No one likes to get caught in the rain unprepared. And while we all have the Weather app on our iPhones, we aren't constantly opening it to monitor the weather. But the thing is, we don't have to. Apple's weather app can give notifications for severe weather and any precipitation in the next hour.

But the option is buried deep so it's not apparent right away, so it's not your fault that you haven't enabled them yet. You can enable rain and severe weather alerts for your current location as well as a specific location in the Weather app.

Enable Rain Alerts for your Current Location

  1. Tap the 'Menu' button in the bottom-right corner of the screen.
  2. Next, tap the 'three-dot' menu icon in the top-left.
  1. Go to 'Notifications' from the menu.
  2. To receive weather notifications for your current location, you'll need to give the Weather app constant access to your location. If the app does not have the required permission, you'll see a 'Current Location' alert at the top. Tap on 'Go to Settings' from the prompt.
  1. You'll reach the Location Services page in Privacy & Security settings. Scroll down and find 'Weather' from the list.
  2. Then, select 'Always' from the options.
  1. Go back to the Weather app. Now, you'll find options for 'Severe Weather' and 'Next-Hour Precipitation'. Turn on the toggles for both.

Enable Weather Notifications for Specific Locations

You can also enable weather notifications for specific locations on your list.

  1. Navigate to the same screen as above from the Weather app if you're not already there.
  2. On the Notifications screen, scroll down to see the locations you've added to your Weather app and tap on the one you want to enable notifications for.
  3. Then, turn on the toggles for 'Severe Weather' and 'Next Hour Precipitation'.

Things to know:

  • The option to receive rain alerts is not available in all locations. So, even if you enable the notifications, you might not receive them for certain locations.
  • The option is available on iOS 16 and above.
  • While enabling notifications for specific locations, only those places are available that you have previously added to the Weather app. If a location is not on your list, you must first add it.