Cloud cover forecast
How much of the sky will be covered by cloud, from 0 to 100%. Dark areas on the map are clear sky, white is overcast. Check it before a night of stargazing, an aurora hunt or a balloon flight.
ECMWF · CC BY 4.0
The forecast covers cloud at every level, from low fog and stratus to high cirrus. Even thin high cloud can spoil a night sky photo, so look for the darkest parts of the map.
This is a forecast map. For a real satellite photo of the clouds see our cloud map, and for the chance of northern lights see the aurora page.
Other map layers
FAQ
How is this different from a satellite image?
A satellite image shows clouds that are already there. This map shows where clouds will be over the coming hours and days according to the ECMWF model.
Will tonight be good for stargazing?
Set the slider to night time and click your location. Cloud cover below 20% usually means good conditions. Keep the Moon phase and city light in mind too.
Does the map show fog?
Partly. The model includes the lowest cloud, but local valley fog can be smaller than a grid square and does not always show up.
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.