What's the difference between SCATTERED storms and ISOLATED storms?

Question

This is for all you closet meteorologists out there!

Tomorrow's forecast calls for SCATTERED thunderstorms. The ten day forecast on weather.com shows scattered storms on some days, and isolated storms on others.

So, what's the difference between scattered and isolated?

Answer 1

butteatingduck copied Mr. Weather's answer. What a cheat.

Answer 2

An isolated thunderstorm could include a thunderstorm that is separated from the main group of storms by a relatively significant distance or anywhere from one to a few storms that are in somewhat random locations. If a forecast calls for isolated thunderstorms, then the chances of one hitting you is pretty small. Isolated thunderstorms are most common during the summer months since the surface of the Earth is heated far more intensely and thus provides more energy to fuel the storms. Given enough moisture, heat and upper level support, a pop-up isolated thunderstorm could form anywhere in the U.S.

Scattered thunderstorms are more bunched together and are more numerous than isolated thunderstorms. They usually come in clusters or squall lines. The area they cover is greater and the chances of you being hit by one of these increases. They tend to be more intense and longer lasting than isolated storms because what happens sometimes is that the death of one storm may help fuel the birth of another. This occurs when the rain-cooled air is rushed down to the surface by the dying storm, this air spreads out in all directions and acts as a mini- cold front, just another lifting mechanism to generate more storms.

Answer 3

Scattered indicates a wide dispersal of several small storms.  Isolated means a single, or a few, small storms.

Answer 4

Scattered means it will cover a broader area.  Isolated means only a few small areas will see rain.  90% of the time when they call for isolated storms, you won't see anything. Scattered means you have a better chance of seeing rain because it will cover more area.  Then if everybody will see rain, then the meteorologists will use the term "widespread."