About Drizl & How It Works

The service brings together rainfall forecasts, temperature information and wind conditions, helping you understand what may be heading towards your area and how conditions could change throughout the day.

Where the data comes from: Near Me draws on Drizl's weather systems, including Met Office rainfall forecasts and NOAA numerical weather prediction data. These forecasts are calculated for geographical areas rather than individual addresses, so actual conditions can vary locally.

UK Forecast combines daily forecast cards with interactive rainfall, temperature and wind maps. You can choose your location automatically or search for a town or postcode.

Where the data comes from: Drizl uses UK Met Office forecast information for the three-hourly outlook and official weather warnings. Its interactive temperature and wind maps also use NOAA GFS model data.

Forecasts are estimates and can change. Some local forecast coverage is still being expanded.

Drizl uses precipitation-rate forecast imagery from the UK Met Office Weather DataHub. The underlying forecast images are supplied at hourly intervals and processed for display on our geographical map. Intermediate animation frames help show the expected movement more smoothly.

We also work with EUMETNET OPERA European weather radar observations in a separate experimental backend. Observations describe detected precipitation, whereas forecast maps predict future conditions.

Rainfall is especially difficult to predict precisely: showers can develop, weaken or move differently from what the forecast suggests.

The information comes from the NOAA Global Forecast System (GFS), a major numerical weather prediction model. Drizl uses the GFS 0.25-degree dataset and processes its geographical grid into interactive temperature visualisations.

The forecast is based on atmospheric modelling rather than a thermometer at every location. Local factors, including elevation, coastlines and urban areas, can influence the actual temperature you experience.

Like our temperature maps, the wind service uses NOAA GFS 0.25-degree numerical forecast data. Weather models calculate wind using directional components, which can be processed to represent wind speed and direction across a geographical grid.

Local terrain, buildings, coastlines and hills can significantly influence real-world wind conditions. The map is therefore a useful regional guide, but it should not replace official weather warnings or specialist forecasts when safety is important.

Solar imagery comes from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory, which studies activity on the Sun using specialised instruments. These observations help illustrate features such as active regions and changes in the solar atmosphere.

Aurora and geomagnetic information comes from the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center, including planetary K-index measurements and forecasts. Greater geomagnetic activity can improve the potential for auroras, although darkness, location and cloud cover remain important.

Moon imagery is provided through NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio. The section also features celestial events and space-related stories sourced from NASA publications.

The service uses regional ocean forecast information from Copernicus Marine AMM-FOAM, which models marine conditions in north-west European waters.

Tides are primarily driven by the gravitational influence of the Moon and Sun, but actual sea levels can also be affected by atmospheric pressure, winds and local coastal geography.

Ocean model predictions are not necessarily identical to traditional harbour tide tables or local tide-gauge measurements. Always consult official maritime information for navigation and coastal safety.