Is it raining now in Bradford-on-Avon?
Sunny
5 OctNo upcoming precipitation for the next hour.
Last update: 21:00, 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 Bradford-on-Avon: What You Need to Know
Bradford-on-Avon is a stone-built town on the River Avon in Wiltshire, with a medieval bridge and tithe barn by the river and the Kennet and Avon Canal running along a high embankment above the town. Rain that falls upstream toward Bath can raise the Avon here quickly. A live Bradford-on-Avon rain radar settles it fast: hyperlocal radar shows the shower crossing specific streets, not a vague chance of rain.
Rain approaching the West of England from the west and south-west crosses the Severn Estuary, then climbs the Mendip Hills to the south and the Cotswold escarpment to the east. The climb lifts the air, and orographic lift squeezes out extra rain on the slopes that face the wind, leaving the coast lighter and the lee slopes drier than the windward high ground. The River Avon at Bradford-on-Avon carries runoff from the hills toward Bath, so the water by the town bridge can keep rising even after the rain over the town itself has cleared.
The rain map for Bradford-on-Avon, England, draws on the same Met Office radar network meteorologists use, refreshed about every 5 minutes. The live map shows whether rain is still falling upstream toward Bath or has already cleared, which a forecast for Bradford-on-Avon cannot tell you.
Rain by Season in Bradford-on-Avon
Autumn and winter frontal season (September to January)
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. Winter rain upstream raises the Avon through the town, and the meadows below the tithe barn can be under water for days.
Transition months (February to April)
Spring showers cross the valley quickly, and walks along the canal and by the river are the plans most often cut short. 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.
Summer showers (May to August)
Summer brings crowds to the riverside and the canal towpath, and a storm can empty both within minutes. 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.
Why You Need a Rain Radar in Bradford-on-Avon
Tithe barn and riverside visitors
The medieval tithe barn and the meadows beside the River Avon have almost no shelter once away from the barn itself. Watch the cell approach and decide whether to start the visit or wait.
Kennet and Avon Canal towpath walkers
The canal towpath runs along a high embankment above the town with little cover. Check the radar before setting off on foot or by bike.
Town bridge and riverside shoppers
The shops and cafes around the town bridge sit close to the river, and a shower can send visitors under the bridge's arches for cover. See if the cell clears before heading out.
Commuters at Bradford-on-Avon station
Commuters walking from the railway station up into the town cross a steep, exposed hill. Check the radar and time the walk to the gap between showers.
RainViewer Radar Coverage in Bradford-on-Avon
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 Bradford-on-Avon the map also covers Trowbridge, Bath and Melksham.
Bradford-on-Avon Rain Radar: Frequently Asked Questions
- How does rain affect the meadows by the tithe barn?
The water meadows beside Bradford-on-Avon's medieval tithe barn sit right beside the River Avon, so heavy rain upstream toward Bath can flood them even after the sky over the town itself has cleared. Visitors there watch the river level as much as the forecast. RainViewer shows whether more rain is falling upstream.
- Does rain affect the Kennet and Avon Canal towpath here?
Yes, the canal towpath above Bradford-on-Avon is fully exposed on its high embankment, so a shower crossing the valley catches walkers and cyclists there with little warning. Check the radar before leaving. The radar map shows whether the shower is still on its way or already gone.
- Does Bradford-on-Avon flood when it rains?
Yes, the River Avon can flood the low meadows beside the tithe barn and the riverside paths in Bradford-on-Avon after heavy rain upstream toward Bath, and the water can keep rising for a day after the rain has stopped. The town bridge and the steep streets above usually stay dry. The radar shows whether more rain is falling in the upstream catchment.
- When is the best time to visit Bradford-on-Avon to avoid rain?
May to September is the best window to visit Bradford-on-Avon, when the tithe barn, the canal and the riverside are at their driest. Winter is when the Avon is most likely to be high through the town. Check the radar in the morning and plan the riverside time for the dry gap.
- Why can it rain on the meadows by the tithe barn while the canal towpath stays dry around Bradford-on-Avon?
The meadows sit right beside the Avon and flood first when the river rises, while the canal towpath on its high embankment above the town stays dry through the same rise. A forecast covers both places with one number, while the radar map shows the rain crossing the meadows by the tithe barn and missing the canal towpath.
- Is the Bradford-on-Avon radar map free to use?
The live radar map for Bradford-on-Avon is free on both iOS and Android, showing Met Office data refreshed roughly every 5 minutes. C-band dual-polarization radar from the Met Office tells rain, hail and wet snow apart, a separation that matters most on the Mendip and Cotswold high ground, where height changes what falls. That hyperlocal detail is available without paying anything to check it.
- What can I do with RainViewer in Bradford-on-Avon beyond checking current rain?
Set a rain alert on the tithe barn or the canal towpath and RainViewer warns you before rain arrives. That lets you time a walk or a visit. The 2-hour forecast in 5-minute slices shows the next gap, and saved locations track Bath and Trowbridge together.
Track Rain in Bradford-on-Avon in Real Time
A walk by the tithe barn and a stroll along the canal both depend on a dry gap, and RainViewer shows the next one.
Rain in Bradford-on-Avon comes in bands off the Bristol Channel, and the gap between two bands is the window that matters.
Your forecast for Bradford-on-Avon says rain this afternoon. RainViewer's live hyperlocal radar shows the cell still upstream toward Bath with the tithe barn still dry, which decides whether the riverside walk starts now.
Track rain in Bradford-on-Avon — 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 along the canal towpath to the minute.
Rain alerts before arrival
Put an alert on the tithe barn. RainViewer warns you minutes ahead, which settles whether to start the visit now or wait.
Direction arrows on the map
Rain reaches Bradford-on-Avon most often from the west and south-west, 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 Avon upstream toward Bath, which is the fastest way to judge ground conditions.
Multiple locations
Save the tithe barn, the canal towpath and Bath and check all three in one look.
RainViewer
