What's the difference between Mostly Sunny and Partly Cloudy?

Answer 1

To answer your question Mostly Sunny = 1/8 to 2/8 clouds and Partly Cloudy = 3/8 to 5/8 clouds

Mostly Sunny has sunny almost all clear skies, maybe a little puffy cloud here or there and maybe some high cirrus clouds that look like feathers.

Partly Cloudy skies almost are always sunny and it has the little puffy cumulus clouds all over the sky

Click here to see a common Partly Cloudy sky:
http://www.bigfoto.com/sites/galery/sky/09_sky-clouds-xds.jpg

Click here to see a common Mostly Sunny sky:
http://www.weatherbook.com/images/mark_2_11_04_web.jpg
or here:
http://www.davidadamsonline.com/images/cirrus_3.jpg



SKY CONDITION

Forecasts normally include a sky condition unless it is implied from another part of the forecast. Below are terms we use to describe the sky condition:

Descriptive Term Predominant or Average Cloud Cover

>>CLEAR or SUNNY = No clouds

>>MOSTLY SUNNY or MOSTLY CLEAR = 1/8 to 2/8 clouds

>>PARTLY CLOUDY or PARTLY SUNNY = 3/8 to 5/8 clouds

>>MOSTLY CLOUDY (sometimes CONSIDERABLE CLOUDINESS) = 6/8 to 7/8 clouds

>>CLOUDY = 8/8 clouds

Also used:
INCREASING CLOUDS
DECREASING CLOUDS

Answer 2

This is a trick question. There really isn't much of a difference. They all mean the sky is part clear, and part cloudy. It just gives us a larger vocabulary to work with.

Although most of the time, we'll tend to use it as a bit of psychological factor. If the forecast is improving (as in, rain event is just ending and we'll clear up a bit), we'll usually go partly sunny.

If the forecast is deteriorating (as in, it's sunny now, but rain moving in tomorrow), we might say mostly cloudy as the condition during the increasing clouds.

We tend to save 'partly cloudy' for nighttime, since we can't use partly sunny.

Answer 3

Mostly Sunny is a day with little clouds, and Partly Cloudy is with more clouds but to what extent I do not know.

Answer 4

This has been a good one for years.

Mostly sunny is 51% or more of the sky is showing
Partly cloudy is 49% or less of the sky is covered

The cloud cover is usually in 8ths.
I think it came from a weatherman with a sense of humour.

Answer 5

when the sun is more visible than clouds its mostly sunny,
when the clouds are more in the sky and sun is less visible its partly cloudy

Answer 6

mostly sunny= sun-most
partly cloudy=half of cloud+sun