Home
Weather Dublin
WeatherRadar
RainfallRadar
TemperatureRadar
WindRadar
LightningRadar
Weather News
Editor's Pick
Discover the app
Weather widget
Contact us
Apps
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
On the left, the weather radar for Italy showing heavy rain; on the right, a flooded road
Thursday 2 April 2026

Severe weather in Italy

Flooding and heavy snowfall
Two cyclones are currently threatening the South Sea islands off the coast of Australia.
Monday 6 April 2026

Solomon Islands and Fiji

Cyclones threaten South Pacific islands
Split weather graphic showing a low-pressure system with tight isobars over the UK on the left and a wind map on the right with strong gusts up to 90 mph, plus a windsock warning icon.
Thursday 2 April 2026

Gales and blizzards

Storm Dave disrupts Easter weekend
All weather news
This might also interest you
Split weather map showing UK wind speeds in orange-red shades up to 40 mph on the left and warning levels in green-yellow on the right, with a central wind warning sign.
Wednesday 22 October 2025

Warnings active

Storm Benjamin impacts the UK
plit image showing a double rainbow over a rocky shoreline on the left and sheep grazing in a green field under stormy clouds on the right.
Sunday 2 November 2025

Your weather - Your shots

Mixed conditions on an unsettled week
Split image showing a person in a yellow jacket struggling against strong winds and heavy rain on a street at night on the left, and an Irish wind forecast map on the right with red and purple shading, gusts up to 75 mph, and a wind warning icon, divided by a curved white line.
Saturday 24 January 2026

On this day...

Historic Storm Éowyn arrives
All articles
Weather & Radar

Weather & Radar is also available on

Google Play StoreApp Store

Company

Contact us Privacy Policy Legal info Accessibility statement

Services

Uploader

Socials

facebooktwitteryouTubelinkList