Home / Editor's Pick /

Thickness & opacity: Understanding clouds on the WeatherRadar

11:00
19 May 2024

Thickness & opacity
Understanding clouds on the WeatherRadar

Examples of different cloud types on the WeatherRadar.Examples of different cloud types on the WeatherRadar.

Did you know you can tell how much sunshine will be getting through the clouds on the WeatherRadar?

The WeatherRadar showcases a whole host of information, including cloud cover.

The clouds have various thicknesses and different levels of transparency, as in real life, so that you can get a realistic picture of how the weather looks on the ground.

Some clouds, for example thick low clouds or extensive rain-bearing clouds will absorb all the sunlight, such as stratocumulus and nimbostratus, while others such as thinner, wispier high clouds, such as cirrus, are often semi-transparent allowing plenty of sunshine and are associated with drier weather.

You will also be able to see sun and moon symbols under thinner clouds, representing how much sunshine or moonlight will be getting through the clouds.

Make the most of your WeatherRadarread more

Check the latest cloud cover forecast on the WeatherRadar for your area!

More on the topic
Map of Europe showing temperatures ranging from 9 to 25 degrees, warm in the south, cool in the north.
Friday 31 October 2025

No sign of frost

Europe: Mild start to November
Weather map of the UK and Ireland showing wind speeds with red-orange shading indicating 40–55 mph gusts, strongest near Aberdeen; warning sign with wind sock icon overlaid.
Wednesday 29 October 2025

Warnings in place

Winds pick up for gusty Thursday
Split image showing two weather scenes — on the left, a misty rural landscape with fog among trees and fields at dawn; on the right, a dark seascape with heavy clouds and a pier jutting into the glimmering water.
Sunday 26 October 2025

Your weather - Your shots

A stormy week at home and abroad
All weather news
This might also interest you
Weather map of the UK and Ireland showing scattered showers with cloudy patches across much of the region, especially around western and northern areas. Sunshine symbols appear over London, Cardiff, and parts of southern England, while temperatures range from 17°C to 18°C in most places. Areas of heavier rain are visible over the Atlantic to the west.
Friday 29 August 2025

Breakfast brief

Unsettled conditions into the weekend
Friday 22 August 2025

Breakfast brief

Sunny start for some, overcast later
Sunday 24 August 2025

Your weather - Your shots

Mammatus clouds widely spotted
All articles
Weather & Radar

www.weatherandradar.ie

facebooktwitteryouTubeContact uslinkList
Privacy Policy | Legal info | Accessibility statement