Weather map
The whole planet on one map: wind flowing over the continents, temperature, rain and snow, clouds and pressure. Drag the time slider to see what the next few days will bring where you live, or where you are heading.
ECMWF · CC BY 4.0
The map shows the forecast from the European ECMWF model, widely regarded as one of the most accurate weather models in the world. Each frame is the state of the atmosphere at a given hour, every 3 hours, usually 4 to 6 days ahead.
Click anywhere to get the numbers: temperature, wind speed and direction, precipitation, cloud cover and pressure. Times on the slider are shown in your own time zone.
What the weather map shows
How to read the weather map
On the wind layer the white lines move exactly the way the wind blows. The faster they move and the warmer the background colour, the stronger the wind. Purple and red patches over the ocean are usually deep lows or tropical cyclones.
Precipitation is the total rain or snow in the 3 hours before the selected time. Shades of blue mean rain, pale lilac means snow. The grey layer underneath shows cloud cover, so you can see at a glance where it will be cloudy and where the sun is out.
Isobars on the pressure map join places with the same pressure. When they are packed close together, expect strong wind. The letter H marks a high (usually calm, dry weather), L marks a low (clouds, rain and wind).
FAQ
Is the weather map free?
Yes. It runs in your browser with no sign-up and no app to install, on desktop and on mobile.
How often is the map updated?
The ECMWF model produces a new forecast 4 times a day. The map loads each new run, usually a few hours after it starts, because that is how long the computation and publication take.
How many days ahead does the forecast go?
Usually 6 days for the 00 and 12 UTC runs and about 3.5 days for the 06 and 18 UTC runs. The further ahead, the bigger the uncertainty.
Is this a rain radar?
No. A radar shows rain that is falling right now, while this map shows the model forecast. You get to see the future, but a particular downpour can turn up in a different place or at a different time.
Why is the temperature in my town different from the map?
The map gives an average for a square roughly 55 km across. In valleys, mountains and big city centres the real temperature can differ by a few degrees.
Where the data comes from
The forecast is computed by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) and published as open data under the CC BY 4.0 licence. A new model run arrives 4 times a day and the map picks it up automatically.
We reduce the model grid from 0.25° to 0.5°, roughly 55 km, so the map loads quickly on a phone too. That is why it shows weather systems well, while very local details, like a storm over a single town, can get smoothed out.
This service is based on data and products of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF). Source: www.ecmwf.int. Licence: CC BY 4.0. Data modified (resampled to 0.5°, smoothed, rounded to 8-bit values). ECMWF does not accept any liability whatsoever for any error or omission in the data, their availability, or for any loss or damage arising from their use. Map: OpenFreeMap © OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap contributors.