Chart from Meteorology Today, 8th Ed., by Donald Ahrens.

The chart above shows the official symbols used by meteorologist on weather charts and maps. This is a pretty funny chart; it reads like a joke--one that doesn't make much sense, but has a great punch line. I understand the symbol for clear, 4/8, and overcast. The others aren't instantly comprehensible.

Looks more like 1/2 to me.

Looks like international symbol for an information kiosk.

And then there is the big M for Missing. I am sure this refers to missing data, but I had to laugh. Where would you look for a missing sky?

Lucy, you got some 'splainin' to do.

But seriously...when used in combination with the table below, these symbols make you realize that it doesn't take many clouds to make cloudy. A sky ~~covered by~~ graced by--more than 25% clouds is cloudy. And "cloudy" has such negative connotations. Which is too bad. Cloudful would be more a better adjective.

I took this photo around 3 p.m. Monday. A classic example of altostratus clouds over Budd Inlet. The National Weather Service report from Olympia Airport listed the clouds as Few and Scattered (SCT). Hmmmm....

This photo shows the western edge of the cloud bank above--skies starting to clear. The National Weather Service did not mention the crows--few and scattered.