overskyet

Overskyet is a weather term used in Norwegian and Danish to describe a sky that is completely covered by clouds, resulting in little or no direct sunlight. It corresponds to the English term overcast. The condition is used in daily language and forecasts to indicate continuous cloudiness across the sky, as opposed to delvis overskyet (partly overcast) or klarvær (clear weather). The exact amount of cloud can vary, but overskyet implies there are no significant breaks in the cloud cover.

Etymology and usage notes: The word combines the prefix over- meaning “completely” with skyet, an adjective derived from the noun sky (cloud) in Nordic languages. The form is common in both Norwegian and Danish and is used in similar contexts in weather reporting and everyday speech.

Forecast and language use: In forecasts from national meteorological services and in ordinary conversation, overskyet is a standard descriptor for a sky covered by clouds. It is a neutral, descriptive term that may accompany various weather conditions, including rain, drizzle, or dry periods, as long as the sky remains fully clouded.

Related terms: Delvis overskyet (partly overcast) and klart vær (clear weather) describe other levels of cloud cover. In meteorological contexts, terms like skydække or cloud-cover measurements may be used, but overskyet specifically denotes full cloud cover.