shower. It's off-and-on.
You'll get snow for an hour, then nothing. Then it snows for two hours.
Snow flurries are typically more about intensity. According to Augustyniak, flurries typically are light and there's not much accumulation. It's similar to rain sprinkles, he said.
What's the difference between a college and a university? - Barbara Cobb, Chanhassen
There are no official rules about using the terms, however most Universities in the United States have several Colleges. So the University of Minnesota has a College of Law and a College of Liberal Arts, among others.
The College of St. Catherine changed its name to St. Catherine University in 2009. The college was trying to "develop a stronger and more visible role for graduate programs," according to its website.
St. Kate's has a Women's College and a Graduate College.
"Although we are best known as a women's college, we began to move beyond the traditional liberal arts college model -- serving traditional-age residential students, on one campus, with classes only on weekdays -- with the founding of Weekend College in 1979," the school noted.
Why is Jack a nickname for John? And why is Peggy a nickname for Margaret? – Emily from Rockford
During medieval times, the name John was altered slightly in the Germanic languages to Jankin or Jackin. Out of that, we get the nickname Jack.
Margaret has spawned an incredible amount of nicknames: Margot, Greta, Maggie, Meg and Mog.
Those last two nicknames were rhymed, to Peg and Pog. That became Peggy.
WCCO-TV's Jason DeRusha Reports
