FAQ - What Is The Meaning Of PoP - National Weather Service

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    FAQ - What is the Meaning of PoP Weather.gov > Atlanta/Peachtree City, GA > FAQ - What is the Meaning of PoP
    Explaining "Probability of Precipitation"

    Forecasts issued by the National Weather Service routinely include a "PoP" (probability of precipitation) statement, which is often expressed as the "chance of rain" or "chance of precipitation".

    EXAMPLE

    ZONE FORECASTS FOR NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 119 PM EDT THU MAY 8 2008 GAZ021-022-032034-044046-055-057-090815- CHEROKEE-CLAYTON-COBB-DEKALB-FORSYTH-GWINNETT-HENRY-NORTH FULTON- ROCKDALE-SOUTH FULTON- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ATLANTA...CONYERS...DECATUR... EAST POINT...LAWRENCEVILLE...MARIETTA 119 PM EDT THU MAY x 2008 .THIS AFTERNOON...MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A 40 PERCENT CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. WINDY. HIGHS IN THE LOWER 80S. NEAR STEADY TEMPERATURE IN THE LOWER 80S. SOUTH WINDS 15 TO 25 MPH. .TONIGHT...MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS IN THE EVENING...THEN A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS AFTER MIDNIGHT. LOWS IN THE MID 60S. SOUTHWEST WINDS 5 TO 15 MPH. CHANCE OF RAIN 40 PERCENT.

    What does this "40 percent" mean? ...will it rain 40 percent of of the time? ...will it rain over 40 percent of the area?

    The "Probability of Precipitation" (PoP) simply describes the probability that the forecast grid/point in question will receive at least 0.01" of rain. So, in this example, there is a 40 percent probability for at least 0.01" of rain at the specific forecast point of interest!
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