View source for Minecraft:Weather

{{About|the gameplay mechanic|the state of blocks and mobs made of copper|Weathered}}
[[File:Weather.png|thumb|The four main weather types, including clear weather, [[rainfall]], [[Minecraft:thunderstorm]], and [[Minecraft:snowfall]]]]
'''Weather''' in {{MC}} consists of occasional precipitation and storms that are temporary but global.

== Behavior ==
[[File:WeatherSkyComparison.png|thumb|upright|A comparison of sky light levels during different types of weather. {{IN|Be}}, both rainy and stormy weather are grayscale.]]

The type of weather that occurs depends on several variable factors, including the [[Minecraft:Biome#Temperature|temperature]] of the current biome, and the [[Minecraft:altitude]] in which it occurs. 

Players who have cheats enabled can change the current weather if they wish, using the {{cmd|weather}} command. {{IN|bedrock}}, {{cmd|toggledownfall}} also switches to inclement weather, or vice versa, and {{cmd|weather query}} can be used to determine the current weather.

Weather changing with time can be toggled on or off using the "Weather cycle" [[Minecraft:Game settings|game setting]]{{Only|be|short=1}} or {{cd|advance_weather}}/{{cd|doweathercycle}} [[Minecraft:game rule]]. When disabled, the weather stays the same indefinitely, unless altered using the {{cmd|weather}} command.

=== ''Java Edition'' mechanics ===
{{IN|java}}, weather is controlled by two internal flags that cycle on and off, one flag for rain and one flag for thunder. When the rain flag is on and the thunder flag is off, the weather is rainy (or snowy or overcast, depending on the temperature). When the rain flag is on and the thunder flag is on, the weather is a thunderstorm. When the rain flag is off, the weather is clear, regardless of the thunder flag.

Each flag has an associated timer. When the timer reaches zero, the flag is toggled and the timer chooses a new random value. The rain flag will stay on for 12000 to 24000 [[Minecraft:tick]]s (10 to 20 minutes, inclusive) and off for 12000 to 180000 ticks (10 minutes to 2.5 hours, inclusive). The thunder flag will stay on for 3600 to 15600 ticks (3 to 13 minutes, inclusive) and off for 12000 to 180000 ticks (10 minutes to 2.5 hours, inclusive). The thunder flag only affects the world while the rain flag is on, so it's possible for the thunder flag to cycle on and off while the rain flag stays off, resulting in a longer wait between thunderstorms, or to only partially overlap with a period of rain, resulting in a shorter thunderstorm.

There is also a clear weather timer that is only affected by the {{cmd|weather clear}} command and stays at zero during normal gameplay. While this timer is active, the rain and thunder flags are both kept off and their timers are locked at 1 game tick. This means that when the command-enforced clear weather ends and the timers resume, both flags will immediately flip on and both timers will reset, resulting in a thunderstorm.

== Effects ==
Clear weather is the first weather in a newly created world. During clear weather, the [[Minecraft:daylight cycle]] affects the light level and related effects; no specific effects happen. All celestial bodies are visible as well as regular fog. [[Minecraft:Sleeping]] in a bed resets the weather to clear, but not the weather timers.

Inclement weather reduces the sky [[Minecraft:light]] level, depending on the severity of the storm. Because of this, [[Minecraft:villager]]s return to their homes until the storm passes.

The [[Minecraft:sky]] itself darkens and gray [[Minecraft:fog]] increases, to the point where celestial bodies (including the [[Minecraft:sun]], [[Minecraft:moon]], and [[Minecraft:Moon#Stars|stars]]) are no longer visible, except in dry biomes in ''Bedrock Edition''. The clouds darken depending on the severity of the weather; note that the clouds themselves do not precipitate. Although the sun is not visible during rain, the glow associated with sunrise and sunset is still visible.

=== Rain ===
{{Main|Rain}}

Rain occurs only in blocks with a temperature higher than 0.15 and not in certain dry biomes ([[Minecraft:deserts]], [[Minecraft:savannas]], and [[Minecraft:badlands]]). Rainstorms reduce the light level to 12 in full daylight.

