Rain and snow map
Where it will rain or snow, and how much. Each frame shows the total over 3 hours, in millimetres. Blue shades are rain, pale lilac is snow and the grey layer is cloud without precipitation.
ECMWF · CC BY 4.0
1 millimetre of precipitation is one litre of water per square metre. Up to 1 mm in 3 hours is drizzle or light rain, a few millimetres is proper rain, and more than 10 mm is a downpour that can flood streets.
The precipitation type comes from the ECMWF model. Sleet counts as snow and freezing rain as rain, so when the temperature is close to zero it is worth checking the temperature map as well.
Other map layers
FAQ
Is this a live rain radar?
No. It is a model forecast, not a radar measurement. It shows precipitation for the coming days, but it can place a single storm a few dozen kilometres or a few hours off.
How do I tell rain from snow?
Rain is shown in shades of blue and purple, snow in pale white and lilac. When you click the map, the label also says rain or snow.
How much is 5 mm of rain?
Five litres of water on every square metre. Over 3 hours that is steady, moderate rain, enough to get you soaked without an umbrella.
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.