In the Black Country it’s bucketing, in Birmingham it’s tipping it down, but if you’re up north it’s more likely to be chucking it.
For a country obsessed with the rain, it’s no surprise the UK’s regions all have their own slang to describe the weather.
And soon each area’s identity may be reflected by the national forecaster. The Met Office is set to consider using regional slang in its local broadcasts.
The weather service is launching a scheme that could incorporate idioms to make bulletins simpler and more accessible.
For a country obsessed with the rain, it’s no surprise the UK’s regions all have their own slang to describe the weather
It is appealing for keen weather watchers to submit their local terms so it can create a glossary to add character to regional forecasts.
The initiative comes following a survey of 2,000 people, which found disparities between how we describe the weather.
It discovered more than half of those in the Black Country use ‘bucketing’ to describe heavy rain, whereas six in ten people in Leeds and Newcastle would say ‘chucking it down’.
Londoners prefer the term ‘caning it’, while those in Birmingham and Bristol use ‘tipping it down’. Overall, ‘pouring’ was the most popular term nationally. Pictured: Stormy skies above Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol
Londoners prefer the term ‘caning it’, while those in Birmingham and Bristol use ‘tipping it down’. Overall, ‘pouring’ was the most popular term nationally.
Derrick Ryall, head of the public weather service at the Met Office, said: ‘The range of slang for rain alone demonstrates the breadth and diversity of the English language and the varying terminology used across the UK.
‘As the UK’s national weather service, we’re always looking to improve the way weather forecasts are communicated, to make them as useful as possible and increase their understanding.’
It’s not just dialect that makes the regions distinct, but also people’s sense of how cold it is.
The survey, conducted by Vital last month, found two-fifths of Londoners described temperatures of 15C (59F) in January as cold, but three-quarters of those in East Anglia, Wales and the South West thought it was warm.
It also revealed that respondents struggled to interpret weather symbols.
It discovered more than half of those in the Black Country use ‘bucketing’ to describe heavy rain, whereas six in ten people in Leeds (pictured) and Newcastle would say ‘chucking it down’
More than half wrongly interpreted the sun symbol – which indicates bright, clear skies – as hot or warm weather.
Only 14 per cent were able to identify the symbol for sleet.
The Met Office is today launching a project on Twitter asking people to describe the weather in three words, using the hashtag #3wordweather.
The information will be used to compare regional phrases to see if there are better ways to express the forecast.
Mr Ryall added: ‘We have used a set of symbols and vocabulary to describe the weather for over 40 years and it’s important that they are still relevant.
‘It’s become apparent from recent studies that different regions interpret language and information uniquely.’