Weather maps
Loading…· Drag to pan · Scroll to zoom
Precipitation
Rain, snow & sleet intensity
- 0
- 0.5
- 2
- 10
- 25
- 50+
How to Read Weather Radar & Maps
A practical guide to interpreting live atmospheric overlay layers and pressure patterns.
Interpreting Overlay Layers
Shows the intensity of liquid and frozen water in the air. Deep blue indicates light rain or drizzle (less than 0.5 mm/h), green represents moderate rainfall (around 2 mm/h), yellow to orange denotes heavy downpours (up to 10 mm/h), and deep red or purple/violet signals severe storms (25+ mm/h) or localized flash flooding risk.
Depicts air temperatures at a height of 2 meters. Blue/dark shades represent cold zones below freezing (less than 0°C), greens represent temperate regions (10°C to 15°C), yellow to orange indicates warm sub-tropical conditions (20°C to 30°C), and bright red signals extreme heat (40°C+).
Cloud layers outline percentage-based sky cover, showing cloud density in grayscale. The wind speed map uses a green-to-red scale to highlight wind gust velocities (measured in m/s), indicating calm breezes, gusty drafts, or dangerous storm-level gales (40+ m/s).
High vs. Low Pressure Systems
Atmospheric pressure maps (measured in Hectopascals, or hPa) are key to forecasting regional weather changes. Identifying pressure centers helps predict upcoming weather patterns:
Characterized by values below the standard 1013.25 hPa. Air rises in these regions, cooling and condensing into clouds. Low pressure typically brings overcast skies, wind, precipitation, and stormy or volatile weather conditions.
Indicated by readings above 1013.25 hPa. Sinking air prevents warm air from rising and condensing. High pressure is associated with stable, calm weather, clear skies, sunshine, and minimal wind activity.
Map data © OpenStreetMap · Tiles © CARTO · Weather overlays © OpenWeather