On Friday, September 26, 2014 6:12:53 PM UTC+1, Norman wrote:


The term 'Fine' does have a strict definition (or it used to have) but I can't

lay my hands on it. From memory, to be classed as 'Fine' there has to be a

largely clear sky or, at worst, only small amounts of cloud.

========

That's certainly how I recall it as well but I also cannot immediately dig up the precise definition.

Given that "fine" must mean that it's dry, it annoys me to death to hear or read the redundant phrase "fine and dry". Or even "fine and dry with lots of sunshine".

There used to be more precision with certain other phrases: "sunny periods" and "sunny intervals" had distinct definitions (sunshine for more than and less than half the time, respectively). I don't know why we had to lose these. More generally the imprecision of much of the language from some of the flightier presenters does nobody any favours.

Stephen.