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Scottish words for wet weather are useful at COP26

Protesters gather — in the rain — for the climate justice march in Glasgow, Scotland. (Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

When COP26 organizers picked Scotland in November for the site of the summit, they knew what sort of weather they could expect. Cool and probably wet. The average November temperature here is 46 degrees F. And it tends to rain about 18 out of the 30 days. The sun sets by 4:25 p.m.

Want to come to Scotland in November? Visit Scotland recommends the art of “coorie,” which it says is “the Scottish term for snuggling up indoors.”

Maybe that even flickered across the minds of climate summit organizers who were hoping to avoid massive and disruptive protests. But Scottish weather delivered as expected on Saturday, and 100,000 protesters gathered anyway. Which made us wonder about what Scottish words might best describe the scene.

Here’s what we found, with some help from protesters, Dictionaries of the Scots Language and the Scotsman newspaper.

Dreich — This is the most common word to describe Scottish weather. And it tends to top polls about favorite Scots words. The Scotsman explains it as: “Wet, dull, gloomy, dismal, dreary or any combination of these. Scottish weather at its most miserable.”

Drookit — Extremely wet, drenched, from an Old Norse word meaning drowned.

Fret — A cold, wet mist from the sea.

Oorlich — “Damp, chilly and unpleasant, raw, bleak, depressing,” says Dictionaries of the Scots Language.

Plowetery — Messy, dirty and wet.

Smirr — Drizzle.

Snell — “The most biting of weather, the type that you can feel right down to the bone,” says the Scotsman.

Stoating — When heavy rain bounces off the ground.

More on climate change

Understanding our climate: Global warming is a real phenomenon, and weather disasters are undeniably linked to it. As temperatures rise, heat waves are more often sweeping the globe — and parts of the world are becoming too hot to survive.

What can be done? The Post is tracking a variety of climate solutions, as well as the Biden administration’s actions on environmental issues. It can feel overwhelming facing the impacts of climate change, but there are ways to cope with climate anxiety.

Inventive solutions: Some people have built off-the-grid homes from trash to stand up to a changing climate. As seas rise, others are exploring how to harness marine energy.

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