BOM Weather app and website support
This page provides support to help you use the BOM Weather app. For help to use our website at bom.gov.au, see Website help. The app and website use the same weather information, though you may notice some differences.
Troubleshooting app technical issues
Steps to help resolve crashes, frozen or outdated data, and other technical issues with the BOM Weather app.
Finding information in the app
Tips to help you find information in the BOM Weather app.
Map
Access the map
- Search for your location
- Select Map at the bottom of the screen.
View rain, radar coverage, or warnings
There are 2 ways to change what you see on the map screen:
- Top left, select the Rain or Warnings, or
- Top right, tap the layers icon (2 stacked squares). Select Rain or Warnings. When you select Rain, you can toggle radar coverage on or off so you can see the areas covered by radar. Tap the X to close – your selection will save.
Locations, favourites, and weather stations
The app needs a location to offer you weather. If you don't allow location services you need to search for a location using a place name or postcode.
Rain notifications
You can get notified when rain is approaching up to 3 locations.
We send a notification when there's a 50% chance of at least 0.2 mm in the next half hour at your chosen location. After the first notification, no more are sent for the same location within 2 hours.
Video: Rain notifications
Get notified up to 30 minutes before rain is expected.
Head to the menu in the top right and tap notifications.
Select your location.
Toggle the rain notification on.
Set up rain notifications for up to 3 locations.
If you're travelling, update your location to get rain notifications for that area.
Download Australia's official weather app today.
Warning notifications
You can choose which warning notifications you receive for each of your favourite locations. You can also view warnings on the map – see Map information on this page.
The BOM Weather app offers notifications for up to 9 weather warnings, depending on your location:
- coastal hazards – dangerous surf and abnormal tides
- fire weather
- flood watches and warnings
- heatwave
- marine wind
- tropical cyclone
- tsunami
- severe weather
- severe thunderstorm.
When installed and enabled, a notification will appear on your device's screen whenever a warning is issued that is relevant to your set location.
Widgets
A widget allows you to see information from the BOM Weather app on your home or lock screen, without opening the app. The BOM Weather app has widgets for iOS and Android.
You can install more than one widget. For example, one that moves with your location, and another for a set location. For better widget performance, set location permissions to 'Always'.
iOS widgets
- Lock screen widgets for iOS 16 and above.
- Home screen widgets for iOS 14 and above.
Android widgets
- Home screen widgets.
How to add your BOM Weather widget
Wind speed – knots or km/h
To change wind to km/h or knots:
- tap or click Settings in the main menu (3 bars) at the top right of the app
- select the wind speed measure (km/h or knots)
- select Home at the bottom of the screen to return to your location page.
Accuracy of weather information
Sometimes your experience – or backyard or community weather station – may not match what's shown on the app or its widgets.
When you view a location's weather on the app, the observations shown are from a single weather station. For more about how the app selects the weather station, view Locations, favourites and weather stations on this page.
Some weather can be very localised. For example, rain often falls in a patchy pattern, so some locations get much more rain than places nearby. Wind speed and direction, and temperature can also be influenced by local topographic features and elevation.
We report on the accuracy of our forecasts and warnings every year in our Annual Report. See our Forecast accuracy page.
Differences between the app, website and devices
The BOM Weather app and our website use the same weather information. This can be delivered by different pathways, so you may not see the same information at the same time.
All information is refreshed when you wake or open the app. On our website, refresh the page to check you are viewing the latest weather information.
Phones or other devices can show different forecast information on the app, even though they are near each other. This can happen for several reasons, including those listed below.
For more information, view the Website and app differences page in Website help.