Weather and Wind | Balloon Directions | Special Weather

From clear, sunny skies to rain and snow, you can find all types of weather in Animal Crossing New Horizons (ACNH)! Learn all about the weather and rare weather phenomena like rainbows, auroras, meteor showers, and more!

Wind & Weather Links (Click to jump!)
Basic Weather	Weather Phenomena	Types of Clouds	Wind Patterns

List of All Basic Weather

Click to jump to a section!
Bright & Clear	Rain
Sunny	Heavy Rain
Cloudy	Snow
Rain Clouds	Heavy Snow

Bright & Clear

Bright & Clear weather has blue skies with no clouds.

In this weather, you can catch bugs and fish around the island and find some villagers outside their homes.

Sunny

Sunny weather has blue skies but with just a few light clouds.

In this weather, you can still catch bugs and fish around the island and find some villagers outside their homes.

Cloudy

Cloudy weather has blue skies but with larger opaque clouds.

In this weather, you can still catch bugs and fish around the island and find some villagers outside their homes.

Rain Clouds

Rain Clouds can also appear and cover the skies with dark gray clouds.

Despite the gloomy weather, villagers can still be seen outside doing their own activities. You may also find less bugs around the island!

Rain

Rain is only a light drizzle of rain with dark and gloomy clouds. This weather appears a few hours after Rain Clouds and cannot appeer during Winter season.

Once rain falls, some villagers will change into their rain clothes and umbrellas. Although, some villager species will stay in their normal outfits!

You can also expect critters that only appear in rain like the Snail and Coelacanth!

Heavy Rain

Heavy Rain is a heavy downpour of rain with dark and gloomy clouds. This weather appears a few hours after Rain Clouds and cannot appeer during Winter season.

Once rain falls, some villagers will change into their rain clothes and umbrellas. Although, some villager species will stay in their normal outfits!

Likewise, you can also expect critters that only appear in rain like the Snail and Coelacanth!

Snow

Snowy weather can be described as a light spinkling of snow. This weather only happens during Winter season. Despite the cold weather, villagers can still go ouside in their Winter gear.

However, bugs and fish are less likely to show out because only a handful are available during the season.

Heavy Snow

Heavy Snow can be described as a heavy snowfall. This weather only happens during Winter season. Despite the cold weather, villagers can still go ouside in their Winter gear.

However, bugs and fish are less likely to show out because only a handful are available during the season.

List of Weather Phenomena

Under the right conditions, rare weather phenomena can occur. Be on the look out for these unique events!

Special Weather Types (Click to Jump!)
Rainbow	Aurora	Thunder
Fog	Meteor Shower

How to Find Rainbows

Weather	• must change from Rain/Heavy Rain to Bright & Clear/Sunny
Dates & Times	North Hemisphere: Feb 25–Nov 25 South Hemisphere: Aug 25–May 25 Time: 7:00 AM–5:00 PM

After some rain, tilt your left analog stick updwards to check for Rainbows. You might even see a Double Rainbow!

How to Find Auroras

Weather	• must be Bright & Clear
Dates & Times	North Hemisphere: Dec 11–Feb 24 South Hemisphere: Jun 11–Aug 24 Time: 6:00 PM–4:00 AM

See the Northern Lights from your own island! Although the skies won't affect your gameplay, they're still a spectacular sight to see during the wintertime.

How and When to See Aurora Borealis

How to Find Thunder and Lightning

Weather	• must be Heavy Rain
Dates & Times	Dates: All Year Times: All Year

Don't be scared! Thunder and Lightning will not harm the player, so enjoy the free light show!

The weather is also perfect for catching the rare Coelacanth, so head for the the beach an' reel 'em in!

How to Get Fog

Weather	• previous day's weather must be Rain/Heavy Rain • current weather must be Sunny with weak winds
Dates & Times	Heavy Fog North: Sep 21–Feb 24 South: Mar 21–Aug 24 Time: 5:00 AM–9:00 AM	River & Sea Fog North: Sep 21–Mar 31 South: Mar 21–Sep 30 Time: 5:00 AM–9:00 AM

A Fog can sometimes appear, after a day of bad weather (Rain/Heavy Rain).

