17 June 2012 Last updated at 20:59 ET

Rain: Is it mizzling, grizzerable or siling down?

The Beaufort Scale was devised in 1806 to estimate wind speed by describing its effects, from zero - smoke rises vertically - to 12 - causing violence and destruction. After what seems like the wettest drought on record, BBC Radio 4's Broadcasting House has come up with its own scale to gauge the dampness of a British summer day, using colloquial terms suggested by its listeners. And presenter Kevin Connolly wonders why there are so few official terms to describe the rain.

YOUR ENGLISH SUMMER BEAUFORT SCALE
1. Not Raining	Outdoor furniture is erected cautiously in gardens and on balconies.
2. Mizzling	Light to moderate rummaging takes places in rucksacks for cagoules and pac-a-macs. Women on way to hairdressing appointments proceed apprehensively without umbrellas.
3. Grizzerable	Overseas players on county cricket teams are surprised to discover that they're required to continue playing.
4. Woodfiddly Rain	Outdoor furniture is brought back indoors. Lips are pursed.
5. Mawky	Aggressive hawkers selling fold-up umbrellas appear outside railway stations and shopping centres. Women on way back from hairdressers form impatient queue.
6. Tippling Down	Garden furniture is returned to garden centres in hope of getting money back.
7. Luttering Down	Fingers drummed on indoor furniture. Eyes rolled. Tuts tutted.
8. Plothering Down	Irritating displays of supposedly barbecue-friendly foods are removed from the entrance areas of supermarkets.
9. Pishpotikle Weather	Rain intensifies. Women with newly-done hair find aggressive hawkers have disappeared when they take defective umbrellas back in search of a refund.
10. Raining Like a Cow Relieving Itself	Cows relieve themselves.
11. Raining Stair-rods	Any garden furniture not taken indoors floats away. Reporters on 24-hour news channels began using word torrential and holding their hands out with their palms upturned.
12. Siling Down	Hardy British holidaymakers are finally driven from beach at Herne Bay. Garden furniture begins appearing on eBay. Water companies introduce hosepipe bans, pointing to dry spell five years ago.