Rain extinguishes [[Minecraft:fire]]s (including [[Minecraft:Flame|flaming arrows]]). However, it does not extinguish fires on [[Minecraft:netherrack]], and it does not [[Minecraft:obsidian|solidify]] [[Minecraft:lava]]. [[Minecraft:Mob]]s that are on fire are extinguished on contact with rain; this prevents [[Minecraft:skeleton]]s and [[Minecraft:zombie]]s from burning during the day. Conversely, [[Minecraft:endermen]] and [[Minecraft:snow golem]]s may die due to their weakness to water. Endermen teleport randomly until they find a dry place. [[Minecraft:Blaze]]s and [[Minecraft:strider]]s that are brought into the [[Minecraft:Overworld]] take damage and eventually die from being in contact with rain.

[[File:Rainy Hills.png|thumb|A view of hills during rain]]

Other interesting effects caused by rain:

* [[Minecraft:Fish (food)|Fish]] are more abundant during rain.
* [[Minecraft:Wolves]] shake themselves dry if they are not moving. {{only|bedrock|short=1}}
* [[Minecraft:Farmland]] becomes hydrated if it isn't already.
* Rain fills up [[Minecraft:cauldron]]s with [[Minecraft:water]], albeit slowly.

Rain [[Minecraft:particle]]s make noise when they hit a block, and this noise can be heard at any point within 16 blocks. These particles can be disabled by setting Particles to "Minimal" in the [[Minecraft:Video Settings]] menu.{{only|java}}

=== Snow ===
{{Main|Snowfall}}[[File:Snowing BE.jpg|thumb|An example of snow falling]]

Snowfall occurs only in biomes with a base temperature less than 0.15, or above a sufficient altitude. Like rainstorms, snowfall reduces the light level to 12 in full daylight. {{IN|be}}, [[Minecraft:leaves]] gradually take on a frosted appearance once snowfall begins in snowy biomes.

As it snows, [[Minecraft:snow layer]]s regenerate over all non-transparent blocks. Snow layers will accumulate and grow over time in ''Bedrock Edition'', or {{in|je}} when modifying the <code>{{va|max_snow_accumulation_height}}</code> game rule. Snow does not cover [[Minecraft:Opacity|transparent blocks]].

Effects from rainfall related to the properties of water do not apply with snowfall, for example entities lit on fire do not extinguish. Cauldrons exposed to snowfall slowly fill with [[Minecraft:Powder Snow|powder snow]].

=== Thunderstorm ===
{{Main|Thunderstorm}}
[[File:LightningStrike.gif|A lightning bolt strikes a [[tree]]. A creeper can be seen walking through the woods. If it had been closer to the strike, it would have become [[Minecraft:Creeper#Charged creeper|charged]].|thumb|width=199x199]]
Thunderstorms may occur in any biome and are combined with rain, snowfall, or clear weather depending on the temperature. They reduce the [[Minecraft:Light#Internal light level|internal sky light level]]. At noon the internal sky light level at surface is only 10. However, in mob spawning system, the light level from the sky is treated as if it were 0, allowing hostile mobs to spawn at any time of the day.

==== Lightning ====
{{main|Thunderstorm#Lightning}}

[[Minecraft:Lightning]] occurs frequently during thunderstorms, if there is rain. It strikes randomly, creating [[Minecraft:fire]]s where it strikes, igniting any nearby flammable materials, but the rain usually puts the fire out before it can spread. Lightning can strike only blocks that are exposed to the rain.
Lightning does not occur naturally in biomes that are too hot or dry to have rain or so cold that it snows instead of rains, but can still be summoned with a channeling trident.<!-- Observations of no natural lightning in hot/dry/all snow biomes, that there is lightning in biomes that snow only above a certain altitude, and that channeling tridents still work, done in Java 1.19.2 -->

Lightning deals {{hp|5}} damage to entities on normal difficulty, not including the damage done by the fire it causes. It turns creepers into [[Minecraft:charged creeper]]s, [[Minecraft:villager]]s into [[Minecraft:witch]]es, [[Minecraft:pig]]s into [[Minecraft:zombified piglin]]s, and [[Minecraft:mooshrooms]] into their brown variants.

Lightning may randomly spawn a [[Minecraft:Skeleton Horse|"skeleton trap" skeletal horse]], with a chance of 3.75–7.5% on Easy, 7.5–20% on Normal, and 11.25–33.75% on Hard, depending on the [[Minecraft:regional difficulty]].