A Heavy Fog blankets the entire island with fog, while a River & Sea Fog leaves a mist on rivers and beaches.

How to Find a Meteor Shower

Weather	• must be Bright & Clear
Dates & Times	Dates: All Year Time: 7:00 PM–4:00 AM

On the day of a meteor shower, Isabelle can make an announcement and villagers can talk to you about it. However, these won't always happen so keep your eyes to the skies!

Meteor Shower Guide

List of All Types of Clouds

Aside from ordinary clouds, special cloud types can also be seen seasonally, under certain conditions. Make sure to take a photo when you see these special clouds!

Cloud Types (Click to Jump!)
Cumulonimbus Clouds	Cirrus Clouds	Cirrocumulus Clouds
Thin Clouds	Billow Clouds	Plane Trails

Cumulonimbus Clouds

Cumulonimbus Cloud Conditions
Summer Only North: Jul 21 - Sep 15 South: Jan 21 - Mar 15	Cumulonimbus clouds can appear during clear or partly cloudy weather on the day before bad weather.

Cirrus Clouds

Cirrus Cloud Conditions
Autumn Only North: Sep 16 - Nov 30 South: Mar 16 - May 31	Cirrus clouds can appear during clear or partly cloudy hours on a day that otherwise has bad weather.

Cirrocumulus Clouds

Cirrocumulus Cloud Conditions
Autumn Only North: Sep 16 - Nov 30 South: Mar 16 - May 31	Cirrocumulus clouds can appear during clear or partly cloudy hours on a day that otherwise has bad weather.

Thin Clouds

Thin Cloud Conditions
Spring North: Mar 1 - May 31 South: Sep 1 - Nov 30	Thin clouds can appear during clear or partly cloudy weather hours.

Billow Clouds

Billow Cloud Conditions
Winter North: Dec 1 - Feb 28 South: Jun 1 - Aug 31	Billow clouds can appear during clear or partly cloudy weather on the day before bad weather.

Plane Trails

Plane Trail Conditions
All Year	Plane trails can be seen in the sky for 15 minutes after a DAL plane lands or departs the island. Trails are less visible during bad weather.

Plane-related Guides:

• How to Unlock the Airport
• Mystery Island Tours
• How to Unlock Harvey's Island and Photopia
• How to Play Online Multiplayer

Wind Direction Patterns

How to Tell Wind Direction

Wind Direction determines which side of the island balloons will spawn from.

This changes from day to night and vice-versa, so keep an eye on the the clock if you're hunting for Recipes or Items!

Pattern 1

Pattern 1
Day	Night

Pattern 2

Pattern 2
Day	Night

How to Get Presents from Balloons

Frequently Asked Questions

Are There Weather Reports in ACNH?

Yes!

You check any TV furniture item at these times:

6:45 AM

7:45 AM

11:45 AM

6:45 PM

10:45 PM

Though the screen may be small, you can get an idea of what weather to expect in the next few hours!

List of Electronics (TVs)

When do meteor showers occur?

Meteor showers are random events and set schedule. However, they will always happen from 7 PM to 4 AM.

Here are a few things that may tell you that a Meteor Shower will happen on your island:

• Isabelle will announce it during her morning broadcast.
• Villagers will tell you about it.

Meteor Shower Guide

Can I Make Snowboys If It's Not Snowing?

Yes!

You only need snow on the ground to make Snowboys. Snow will appear midway through the Winter season, so you won't need to wait for snow to fall down!

Snowboy Guide

Related Guides

All Tips & Tricks

Gameplay Basics

Gameplay Basics
How to Know a Tool's Durability	What Happens When You Eat Fruit?
How to Get Rid of a Bee Sting	What Happens When You Faint?
When Does a New Day Start?	How to Use the Camera
How to Use the Rescue Service	How to Add Best Friends
How to Get the Nook Shopping App	Wind and Weather Guide
How and When to See Aurora Borealis	How to Unlock the Pro Camera App
How to use Custom Designs Patterns+