Understanding the Summary Symbols

The weather symbols used on the BBC Weather website homepage and in television broadcasts combine the forecast for both temperature and weather. They are based on the codes that the Met Office use to classify types of weather but simplified to a set suitable for forecast graphics.

The symbols are designed by our own team of graphic designers, and relate to all eventualities of meteorology.

There are different symbols for day and night, and variations of different symbols, depending on severity. For example, there are a number of symbols which indicate snow, depending on how heavily it is falling.

Explanation of the Summary Symbols used on the BBC Weather website homepage:

Clear and Bright
	Clear sky (at night)
	Sunny day
	Partly cloudy (at night)
	Sunny intervals

Dark and Rainy
	Black, low level cloud
	Light rain shower (night) Drizzle Light rain (night)
	Light rain shower
	Heavy rain shower (night)
	Heavy rain shower
	Heavy rain (day and night)

Hail and Snow
	Cloudy with sleet
	Sleet shower
	Sleet shower (night)
	Hail shower
	Hail shower (night)
	Cloudy with hail
	Light snow shower (night)
	Light snow shower
	Cloudy with light snow
	Heavy snow shower (night)
	Heavy snow shower
	Cloudy with heavy snow

Thunder
	Thundery shower (night)
	Thundery shower

Other Symbols
	Sandstorm
	Mist
	Fog
	Tropical Storm
	Hazy