Live Precipitation Map Track rain, showers and changing precipitation patterns worldwide with our interactive live rain radar map. Move around the map and zoom into a region to explore current and forecast precipitation patterns. Precipitation tracking Track rainfall with live rain radar A rain radar provides a visual overview of where precipitation is occurring and how rain areas are distributed across a region. The interactive map above can help you see where rainfall is currently active and how broader precipitation patterns may develop. Rain tracking is useful because precipitation often varies significantly across relatively short distances. One location may remain dry while another area nearby experiences showers or heavier rain. Instead of relying only on a general weather symbol, a rain map gives you geographical context. You can see whether precipitation is widespread, concentrated in isolated cells or organized into a larger band. This makes live rain radar especially useful for short-term planning, travelling, outdoor activities and checking whether rain is approaching your region. Radar explained How does rain radar work? Weather radar systems emit radio waves into the atmosphere and listen for signals reflected back by objects such as raindrops, snowflakes or hail. The strength and timing of these returned signals help radar systems determine where precipitation is located. Repeated scans allow changing precipitation areas to be observed over time. This makes it possible to see not only where rain exists, but also how larger rain areas are moving and developing. Radar detects returned signals from precipitation within the atmosphere. Stronger radar echoes can be associated with more intense precipitation. Successive scans help show how rain areas move and change over time. How to read the rain radar map Start by moving the map to the region you want to inspect. A wider view is helpful for identifying large precipitation systems, while zooming in makes it easier to inspect more localized rain areas. Rain maps commonly use colors to represent precipitation intensity. Lighter colors generally indicate weaker precipitation, while stronger colors may represent heavier rain. The exact color scale depends on the map layer and provider. It is often more useful to look at the size and movement of a rain area than to focus on a single pixel or point. A large precipitation band can affect a region for a longer period, while small isolated showers may pass quickly. If you are checking whether rain is approaching, compare the location of the precipitation with its recent or forecast movement. This gives more context than looking only at the current position. Precipitation intensity Light rain, heavy rain and precipitation intensity Not all rainfall has the same intensity. Light rain may produce only small amounts of precipitation over a longer period, while heavy showers can produce significant rainfall in a short time. Radar reflectivity can help provide an indication of precipitation intensity, although radar signals do not translate perfectly into exact rainfall at ground level. Light precipitation can cover a large area and may continue for an extended period. Even when rainfall intensity is relatively low, persistent rain can still have an important effect on travel and outdoor activities. Moderate rainfall can reduce visibility and create wet road conditions. Larger areas of moderate precipitation are often clearly visible on a rain map. Heavy rain may occur in narrow bands or individual cells. These areas can produce high rainfall rates over a short period and may be associated with thunderstorms. Changing weather Track showers and thunderstorms Rain radar can help distinguish between widespread rainfall and more isolated showers. Showers often develop in smaller areas and may change quickly, while larger frontal systems can produce broad areas of precipitation. Thunderstorms can contain much stronger precipitation and may develop rapidly. Intense rain areas on the map can sometimes be associated with convective storms, although radar intensity alone does not provide a complete assessment of storm severity. For more focused severe-weather monitoring, use our Thunderstorm Tracker . During dangerous weather, always follow official warnings and instructions from meteorological and emergency authorities. A public rain map should not be used as a replacement for official severe-weather alerts. Current rain and future rain Rain radar vs. rain forecast Rain radar and precipitation forecasts answer slightly different questions. Radar information is particularly useful for understanding current or very recent precipitation, while forecast models estimate where rain may develop in the future. Useful for monitoring current precipitation and short-term rainfall developments. Useful for estimating where precipitation may develop later in the day or over coming days. Combine current radar information with forecast data for a broader view of changing conditions. For a broader outlook of future conditions, visit our Weather Forecast . Understanding radar data How accurate is rain radar? Rain radar is a powerful tool for detecting precipitation, but the information displayed on a public map has limitations. Radar measures reflected signals in the atmosphere rather than directly measuring every drop of rain that reaches the ground. Terrain can affect radar coverage. Mountains and other obstacles may block or weaken the radar beam, and areas far from radar stations may be observed at greater heights above the ground. Some precipitation may evaporate before reaching the surface, while very light rain can sometimes be difficult to detect accurately. Radar can also occasionally detect non-weather objects or atmospheric effects.

For these reasons, radar information should be interpreted as a useful overview rather than as an exact measurement of rainfall at every individual location. Why rain radar can differ from what you see outside You may occasionally see precipitation on the map even though it is not raining at your exact location, or experience light rain that is difficult to see on the map. This can happen because radar measures conditions above the ground and because local precipitation can vary over very short distances. Practical applications When is live rain radar useful? Rainfall can affect many everyday activities, and a live precipitation map provides a quick way to see how current conditions are developing. Check for rain along your route before driving, cycling or beginning a journey. Outdoor activities Monitor approaching showers before hiking, walking, exercising or spending time outdoors. Follow nearby precipitation when planning sports, festivals and other outdoor events. Rainfall patterns can provide useful context when planning field work or irrigation activities. See whether rain is nearby before commuting, shopping or organizing everyday activities. Weather monitoring Compare rainfall patterns with wind, clouds and other weather information. Rain radar and flood risk Periods of heavy or persistent rainfall can increase the risk of surface water, rising rivers and flooding. Rain radar can help show where heavy precipitation is occurring, but it cannot by itself determine whether flooding will happen at a specific location. Flood risk depends on many additional factors, including how long rain continues, previous rainfall, soil conditions, drainage, river levels and local geography. When flooding is possible, always use official flood warnings and information from the relevant authorities. A rain radar should be considered an additional weather-monitoring tool rather than a flood warning system. More live weather maps Combine rain tracking with our other weather maps for a more complete view of current conditions. Explore current precipitation and broader weather systems. View Weather Radar → Thunderstorm Tracker Monitor thunderstorms and severe weather activity. Track Thunderstorms → Follow cloud cover and changing cloud formations. View Cloud Radar → Explore wind direction, speed and weather patterns. View Wind Radar → Weather Forecast Explore expected weather and precipitation conditions. View Weather Forecast → Explore snow-covered regions and winter weather conditions. View Snow Cover Map → Rain radar displays precipitation areas and provides a visual indication of where rainfall is occurring or developing. Radar maps generally use current or very recent data, although exact update intervals and processing delays depend on the data provider. Radar intensity can help identify areas of stronger precipitation, although exact rainfall at ground level can differ from radar estimates. Repeated radar observations and forecast information can help show how precipitation areas are moving and changing. Rain radar focuses on precipitation, while a broader weather radar page can provide more general context about current weather systems. Weather radar can detect different forms of precipitation, but identifying whether precipitation reaches the ground as rain, sleet or snow depends on additional atmospheric conditions and the available radar products. No. Heavy rainfall can contribute to flooding, but flood risk depends on many factors. Always use official flood warnings when flooding is possible. Radar measures precipitation above the ground. In some situations precipitation can evaporate before reaching the surface or radar echoes can be affected by other atmospheric conditions. Trusted weather radar sources For further information about weather radar technology and precipitation measurement, see these official meteorological resources: NOAA National Weather Service – Weather Radar NOAA JetStream – Radar Precipitation Estimation