Weather Radar
Real-time precipitation radar powered by RainViewer.
Overview
The weather radar feature provides animated precipitation radar showing current and forecasted rain, snow, and storms in your area.
Accessing the Radar
- Tap the Radar tab in the bottom navigation
- The radar will load showing your current location
- Wait for the animation to load
Radar Features
Animated Precipitation
The radar shows animated precipitation movement:
- Current precipitation - What's happening now
- Past precipitation - Last 2 hours
- Future forecast - Next 2 hours (when available)
Color Coding
Precipitation intensity is shown with colors:
- Light blue/green - Light precipitation
- Yellow - Moderate precipitation
- Orange - Heavy precipitation
- Red/Purple - Very heavy precipitation
Map Controls
Zoom:
- Pinch to zoom in/out
- Double tap to zoom in
- Two-finger tap to zoom out
Pan:
- Drag to move the map
Rotation:
- Two-finger rotate gesture (if enabled)
Timeline Controls
Timeline Slider
At the bottom of the screen:
- Slider - Shows current time position
- Past - Blue section (what already happened)
- Future - Orange section (forecast)
- Current time marker - Shows "now"
Playback Controls
- Play/Pause button - Start/stop animation
- Drag slider - Jump to specific time
- Time label - Shows selected time
- Speed control - Adjust animation speed (if available)
Layer Options
Precipitation Type
Some providers show different precipitation types:
- Rain
- Snow
- Mixed precipitation
Radar Quality
The radar resolution depends on:
- Your location
- Data provider coverage
- Network speed
Using the Radar
Check Current Rain
- Open radar
- Look for colors near your location
- Brighter colors = heavier rain
See If Rain Is Coming
- Open radar
- Tap play button
- Watch animation to see precipitation movement
- Check timeline for upcoming precipitation
Track Storms
- Open radar
- Look for red/purple areas (heavy precipitation)
- Play animation to see storm direction and speed
- Estimate arrival time
Plan Activities
- Check radar before outdoor activities
- Look at forecast portion of timeline
- Identify rain-free windows
Radar vs Forecast
Radar (What You See)
- Real-time - Actual current precipitation
- Short-term - Good for next 1-2 hours
- Precise - Shows exact locations
- Limited coverage - May not cover all areas
Forecast (From Weather Data)
- Predicted - Based on models, not current reality
- Long-term - Hours to days ahead
- General - Broader area coverage
- Universal - Available everywhere
Best Practice: Use both! Radar for immediate planning, forecast for long-term.
Radar Data Source
OSS Weather uses RainViewer for radar data:
- Global coverage where available
- Real-time updates
- High-quality radar imagery
- Free to use
Coverage Areas
Radar coverage is best in:
- United States
- Europe
- Australia
- Parts of Asia
- Other developed regions
Coverage may be limited or unavailable in some areas.
Customization
Settings
In Settings → Radar, you can configure:
- Animation speed - How fast radar plays
- Animation smoothing - Smooth or step-by-step
- Update frequency - How often radar refreshes
- Past frames - How many hours of history
- Future frames - How many hours of forecast
Map Style
Choose your preferred map style:
- Light
- Dark
- Satellite (if available)
- Terrain
Tips & Tricks
Battery Saving
- Don't leave radar playing continuously
- Close radar when not needed
- Reduce update frequency
Data Usage
- Radar uses data to load map tiles
- Animation requires downloading multiple frames
- Use Wi-Fi when possible for smoother experience
Accuracy
- Radar shows what's actually there now
- Short-term future (30-60 min) is very accurate
- Longer forecasts (1-2 hours) are less certain
- Always check with weather forecast too
Best Use Cases
- ✅ "Is it raining nearby?"
- ✅ "When will this rain reach me?"
- ✅ "Is there a storm coming?"
- ✅ "Will it rain in the next hour?"
- ❌ "Will it rain tomorrow?" (use forecast instead)
Limitations
Geographic Coverage
- Not all regions have radar coverage
- Quality varies by location
- Some areas only have forecast, not real-time radar
Update Delays
- Radar data may be 5-15 minutes old
- Refresh time depends on data provider
- Not truly "real-time" but close enough
Precipitation Type
- Radar cannot always distinguish rain vs snow
- Intensity estimates may vary
- Ground truth may differ
Troubleshooting
Radar Not Loading
- Check internet connection
- Verify location permissions
- Try refreshing the app
- Check if radar is available in your region
Animation Stuttering
- Check internet speed
- Reduce animation quality in settings
- Close other apps
- Use Wi-Fi instead of mobile data
No Data Showing
- Your region may not have radar coverage
- Check RainViewer coverage map
- Use weather forecast precipitation data instead
Old Data
- Pull to refresh
- Check data timestamp
- Verify internet connection
Alternatives
If radar is not available in your area:
- Use precipitation forecast from weather providers
- Check satellite imagery
- Use precipitation probability data
- Refer to hourly precipitation charts