what's the meaning of "clearing" here"?

Question

Hi,

If the weather is bad and someone said, the plane will depart at first clearing.

I think "clearing" here means "the weather gets better".

if your a native English, does this make sense to you? use clearing to mean in this context to mean that?

Answer 1

I have never heard the term “clearing” used for aircraft departures.  The aircraft controllers decide when an aircraft is “cleared” for takeoff though.  That means they are giving approval for the aircraft to depart on the runway.

The word clearing is often used to describe weather that is improving, as in “rain showers clearing” or rain stopping, clouds moving away and sunshine reappearing once again.  

Answer 2

I can see clearer now the rain has gone. I can see all obstacles in my way

Answer 3

If my what is a native English? Think you should have spelled "you're".

Answer 4

I believe that in your sentence it does mean 'when the weather starts to get better', but I have to say I've never actually seen or heard the expression 'at first clearing'.

PS: "If you're a native English speaker" ...

Answer 5

Yes, in this case "clearing" means "when the visibility is clear." It should say "at the first clearing."

Answer 6

no, I would not speak that way.  When the whether clears, sure,  first clearing? nope.

In fact, the phrase makes me think that they are not talking about the weather.  There is not usually a "first" clearing when it comes to weather.  It either clears or it does not clear.  There are no multiple clearing events to count.

I can only assume that they used the word "first" to mean "as soon as", once the thing begins, its onset, its first appearance.

• bluebellbkk

  Lv 7

  3 weeks agoReport

  Like you, I believe that's what they mean. But the phrase 'first clearing' is quite unknown to me.
  

Answer 7

it means the weather is better

Answer 8

"Clearing" could refer to the weather, but only if the weather has been very bad, preventing take-off. Normally, a plane is "cleared" for take-off when the control tower people tell this to the pilot over the radio communication system.

• Nickname4 weeks agoReport

  To add on to this, a plane may be waiting to be cleared if other planes are currently in the process of landing/taking off.
  

Answer 9

"The weather is clearing up" means the weather is improving, or more specifically that the clouds are moving away revealing the clear blue sky.

Answer 10

Yes.  Clearing is when it stops raining, when the clouds go away and the sky is clear.