Melbourne rain radar: old BOM-style loop
Follow recent rain around Melbourne with a classic radar loop centred on the city. Switch view widths to compare Port Phillip, the Dandenongs and the western plains with rain arriving from the west. Melbourne 7-day forecast.
Distance rings are measured from your selected location. Transparent areas may be dry or outside coverage. Colours are not a calibrated rainfall measurement.
Using the Melbourne radar view
Much of Melbourne’s rain arrives with fronts and troughs moving in from the west and south-west. The 256 and 512 km views show more of that approach across western Victoria and Bass Strait than the close city view.
The rings measure distance from the Melbourne CBD. The imagery is a historical composite; the official Melbourne radar loop from the Bureau is linked below.
Compare successive frames to see how echoes have moved. Playback shows what has already happened. The Next 4 hours panel under the map carries that movement forward as an estimate, then hands over to the forecast model.
Radars covering Melbourne
Melbourne is covered by one Bureau radar. The closest is Melbourne, 19 km away. The loops listed for each radar are the official ranges that include the city centre; a radar's 64 km loop only helps if you are within 64 km of the radar itself.
| Radar | Where it is | Official loops that include Melbourne | Site and what it sees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Melbourne (IDR02) | 19 km west of Melbourne | 64 km · 128 km · 256 km · 512 km | About 19 km west-south-west of the Melbourne CBD M1500-S1, 1°S-band Doppler radar On the western plains about 19 km west-south-west of the CBD. Very good coverage of greater Melbourne; the Dandenongs, the Yarra Ranges and Mt Macedon partly block the view to the east and north. |
Sites, types and siting notes paraphrased from the Bureau of Meteorology's radar information page; distances are from the Melbourne city centre.
Official BOM radar loops for Melbourne
The Bureau of Meteorology still publishes its classic radar loops on reg.bom.gov.au. These are the official station loops covering Melbourne, at each range the Bureau offers:
- Melbourne (IDR02): 64 km · 128 km · 256 km · 512 km · Atmosphr page
See every Bureau radar loop by state.
Looking for the old BOM radar?
Atmosphr offers a classic-style alternative with automatic playback and simple controls. It is independent of the Bureau of Meteorology. The image is a historical composite supplied through RainViewer, not a direct station-specific BOM product.
More near Melbourne
Read the radar guide for help with timestamps, coverage and playback.