Thunder is a sound that occurs every time lightning strikes. It can be heard by the player up to 160,000 blocks away from the position of the lightning strike. Thunder is heard instantly, regardless the player's distance from the lightning strike itself.

Lightning may be manually summoned with the {{cmd|summon lightning_bolt}} command. While it is summoned as an entity, it cannot be referred to by [[Minecraft:commands]] or [[Minecraft:Commands#Selectors|selectors]].

If the player throws a trident enchanted with [[Minecraft:channeling]] during a thunderstorm, it summons a lightning bolt at the thrown area.

=== End flash ===
{{Main|End#End flash}}
[[File:Vibrant Visuals End flash.gif|thumb|An End flash with Vibrant Visuals]]
An end flash is a weather-like event that occurs in the End. Block lighting becomes purple tinted during the flash, which is more noticeable on lower brightness settings, and a sound effect plays. There is a 30 second delay between flashes, and each flash lasts between 5 and 19 seconds. End flashes are only visual, and thus do not affect gameplay. {{IN|bedrock}}, End flashes only occur when [[Minecraft:Vibrant Visuals]] is enabled,{{Until|be 26.20}} and are treated as global directional light sources, creating shadows and purple volumetric fog.

== Videos ==
<div style="text-align:center">{{yt|6ZjxDqRZv5k}}</div>

== History ==
{{info needed section|the possibility that rain/snow textures were originally inverted in-game, as shown in the following forum post: https://www.minecraftforum.net/forums/archive/legacy-support/1841577-weird-rain-bug - testing in 22w14a did not reveal any such inversion existing, meaning it was likely fixed at some point between 1.2.5 and 22w14a}}
[[File:Rain.png|thumb|right|[[Rain]] pouring down in [[Minecraft:Java Edition Classic]]]]

=== Development ===
{{HistoryTable
|{{HistoryLine||October 22, 2009|link=https://notch.tumblr.com/post/220243988/half-sized-blocks-all-dirt-tiles-so-it-kinda|Showcased rain.}}
|{{HistoryLine||October 22, 2009|link=https://notch.tumblr.com/post/220248282/thinner-rain-and-yeah-it-gets-stopped-by|Rain is now shown to be thinner.}}
}}

