Home › Weather › Weather Radar Sydney
Live forecasts update automatically; written guidance last reviewed 23 June 2026 by the Australia Voice Weather Desk. Data from the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) and other national met services via Open-Meteo.
Check the live radar above to see current rain over Sydney. It shows where rain is falling now and how intense it is, updated every six minutes from the Terrey Hills radar site.
How to use the Sydney radar
The radar image shows rain intensity in colours: light blue for light showers, green for moderate, yellow and red for heavy rain. The 128 km radar loop from Terrey Hills covers the Sydney basin and nearby coast. For a closer view of the city or the airport, select the 64 km range. The 256 km and 512 km ranges show larger weather patterns, including storms approaching from inland or the ocean.
Use the animation controls to see the last hour or two of movement. This helps you judge if rain is moving towards your location. For a longer forecast, combine the live radar with the rain radar for the next 24 hours available on the BOM site.
Radar options and where they work best
The sydney radar 64 range gives fine detail over the inner suburbs and weather radar sydney airport. The 128 km loop is useful for most of the metro area. The 256 km and 512 km ranges are better for tracking large rainbands and storms – check the bom radar sydney 256 today live for regional coverage. A weather satellite sydney view can also help see cloud patterns that radar might miss.
What does the 64 km radar show that the 128 km doesn’t?
The 64 km range provides higher resolution over a smaller area, picking up light drizzle and localised showers near the city and airport. The 128 km loop covers a wider area but with slightly less detail on small features.
How accurate is the rain forecast from radar?
Radar shows where rain is happening now, not more than about 90 minutes ahead. Short-term forecasts using radar trends are reasonably reliable for the next hour or two, but always check official warnings for severe weather.
Why does the radar sometimes show false echoes or noise?
Birds, insects, smoke, or even buildings can reflect radar signals, creating false rain returns. The Bureau filters most of these, but occasional speckles may appear, especially in clear conditions. Compare with a weather satellite Sydney image for clarity.
Sources
For more detail on current conditions, visit the Sydney weather page. If severe storms are possible, check severe weather warnings before heading out.