Watch CBS News

What's The Difference Between Partly Cloudy & Partly Sunny?

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Tom from Lakeville wants to know: What's the difference between partly cloudy and partly sunny?

"It's a little subjective," says WCCO's Kylie Bearse, who says different meteorologists might have slightly different interpretations. "You're not going to look at a cloudy day and say I'm going to call this mostly sunny. It's right in that middle area."

According to the National Weather Service, if the cloud cover is 1/8 or less, it's considered clear or sunny.

Between 3/8 and 5/8 cloud cover can be either partly sunny or partly cloudy. Between 5/8 and 7/8, it's mostly cloudy. When the cloud cover is 7/8 or more, it's considered cloudy.

Partly cloudy and partly sunny can be used interchangeable, but partly sunny is not used during the night.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.