=== ''Java Edition'' ===
{{HistoryTable
|{{HistoryLine|java classic}}
|{{HistoryLine||0.26 SURVIVAL TEST|Rain was introduced purely for cosmetic purposes, toggled by pressing {{key|F5}}. The mechanics were simple, testing only if there is a block above to shelter the rain.}}
|{{HistoryLine|java indev}}
|{{HistoryLine||20100218|Pressing {{key|F5}} no longer toggles rain.}}
|{{HistoryLine|java infdev}}
|{{HistoryLine||20100413-1951|Pressing {{key|F5}} now toggles rain again. The rain effects are broken, resulting in only rain particles appearing around the player. They always appear at sea level.|Since pressing F5 also toggles between first and third person view, these particles are visible only in third person view.}}
|{{HistoryLine|java alpha}}
|{{HistoryLine||v1.0.4|Added [[Minecraft:Winter mode]]. While generating a world, there is a 25% chance to get a snowy world, where snow falls continuously. This feature was eventually removed with the introduction of [[Minecraft:biome]]s.}}
|{{HistoryLine||v1.2.0|dev=<nowiki>?</nowiki>|slink=:Category:Information needed requiring unarchived version|Removed [[Minecraft:Winter mode]], and replaced it with [[Minecraft:biome]]s.}}
|{{HistoryLine|java beta}}
|{{HistoryLine||1.5|dev=October 22, 2009|slink=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qy882ILYJMM|Weather was shown in a teaser video alongside [[Minecraft:Achievement/Java Edition|achievements]]. Thunderstorms are shown to darken the sky/lighting the same amount as rain, despite the video being recorded in singleplayer. Rain and thunder also do not have unique sounds yet, with the former producing the sound of flowing [[Minecraft:water]].}}
|{{HistoryLine|||dev=release|Weather was introduced. Rain, snowfall, and thunderstorms were implemented. Rain looks identical to the rain in Classic, but now has unique sounds.
|Added the ability for lightning strikes to charge creepers and transform pigs into zombie pigmen.
|Compared to the teaser video, thunderstorms now darken the sky and lighting further than rain, except in multiplayer. Weather in multiplayer also starts and stops instantly with no transitions.}}
|{{HistoryLine||1.5_01|Fixed a bug where rain fell through certain blocks like [[Minecraft:glass]], [[Minecraft:stairs]] and [[Minecraft:slab]]s.}}
|{{HistoryLine||1.6|dev=Test Build 3|Fixed a bug where the rain seemed to freeze when climbing down [[Minecraft:ladder]]s until you reached the bottom or changed direction, possibly indicating that you climbed at same speed as the rain fell.
|Fixed a bug where rain and snow fell underwater.}}
|{{HistoryLine|java}}
|{{HistoryLine||1.0.0|dev=Beta 1.9 Prerelease|Snowfall destroys [[Minecraft:redstone]], [[Minecraft:torch]]es, [[Minecraft:sapling]]s, and minecart [[Minecraft:rail]]s.}}
|{{HistoryLine|||dev=Beta 1.9 Prerelease 5|Fixed the above bug.
|Added the {{cmd|toggledownfall}} command, which can change the weather.}}
|{{HistoryLine||1.3.1|dev=12w18a|As a result of singleplayer being changed to an internal server, weather transitions have been removed, and the sky and lighting during a thunderstorm now look the same as when raining.<ref name="MC-673">{{bug|MC-673}}</ref>}}
|{{HistoryLine|||dev=12w23a|Weather transitions have been restored.}}
|{{HistoryLine||1.4.2|dev=12w32a|Added the {{cmd|weather}} command, which can change the weather.}}
|{{HistoryLine||1.7.2|dev=13w39a|The clouds, sky, and lighting once again appear darker during thunderstorms.}}
|{{HistoryLine||1.8|dev=14w03a|Lightning now transforms villagers into witches.}}
|{{HistoryLine|||dev=14w30a|Lightning can now be manually summoned with the {{cmd|summon LightningBolt}} command.}}
|{{HistoryLine||1.9|dev=15w38a|There is a chance (depending on [[Minecraft:regional difficulty]]) that a lightning strike spawns a [[Minecraft:Skeleton Horse|"skeleton trap" skeletal horse]].}}
|{{HistoryLine|||dev=16w04a|Rain sounds updated. Now more ambient/quieter and sounds more realistic.}}
|{{HistoryLine||1.11|dev=16w38a|Added the [[Minecraft:game rule]] {{cd|doWeatherCycle}}, which toggles natural weather changing.}}
|{{HistoryLine||1.13|dev=17w45a|Removed the {{cmd|toggledownfall}} command.}}
|{{HistoryLine||1.17|dev=20w46a|[[Minecraft:Cauldron]]s can now be filled with [[Minecraft:powder snow]] during snowfall.}}
|{{HistoryLine||1.18|dev=21w44a|[[Minecraft:Sleeping]] now resets the weather cycle only if it is currently raining or snowing.<ref>{{bug|MC-63340||Sleeping always resets time until rain|Fixed}}</ref> Therefore, sleeping frequently no longer prevents rain or snow from happening.}}
}}

=== ''Bedrock Edition'' ===
{{HistoryTable
|{{HistoryLine|pocket alpha}}
|{{HistoryLine||v0.12.1|dev=build 1|Added weather and weather transitioning.}}
|{{HistoryLine|||dev=build 2|Leaves in snowy taigas now appear frost covered when snowfall happens.}}
|{{HistoryLine|||dev=build 9|Rain is now visible from under water.
|Rain now causes less lag.}}
|{{HistoryLine||v0.16.0|dev=build 1|Added the {{cmd|weather}} and {{cmd|toggledownfall}} commands, which can change the weather.}}
|{{HistoryLine|pocket}}
|{{HistoryLine||1.0.0|dev=alpha 1.0.0.0|Weather can now be skipped by sleeping.}}
|{{HistoryLine||1.1.0|dev=alpha 1.1.0.0|Added the [[Minecraft:game rule]] {{cd|doWeatherCycle}}, which toggles natural weather changing.}}
}}

