Is it raining now in Warlingham?
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Last updated: 20:00, 5 Oct 2026
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Rain in Warlingham: What You Need to Know
Warlingham sits on the high chalk ground of the North Downs south of Croydon, close to Chelsham Common and the open ridge that separates the London suburbs from the Surrey Weald. That height puts the village in the path of rain that lower ground nearby often misses. A Warlingham rain radar is built for exactly this moment: hyperlocal radar tracks the shower's edge as it moves past specific streets.
Showers reach Warlingham from the south-west and get an early lift as they cross the high chalk ridge, so the village and Chelsham Common can catch rain while the Croydon suburbs just to the north, lower down, see less of it. What makes rain hard to predict here is not the frontal bands rolling in from the south-west, which are routine, but the convective storms that grow out of warm ground and city heat. The Chilterns and North Downs help direct where these cells form and travel, and a single storm can drop enough water to overwhelm drainage in minutes even after a forecast called only a chance of showers.
RainViewer's coverage of Warlingham, England, comes from Met Office radar, with the map updating on each new 5-minute scan. The live map shows whether a shower has already crossed the ridge at Warlingham or is still building over the Weald to the south, a hyperlocal detail a Surrey-wide forecast smooths away.
Rain by Season in Warlingham
Autumn and winter frontal season (October to January)
Autumn and winter fronts arrive on the high ground around Warlingham first, and the lanes towards Chelsham Common are the first to feel the worst of it. Between October and January, one frontal band follows another, and named storms bring wind alongside the rain. The Thames and its tributaries respond to all that repeated rain by rising, with roads, rail lines and low-lying streets typically the first to be hit.
Transition months (February to April)
Cold showers, hail and sun alternate, and forecasts are least reliable because the showers are small and fast. Spring races, park events and weekend sport are the most exposed. Spring showers cross the ridge quickly, and walks around Chelsham Common are the plans most often cut short.
Summer storm season (May to September)
From May to September, heat builds over the built-up area until thunderstorms break, producing short, intense rain that can flood roads and stations within minutes. Festivals, tennis and open-air events hinge on which way a storm cell tracks, which radar reveals before the sky itself does. Summer showers are lighter, but thunderstorms can build over the high ground on warm afternoons.
Why You Need a Rain Radar in Warlingham
Chelsham Common walkers
Chelsham Common's open grassland sits on exposed high ground with almost no shelter, and a shower can arrive with little warning. Checking the radar before setting out shows whether the common is already wet.
Warlingham village green visitors
Warlingham's village green and the shops around it sit on the ridge, and stallholders and shoppers watch every band crossing the high ground. A look at the radar shows whether to expect a dry spell before the next one.
Commuters on the B269 towards Croydon
The road down from Warlingham towards Croydon slows in heavy rain, and spray builds where it descends off the ridge onto lower ground. Checking the radar before setting off helps decide whether to leave now or wait.
Cyclists and walkers on the North Downs ridge
The high ground around Warlingham and Chelsham Common is fully exposed once away from the trees, and cyclists get little warning of an approaching shower. Watching the cell on the radar helps time the ride for a dry stretch.
RainViewer Radar Coverage in Warlingham
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 Warlingham the map also covers Croydon, Caterham and Oxted.
Warlingham Rain Radar: Frequently Asked Questions
- How does rain affect Chelsham Common near Warlingham?
Chelsham Common sits on exposed high ground above the Croydon suburbs, and a shower crossing the ridge often reaches the common before it reaches lower ground nearby. Regular walkers check the radar rather than a general forecast for Surrey. RainViewer shows the shower lifting onto the ridge before it clears the common.
- Does rain affect the road between Warlingham and Croydon?
Yes, the road down from Warlingham towards Croydon slows in heavy rain, and spray builds where it drops off the high ground onto the lower suburbs. A quick check of the radar before setting off helps. RainViewer shows whether the cell is still on the ridge or already down at Croydon.
- Does Warlingham flood when it rains?
Warlingham does not flood often, since the village sits on high chalk ground that drains quickly, but heavy rain can pool briefly on the lanes around Chelsham Common before running off downhill. Lower ground towards Croydon is more exposed to standing water. The radar shows whether a heavier band is still on the ridge.
- When is the best time to visit Warlingham to avoid rain?
May to September is the best window to visit Warlingham, when the walks around Chelsham Common are driest underfoot. The high ridge can still catch showers that miss the lower suburbs in spring. Check the radar first thing and plan the walk for the dry gap.
- Why can it rain on Chelsham Common while the Croydon suburbs below stays dry around Warlingham?
The high ridge at Warlingham catches rain off the Weald before it reaches lower ground, so Chelsham Common can be wet while the Croydon suburbs just to the north, lower down, stay dry a little longer. A forecast covers both places with one number, while the radar map shows the rain crossing Chelsham Common and missing the Croydon suburbs below.
- How often does the Warlingham radar map update?
The Warlingham radar map updates about every 5 minutes, in line with the Met Office's own scan cycle, rather than on a fixed forecast schedule. Dual-polarization radar from the Met Office distinguishes heavy convective downpours from ordinary frontal rain, a distinction that matters in London because it is the convective storms that overwhelm underpasses and flood stations. That hyperlocal pace is fast enough to catch a shower moving across town in real time.
- What can I do with RainViewer in Warlingham beyond checking current rain?
Set a rain alert on Chelsham Common or the village green and RainViewer warns you before rain arrives, which settles whether to start the walk now or wait for the ridge to clear. The 2-hour forecast in 5-minute slices shows the next gap, and saved locations track the common and Croydon together.
Track Rain in Warlingham in Real Time
A walk around Chelsham Common and an afternoon on Warlingham's village green both depend on a dry gap, and RainViewer shows the next one.
Rain around Warlingham can turn into a downpour within minutes, so a quick radar check first is worth it.
A weather app says showers for Warlingham this afternoon. RainViewer's live hyperlocal radar shows the cell still building over the ridge with the village green still dry, which decides whether the walk starts now.
Track rain in Warlingham — free Upgrade to Essential for alerts, forecasts, and full radar history
2-hour forecast in 5-minute slices
The 5-minute steps show whether the walk around Chelsham Common fits inside the dry gap.
Rain alerts before arrival
Set the alert at Chelsham Common, and the warning arrives in time to decide whether to start the walk now or wait for the ridge to clear.
Direction arrows on the map
Storms usually arrive from the south-west over Warlingham, and the arrows show which way each cell is moving.
48 hours of radar history
Check the North Downs ridge at Warlingham in the last 48 hours to see how much rain came down.
Multiple locations
Keep Chelsham Common, Warlingham village green and Croydon on the same list, each with its own alert.
RainViewer
