Is it raining now in Glastonbury?
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Last updated: 20:00, 5 Oct 2026
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Rain in Glastonbury: What You Need to Know
Glastonbury rises above the flat Somerset Levels on a low hill topped by the ruined tower on Glastonbury Tor, with the Chalice Well gardens on its slope and the Levels stretching away toward the Bristol Channel. Rain on the Levels drains slowly, and the low ground can flood for weeks. This is the case for using a Glastonbury rain radar over a standard forecast, because hyperlocal radar shows precisely where the rain is falling.
Glastonbury Tor rises above the flat Somerset Levels and catches an approaching shower first, so the summit can be in cloud while the low ground of the Levels around the town stays dry a little longer. Frontal bands cross the Severn Estuary from the west and rise over the Mendips to the south and the Cotswold edge to the east. The lift squeezes heavier rain out over the hills and the valleys that face the wind, and a standard forecast for the whole region averages that difference away.
For Glastonbury, England, RainViewer pulls live Met Office radar data straight onto the map, with a fresh scan roughly every 5 minutes. The live map shows whether a shower is still climbing toward the Tor or already crossing the Levels, which a forecast for Glastonbury cannot tell you.
Rain by Season in Glastonbury
Autumn and winter frontal season (September to January)
Winter rain fills the Somerset Levels around Glastonbury, and low roads and fields can be under water for weeks. Atlantic depressions follow one another across the region from September, when the Met Office starts naming storms. Low ground gets steady frontal rain, while the Mendips and Cotswolds take the heavier totals. River levels and hill roads shift fastest in these months.
Transition months (February to April)
As fronts weaken, showers move in and can turn a dry morning into an afternoon of hail and sun. Because each shower is small and quick, forecasts are at their least reliable, and plans on high ground face the greatest exposure. Spring showers cross the Tor quickly, and walks up to the summit and through the Chalice Well gardens are the plans most often cut short.
Summer showers (May to August)
Rain becomes less frequent but heavier in short bursts, and thunderstorms can form over warm ground in the afternoon. Most people plan around the sun and check the radar when cloud builds, which is when the map shows a storm cell's track. Summer brings the festival crowds to nearby Worthy Farm, and a storm can turn dry ground to mud within the hour.
Why You Need a Rain Radar in Glastonbury
Glastonbury Tor walkers
The path up Glastonbury Tor is fully exposed once you leave the lower slopes, and a shower there arrives with the full force of the wind. Watch the cell approach and decide whether to start the climb or wait.
Chalice Well garden visitors
The Chalice Well gardens on the lower slope of the Tor are mostly outdoors, and a shower can send visitors under the trees within minutes. Check the radar before starting a visit.
Somerset Levels walkers and farmers
The flat Levels around Glastonbury drain slowly, and heavy rain can leave fields and low roads under water for days. Farmers and walkers both watch the radar closely in wet spells.
Festival-goers at nearby Worthy Farm
When the festival is running at Worthy Farm near Pilton, a short drive from Glastonbury, heavy rain turns the fields to mud fast. Crews and visitors watch the radar for the next dry window.
RainViewer Radar Coverage in Glastonbury
RainViewer shows UK precipitation using data from the Met Office, the national weather service, which runs a network of C-band dual-polarization weather radars. The Met Office network also feeds the European OPERA composite, and the RainViewer map refreshes with each new scan, about every 5 minutes. From Glastonbury the map also covers Street, Wells and Shepton Mallet.
Glastonbury Rain Radar: Frequently Asked Questions
- How does rain affect the climb up Glastonbury Tor?
Glastonbury Tor's summit path is fully exposed once you leave the lower slopes near the Chalice Well, so a shower there arrives with the full force of the wind well before it reaches the flat Levels below. Walkers get little warning once a band starts to climb. RainViewer shows the cell before it reaches the Tor.
- Does rain affect the Somerset Levels around Glastonbury?
Yes, the flat Somerset Levels around Glastonbury drain slowly, so heavy or prolonged rain can leave low fields and roads under water for days at a time. Farmers and walkers both watch the radar and the ground conditions together. The map makes clear whether the shower is still coming or has already cleared.
- Does Glastonbury flood when it rains?
Yes, the Somerset Levels around Glastonbury flood after heavy or prolonged rain, and low roads and fields can stay under water for weeks in a wet winter. The town on its low hill, including the Tor, usually stays dry above the flooding. The radar shows whether more rain is falling across the Levels.
- When is the best time to visit Glastonbury to avoid rain?
May to September is the best window to visit Glastonbury, when the Tor, the Chalice Well gardens and the Levels are at their driest. Showers on the exposed summit can still arrive with little warning at any time of year. Check the radar before making the climb.
- Why can it rain on Glastonbury Tor while the Somerset Levels stays dry around Glastonbury?
The Tor rises above the flat Levels and catches an approaching shower first, so the summit can be wet while the low ground of the Levels around the town stays dry until the band drops down. A forecast covers both places with one number, while the radar map shows the rain crossing Glastonbury Tor and missing the Somerset Levels.
- Can I trust the Glastonbury rain radar more than my phone's default weather app?
The Glastonbury rain radar shows what the Met Office radar is measuring right now, while a phone's default weather app usually shows a modelled forecast instead. The Met Office runs C-band dual-polarization radar across the region, distinguishing rain from hail and wet snow, a distinction that counts most on the Mendip and Cotswold high ground, where a shower can change type as it climbs. That hyperlocal difference is why the radar catches a shower a forecast app misses.
- What can I do with RainViewer in Glastonbury beyond checking current rain?
Set a rain alert on the Tor or the Chalice Well gardens and RainViewer warns you before rain arrives. That lets you time a climb or a visit. The 2-hour forecast in 5-minute slices shows the next gap, and saved locations track Street and Wells together.
Track Rain in Glastonbury in Real Time
A climb up the Tor and a walk through the Chalice Well gardens both depend on a dry gap, and RainViewer shows the next one.
Showers behind each front reach Glastonbury in quick succession, and the timing of each one is what a forecast smooths away.
Your weather app says rain in Glastonbury this afternoon. RainViewer's live hyperlocal radar shows the cell already climbing toward the Tor with the Levels around town still dry, which decides whether the climb starts now.
Track rain in Glastonbury — free Upgrade to Essential for alerts, forecasts, and full radar history
2-hour forecast in 5-minute slices
Slice the next two hours into 5-minute steps and pick the gap for the climb up the Tor.
Rain alerts before arrival
An alert on Glastonbury Tor arrives while the rain is still on its way, and that decides whether to start the climb now or wait.
Direction arrows on the map
In Glastonbury the wet weather tends to come from the west and south-west, and the arrows show the track of every shower.
48 hours of radar history
Scroll back over the Somerset Levels to see what actually fell overnight.
Multiple locations
Track Glastonbury Tor, the Chalice Well gardens and Street together and compare which one is dry.
RainViewer
