Is it raining now in Launceston?
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 Launceston: What You Need to Know
Launceston stands on a hill above the River Kensey in Cornwall, long known as the gateway to the county, with the Norman castle looking out over the town and the River Tamar, the border with Devon, running through the valley a short way to the east. A Launceston rain radar is built for exactly this moment: hyperlocal radar tracks the shower's edge as it moves past specific streets.
Launceston's high position means the town itself sheds rain quickly, but the Tamar valley below can flood fast after heavy rain on Bodmin Moor and Dartmoor, both of which drain toward this stretch of the border river. Atlantic weather systems make landfall in Devon and Cornwall first, arriving with their full moisture load still intact. Dartmoor and Bodmin Moor push that air upward, and orographic lift turns it into heavy rain over the moors, while stretches of the coast see only a light band pass through, leaving those areas drier than the high ground inland.
RainViewer's map for Launceston, England, runs on Met Office radar, updating with each new scan so the rain shown is current, not modelled. The live map shows whether a shower is still over Bodmin Moor or already at the castle, which a forecast for Launceston cannot tell you.
Rain by Season in Launceston
Autumn and winter storm season (September to January)
Atlantic storms hit the peninsula first, and the Tamar and the moors above it take the wettest, windiest weeks of the year. Atlantic storms reach the peninsula before anywhere else, and named storms bring heavy rain and gales to the coastline. Flooding hits river-valley roads and moorland lanes quickly, and ferries and harbour work feel the effects first.
Transition months (February to April)
Showers come in fast off the sea between the last winter fronts and the first settled spells. Forecasts miss the timing because the cells are small, and coastal walks and moorland routes are the plans most often caught out. Showers come in fast off the sea, and a walk around the castle grounds is the plan most often caught out.
Summer season (May to August)
Rain grows lighter and less frequent, though warm afternoons can still build sea-breeze storms over the moors. Holiday traffic, beach days and harbour events all rely on short dry windows, with the radar picking up a storm cell before it reaches the coast. Rain is lighter, but sea-breeze storms can build over the moors on warm afternoons, and the Tamar valley depends on the gaps between them.
Why You Need a Rain Radar in Launceston
Launceston Castle visitors
The castle grounds sit high above the town and are fully open to the weather. Check the radar before walking the outer walls.
Tamar valley walkers
The river valley below Launceston can flood quickly after heavy rain on Bodmin Moor and Dartmoor. Watch the cell approach and check the radar before a valley walk.
Launceston town centre and market visitors
The steep streets below the castle see steady footfall, and rain sends shoppers under cover fast. Time the visit to the gap between showers.
Commuters on the A30 and A388
The A30 and the A388 near Launceston slow in heavy rain. Check the radar and decide whether to leave now or wait.
RainViewer Radar Coverage in Launceston
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 Launceston the map also covers Bodmin, Okehampton and Tavistock.
Launceston Rain Radar: Frequently Asked Questions
- How does rain affect the Tamar valley below Launceston?
The Tamar valley below Launceston drains a wide stretch of Bodmin Moor and Dartmoor, so heavy rain on either moor can raise the river through the valley within a few hours, well after the castle on its hill above has stayed dry. Walkers in the valley watch both moors rather than the local sky. RainViewer shows whether rain is still falling on the moors upstream.
- Does rain affect the A30 near Launceston?
Yes, the A30 near Launceston slows in heavy rain, and spray builds on the open stretches crossing Bodmin Moor. Check the map before you set off. A look at the map shows whether the cell has passed or is still on the way.
- Does Launceston flood when it rains?
Yes, the Tamar valley below Launceston can flood after prolonged rain on Bodmin Moor and Dartmoor, since both drain toward this stretch of the river. The castle and the town on the hill above stay clear. The radar shows whether heavy rain is still falling on the moors.
- When is the best time to visit Launceston to avoid rain?
May to September is the best window to visit Launceston, with Launceston Castle and the Tamar valley at their best. Autumn and winter storms off the Atlantic are the ones to watch. Look at the radar early and plan outdoor time around the gap.
- Why can it rain on the Tamar valley while the castle and town on the hill stays dry around Launceston?
The Tamar valley below Launceston can flood after rain on the moors either side of it, while the castle and the town on the hill above sit well clear of the river and stay dry. RainViewer draws each shower where it actually is, which is why a look at the Tamar valley and the castle and town on the hill can give different answers.
- What does RainViewer show for Launceston that a forecast percentage does not?
A forecast percentage for Launceston gives one number for the whole area, while RainViewer shows the actual shape and position of the rain on the map. Met Office C-band radar covers the far south-west of Devon and Cornwall, and its dual-polarization data tells rain from hail apart along the exposed coastline. That hyperlocal, live picture is what lets you judge a specific street rather than the whole town.
- What can I do with RainViewer in Launceston beyond checking current rain?
Set a rain alert on Launceston Castle or the Tamar valley and RainViewer warns you before rain arrives. That lets you time a castle visit or a valley walk. The 2-hour forecast in 5-minute slices shows the next gap, and saved locations track the town centre and Bodmin.
Track Rain in Launceston in Real Time
A visit to Launceston Castle and a walk in the Tamar valley both depend on a dry gap, and RainViewer shows the next one.
Rain in Launceston arrives off the Atlantic in quick bands, and the gap between two of them is the useful part.
Your weather app says rain in Launceston this afternoon. RainViewer's live hyperlocal radar shows it still falling over Bodmin Moor with the castle still dry, and that decides whether the valley walk starts now.
Track rain in Launceston — 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 walk around the castle.
Rain alerts before arrival
An alert on the Tamar valley arrives while the rain is still on its way, and that decides whether to walk the valley or stay up on the castle hill.
Direction arrows on the map
In Launceston the wet weather tends to come from the south-west, straight off the Atlantic, and the arrows show the track of every shower.
48 hours of radar history
Scroll back over Bodmin Moor and Dartmoor to see what actually fell overnight.
Multiple locations
Track Launceston Castle, the Tamar valley and the town centre together and compare which one is dry.
RainViewer
