The UK Meterological Office is the government body responsible for weather forecasting here.
On TV and radio forecasts, they have taken to using the phrase "sharp showers" to indicate sudden, heavy rain showers (I had to telephone their press office to find that out, as they don't enlarge on it in their limited-time media slots).
But what is the origin of that phrase? I have never heard it used in colloquial British English of any dialect or accent, so wondered where it comes from.