GC: n

S: http://www.komonews.com/weather/faq/4308002.html (last access: 15 July 2015)

N: 1. Old English scur “a short fall of rain, storm, tempest; fall of missiles or blows; struggle, commotion; breeze,” from Proto-Germanic *skuraz, from PIE root *kew-(e)ro- “north, north wind” (cognates: Latin caurus “northwest wind;” Old Church Slavonic severu “north, north wind;” Lithuanian šiaurus “raging, stormy,” šiaurys “north wind,” šiaure “north”).
Of blood, tears, etc., from c. 1400. Of meteors from 1835. Sense of “bath in which water is poured from above” first recorded 1851 (short for shower-bath, itself attested from 1803). Meaning “large number of gifts bestowed on a bride” (1904, American English colloquial) later was extended to the party at which it happens (1926). Shower curtain attested from 1914.
2. Precipitation, often short-lived and heavy, falling from convective clouds. A shower is characterized by its sudden beginning and ending, and generally by large and rapid changes of intensity.
3. What is the difference between “rain” and “showers”? This is kind of tricky. Even though “showers” are indeed rain, there’s a subtle but important distinction between the two as far as weather forecasts go.
When we call for “Rain” (as in, “Rain at Times”, “a rainy day”, “Occasional rain”) is a more widespread event. Most, if not all, of the area will see rain and it’ll last for a while.
“Showers” are more scattered. That usually means that not everyone will be getting wet at the same time. It could be raining in Everett and Gig Harbor, but dry in Seattle and Arlington. Plus, showers tend to be much shorter in duration – anywhere from a minute to an hour.

S: 1. OED – http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=shower (last access: 15 July 2015). 2. METEOTERM/International Meteorological Vocabulary, WMO – No. 182 (last access: 15 July 2015). 3. http://www.komonews.com/weather/faq/4308002.html (last access: 15 July 2015).

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S:

CR: thunderstorm