what is "Scattered showers" and "isolated showers" and "scattered thunderstorms" ?

Question

which one them is worst?

Answer 1

As used by the U.S. National Weather Service the difference between scattered and isolated is the percentage of the areal coverage of the forecast area by the rain.

In the case of isolated, the coverage of the forecast area is at or between 15% and 24%.

In the case of scattered the coverage is at or between 25% and 54%

The difference between showers and thunderstorms seems to vary slightly from region to region of the country slightly. If you go by definitions, thunderstrorms contain lightning and thunder while showers do not. Showers also imply less amounts of rain than that of a thunderstorm. In some regions, particularly drier areas of the western mountains, thunderstorms can also imply high winds, and the possibility of little or no rain with the lightning which could become an ignition source for wildfires.

East of the Rocky Mountains, the term thunderstorms can imply there is a minor threat of severe weather...that is...high winds capable of damage and hail 3/4 inch in diameter or larger. Most offices will add that language to the forecast if that threat is substaintial.

Other countries may have different values for the similar type of wording.

Answer 2

Scattered showers means a few showers in the day (or night), Isolated showers means mabey one shower sometime in the day, and scattered thunderstorms basicly is the same as scattered showers but with thunder and possibly lightning. I would say scattered thunderstorms are worst because of the severity. I love a good thunderstorm though! haha

Answer 3

Scattered showers are rain showers that might hit some parts of a town or city. They are usually unpredictable. It's the same thing for isolated showers, except the showers are even more patchy. You can literally have rain fall on your home and no one elses. Scattered thunderstorms are, again, unpredictable and can be located over one tows (EDIT TOWN urgh. spellcheck, indeed) and not the bordering areas. More precise answers below. Mostly it appears that the percentage of likelihood for the different storms is the key to figuring out whether to call storms "scattered" or "isolated".

Answer 4

Isolated means very spotty in nature. Scattered means they are more numerous. Isolated would have to be worst because those are your super cell type of storms, the ones that can produce tornadoes.