It sounds like just the same, normal weather forecast vocabulary that you would expect to hear at the end of every news programme. 
But this time, it’s a bit special. HRH Prince Charles tried his hand at ‘doing the weather’ today on BBC Scotland television news, which must have been surprising for viewers tuning in to see what their daywould be like weather-wise. Weathermen, like news readers, typically have voices that are easy to understand, so it was unusual to hear the Prince with his received pronunciation accent talking about sunshine and rain. Once Charles had got used to ‘the clicker’ (the gadget that makes the pictures move forward), he seemed to do the forecast like a professional. His famously exaggerated and expressive hand movements made him a natural for the job. When he mentions Balmoral (the holiday home of the Royal family) thinks turn a bit humorous – well as funny as you can be when you get royalty on the BBC. But whether you hear it from the weatherman/woman or royalty, the weather forecast is always filled with specific vocabulary that needs explaining if you are not a native speaker: the difficult vocabulary is highlighted in bold and then explained below the text. Prince Charles’ weather forecast vocabulary: Well it’s an unsettled picture as we head towards the end of the week. This afternoon it’ll be cold, wet and windy across most of Scotland. We are under the influence of low pressure and this weather front pushing northwards is bringing clouds and outbreaks of rain. The rain, of course, will be heaviest over the borders and around Edinburgh, where it could lead to difficult conditions on the roads. In the west, rain will be lighter and patchier with maybe a few drier interludes over Dumfries House in Ayrshire. There will be snow for the higher ground of the Highlands and Aberdeenshire. There will be the potential for a few flurries over Balmoral…who the hell wrote this script! The best of the drier and brighter weather will, of course, be over the far northern isles and far north of the mainland. So a little hazy sunshine for the Castle of Mey and Caithness. But a cold day everywhere with temperatures of just eight celsius and a brisk north easterly wind. Thank God it isn’t a bank holiday!
Weather Forecast vocabulary
- unsettled
- changeable: the weather will be changing a lot – sometimes good, sometimes bad
- under the influence
- We are experiencing: We are having
- weather front
- a body of weather: can also say ‘cold front’ or ‘warm front’
- outbreaks of rain
- rain that starts suddenly, usually not for a long time
- difficult conditions on the roads
- not easy to drive because of the amount of water
- patchier
- small bursts of rain, only in some areas
- drier interludes
- small periods of time without rain
- flurries
- short periods of rain in windy conditions
- hazy sunshine
- sunshine that is not 100% (difficult to describe!!!)
- brisk
- fast and strong
