Home / Editor's Pick /

Understanding the app: How to read rain forecasts

08:00
9 May 2023

Understanding the app
How to read rain forecasts

Rainfall warning

A common question we get asked is what does the percentage of rain really mean in a weather app? Well, we’re here to debunk the misconceptions.

It is important to remember that the percentage shows the chance of rain at that time, in your forecast area.

A 30% chance means a 30% chance that it will rain in your forecast area, and a 70% chance that it will stay dry.

When there are showers in the forecast, rather than a solid band of rain, there is a great deal of uncertainty. This is because showers can be extremely localised, forming and dissipating over short time periods.

Often with showers, the chance of precipitation could be fairly low, but the risk could be throughout the entirety of the day.

So, if you’re unsure about whether you’re at risk of catching a shower, stay updated via our WeatherRadar, where you can see where the showers are developing real-time.

Weather & Radar editorial team
More on the topic
Saturday 28 June 2025

Grab the sun cream

High UV levels to end the week
Monday 30 June 2025

Noctilucent cloud season

Shimmering clouds over UK and Ireland
Thursday 26 June 2025

National parks and coasts

Isolated wind warnings in places
All weather news
This might also interest you
Tuesday 8 July 2025

Breakfast brief

Sunny in the east, overcast in the west
Thursday 3 July 2025

Gusty too

Rainfall passes through the north
Tuesday 1 July 2025

Breakfast brief

Heat reaches a peak, cloudy in places
All articles
Weather & Radar

www.weatherandradar.ie

facebooktwitteryouTubeContact uslinkList
Privacy Policy | Legal info | Accessibility statement