Met Office meteorologist explains how to tell if it will actually rain

You can figure it out at a glance.07:47, 24 Aug 2026If you’re getting sick of the relentless sunshine, there's good news on the horizon. Rain is finally forecast across parts of the UK this week after a long, arid summer which will bring some relief to drought stricken lawns and gardens across much of the country.‌But sometimes, even when the weather app on your phone tells you to batten down the hatches and prepare for rain, nothing happens. Even more frustratingly, sometimes your app tells you it’s going to be sunny, and you get caught in a torrential downpour when you weren't expecting it.‌This isn’t the weather app just being wrong - it's actually due to the incredibly complex and difficult task of meteorologists. Technology is always improving, and the forecast is getting more accurat