=== Legacy Console Edition ===
{{HistoryTable
|{{HistoryLine|console}}
|{{HistoryLine||xbox=TU1|xbone=CU1|ps3=1.00|psvita=1.00|ps4=1.00|wiiu=Patch 1|switch=1.0.1|Added weather.}}
|{{HistoryLine||xbox=TU5|Improved the rain edges (when looking up in rain).}}
|{{HistoryLine||xbox=TU25|xbone=CU14|ps3=1.17|psvita=1.17|ps4=1.17|Clouds are now black during thunderstorms, thus telling the difference between rain and thunderstorms.|Added a "Weather Cycle" [[Minecraft:host options|host option]], which toggles natural weather changing as well as an option to manually change the weather.}}
|{{HistoryLine||xbox=TU31|xbone=CU19|ps3=1.22|psvita=1.22|ps4=1.22|wiiu=Patch 3|Weather transitioning was added.{{verify|There is no weather transitioning in the latest version.}}}}
|{{HistoryLine||xbox=TU46|xbone=CU36|ps3=1.38|psvita=1.38|ps4=1.38|wiiu=Patch 15|switch=1.0.1|There is a chance (depending on [[Minecraft:regional difficulty]]) that a lightning strike spawns a [[Minecraft:Skeleton Horse|"skeleton trap" skeletal horse]].}}
|{{HistoryLine||xbox=TU69|xbone=none|ps3=1.76|psvita=1.76|ps4=1.76|wiiu=Patch 38|switch=none|Rain sounds updated. Now more ambient/quieter and sounds more realistic.}}
}}

== Issues ==
{{Issue list}}

== Trivia ==
* Rain and snow still falls above the clouds. Notch's explanation is that the gray above the clouds during a storm is “another layer of clouds” and the origin of the rain.<ref>{{tweet|notch|130230769347067905|there's another layer of clouds above the low one! That's why the sky turns gray.|October 29, 2011}}</ref>
* Rain and snow are both considered the same weather effect by the game. This explains why there is no {{cmd|weather snow}} command.
* Lightning does not have an image file associated with it. Thus, it is coded directly into the game engine, allowing for dynamic, realistic lightning.
*[[Minecraft:Helen Zbihlyj]] created a design document for a scientifically accurate rework of ''[[Minecraft:Minecraft]]'''s weather system.<ref>{{tweet|HelenAngel|1808933672143499454|Fun fact: there’s already a design document at Mojang with a scientifically correct & complete reworking of the weather system that would still make it biome-appropriate as it goes by thermotropic weather patterns. I know because I designed it. So the design doc is there.|July 4, 2024}}</ref>

== Gallery ==
=== Screenshots ===
<gallery>
File:Stormforest.png|Rain in the forest biome
File:Snowfall Vibrant Visuals.png|Snowfall in a [[Minecraft:grove]]
File:Lightning.png|Lightning during a thunderstorm
File:Dark Rain.png|Weather darkens the sky to the extent of the sun being hidden from view
File:Thundersnow.png|A combination of a thunderstorm and snowfall, notice the darker clouds.
File:Snowfall Transition Bedrock.gif|A timelapse of leaves becoming frosted at the start of snowfall in ''[[Minecraft:Bedrock Edition]]''
File:Dry Rain.png|The boundary between rain and dry weather in a [[Minecraft:desert]] in ''[[Minecraft:Java Edition]]''
File:Rain dry transition.png|The transition between rain and clear weather in ''Bedrock Edition''
File:RainAndSnow.gif|The boundary between rain and snow in ''Java Edition''
File:Snow rain transition BE.gif|The transition between snowfall and rainfall in ''Bedrock Edition''
File:All weather transitions.png|All weather transitions seen at once at the border of a [[Minecraft:Stony Shore|stony shore]] and a [[Minecraft:desert]]
File:Java end flash.png|An End flash in ''Java Edition''
File:Notch Weather.jpg|An image of snow and rain from Notch's twitter
</gallery>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== Navigation ==
{{Navbox environment}}

[[Minecraft:cs:Počasí]]
[[Minecraft:de:Wetter (Begriffsklärung)]]
[[Minecraft:es:Clima]]
[[Minecraft:fr:Météo]]
[[Minecraft:it:Tempo atmosferico]]
[[Minecraft:ja:天候]]
[[Minecraft:ko:날씨]]
[[Minecraft:nl:Weer]]
[[Minecraft:pl:Pogoda]]
[[Minecraft:pt:Clima]]
[[Minecraft:ru:Погода]]
[[Minecraft:uk:Погода]]
[[Minecraft:zh:天气]]