Is it raining now in Perth?
Sunny
5 OctNo upcoming precipitation for the next hour.
Last updated: 20:00, 5 Oct 2026
Free to download * Essential from $0.83 * Prices vary by region and promotions.
- App Only
Track up to 20 locations
Home, office, kids' school - all at once, no switching tabs.
- App Only
Alerts for each of them
Get notified 15 minutes before rain - while you can still change your plans.
- App Only
Widgets on your home screen
Live radar without opening the app - on your lock screen or home screen.
Rain in Perth: What You Need to Know
Perth sits on the River Tay where the water leaves the Highlands and turns south for the Firth of Tay, with Kinnoull Hill rising steeply on the east bank and the North Inch and South Inch parks flanking the water on the town side. This is the case for using a Perth rain radar over a standard forecast, because hyperlocal radar shows precisely where the rain is falling.
Frontal rain crosses the Grampians and the Southern Uplands and loses part of its moisture on the way down, so the east coast is drier than the west. Rain off the North Sea and heavy summer showers can still deliver bursts, and the river valleys drain fast to the coast. Rain approaching Perth from the west crosses the Highland edge before reaching the Tay, so the hills above the town catch showers first while the river flats around the Inches can stay dry a while longer. The Tay also carries runoff from a wide Highland catchment, so the river can keep rising after the rain over the town itself has stopped.
RainViewer's coverage of Perth, Scotland, comes from Met Office radar, with the map updating on each new 5-minute scan. The live map shows whether a shower is still over the Highland edge or already crossing Kinnoull Hill, which a forecast for Perth cannot tell you.
Rain by Season in Perth
Autumn and winter fronts (October to January)
October to January brings fronts and named storms whose heavy hill rain raises the Dee, Don and South Esk, and North Sea rain layers in cold spells and sleet on top, much as Storm Babet demonstrated in Angus in October 2023. Coastal roads, river paths and low-lying streets are the first to flood. The Tay has flooded low streets in Perth in past winters, and the South Inch and the riverside paths are the first areas affected.
Transition months (February to April)
Cold showers cross the Highland edge in spring, and walks on Kinnoull Hill and around the Inches are the plans most often cut short. Haar, sleet and showers alternate. Forecasts are least reliable because the sea showers form fast, and spring walks and outdoor events are the most exposed.
Summer season (May to September)
Summer showers are short, and events on the North Inch and the Perth Show depend on gaps between them. Between May and September rain eases on average, though thunderstorms still build over the Grampians and can drift toward the coast, and haar sometimes rolls in with no rain at all. Festivals, golf and coast walks rely on short dry gaps.
Why You Need a Rain Radar in Perth
Walkers on Kinnoull Hill
Kinnoull Hill rises steeply above the town and catches showers before Perth itself does. Watch the cell approach on the map and decide whether to start the climb or wait at the car park.
Commuters on the A9 and at Perth station
The A9 and the walk from Perth railway station into the town centre carry heavy traffic at peak times, and standing water builds fast on the approach roads. A look at the radar settles whether to go now or hold off.
Riverside walkers on the North and South Inch
The Tay can rise quickly after heavy rain in the Highlands, and the paths along the North Inch and South Inch are the first to flood. Check the radar for rain over the catchment upstream before setting out.
Scone Palace and Perth Show visitors
Visitors to Scone Palace and the outdoor stalls of the Perth Show can see whether a shower will pass before the next event starts, and choose between the grounds and the marquee.
RainViewer Radar Coverage in Perth
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 Perth the map also covers Dundee, Stirling and Crieff.
Perth Rain Radar: Frequently Asked Questions
- How does rain affect the Perth Show?
The Perth Show fills the North Inch with outdoor stalls and livestock rings each August, and heavy rain turns the grass to mud within an hour. Organisers and visitors watch the sky for the next dry spell. RainViewer shows the shower crossing the Highland edge toward the town.
- Does rain affect the A9 through Perth?
Yes, the A9 through Perth slows in heavy rain, and spray builds fast where traffic bunches on the approach to the Tay crossing. Check the radar before pulling onto the road. The map shows whether the cell is still ahead or has already cleared.
- Does Perth flood when it rains?
Yes, the River Tay has flooded low streets and riverside paths in Perth after heavy rain in the Highlands, and the South Inch is among the first areas affected. The river can keep rising for hours after rain over the town itself has stopped. The radar shows whether heavier rain is falling further upstream.
- When is the best time to visit Perth to avoid rain?
May to August is the best window to visit Perth, when the North Inch, Kinnoull Hill and the riverside paths are at their best. Spring can still bring cold showers off the Highland edge. Check the radar in the morning and plan the outdoor part of the day around the dry gap.
- Why can it rain on Kinnoull Hill while the North Inch stays dry around Perth?
Kinnoull Hill rises steeply on the east bank of the Tay and lifts approaching showers, so the hill can be wet while the North Inch on the river flat below stays dry until the cell drifts across. Live radar shows the edge of each cell, so checking Kinnoull Hill and the North Inch separately shows which side of the line you are on.
- How often does the Perth radar map update?
The Perth radar map updates about every 5 minutes, in line with the Met Office's own scan cycle, rather than on a fixed forecast schedule. Met Office dual-polarization radars cover the east coast and the North Sea approaches, so a shower approaching from the sea is visible before it reaches land. That hyperlocal pace is fast enough to catch a shower moving across town in real time.
- What can I do with RainViewer in Perth beyond checking current rain?
Set a rain alert on Kinnoull Hill or Perth station and RainViewer warns you before rain arrives. That lets you time a walk or a trip out. The 2-hour forecast in 5-minute slices shows the next gap, and saved locations track the North Inch and Scone Palace together.
Track Rain in Perth in Real Time
Kinnoull Hill walks and the paths around the North Inch both depend on a short dry gap, and RainViewer shows the next one.
Showers off the sea reach Perth quickly on an easterly wind, so timing matters more than the total.
Your phone forecast says rain in Perth this afternoon. RainViewer's live hyperlocal radar shows the cell over Kinnoull Hill with the North Inch still dry, which decides whether the walk starts now.
Track rain in Perth — free Upgrade to Essential for alerts, forecasts, and full radar history
2-hour forecast in 5-minute slices
Two hours of 5-minute steps let you time the walk up Kinnoull Hill to the minute.
Rain alerts before arrival
Put an alert on Perth station. RainViewer warns you minutes ahead, which settles whether to wait under cover or walk on to the North Inch.
Direction arrows on the map
Rain reaches Perth most often from the west, across the Highlands, with North Sea showers from the east, so the arrows tell you at a glance whether a cell is heading your way.
48 hours of radar history
The 48-hour history shows what fell on the Tay above Perth, which is the fastest way to judge ground conditions.
Multiple locations
Save Perth station, Kinnoull Hill and the North Inch and check all three in one look.
RainViewer
