Local ground dryness estimate
Rain gauges are open to everyone. Create a free account for the dryness predictor.
A local ground dryness estimate built from real UK rain gauges, recent weather and a three-layer soil-water model. It gives useful context for mud, puddles and slow-drying ground. Individual paths can differ.
Illustrative example
Firm ground with good drainage—grass green and springy, footprints barely visible.
Your result uses the location you search and shows its data confidence. It estimates the wider area, not the exact surface of an individual path.
Rain is only the beginning
WeatherDuck follows water after it lands: what is sitting at the surface, what has soaked into the topsoil and what remains deeper down. Weather conditions then control drainage, evaporation, freezing and thawing hour by hour.
Nearby observations from the Environment Agency, SEPA and Natural Resources Wales are blended by distance.
Temperature, wind, cloud and forecast rain influence drying, drainage and the risk of surface water.
A 0–10 dryness score and plain-language verdict turn the water balance into a useful trip-planning signal.
Explore the local observations and recent trend, with a clear indication of how much confidence to place in the estimate.
Useful before boots go on
See whether ordinary walking shoes will do or waterproof boots and gaiters make more sense.
Avoid slow-draining moorland after prolonged rain and favour firmer paths when conditions are saturated.
Understand why trails may still be muddy several dry days after a spell of heavy rain.
Ground conditions feed WeatherDuck’s wider gear guidance alongside rain, wind and temperature.
What the score means
No. It is a local model estimate built from weather and rain-gauge evidence. Drainage, soil, path construction, shade and footfall can make an individual section wetter or drier.
The scale runs from 0 to 10. Higher values indicate drier ground; lower values indicate more water held at the surface and through the modelled soil layers.
Deep and topsoil moisture drain slowly, especially in winter or on peat and clay. Low temperatures, cloud and light winds can also reduce evaporation.
WeatherDuck uses rain gauges from the Environment Agency in England, SEPA in Scotland and Natural Resources Wales, then combines these with saved weather forecasts.
You can explore nearby rain gauges and rainfall history without an account. Create a free WeatherDuck account to unlock the ground dryness result, soil-water history and outlook. Premium isn’t required.
Before your next walk
Search any UK location to open its full ground dryness, rainfall and rain-gauge view.
