You’re staring at that little cloud icon on your phone, wondering if you actually have time to walk the dog or if you're about to get soaked. We've all been there. It's Saturday, January 17, 2026, and the weather across the country is doing that annoying "maybe, maybe not" dance.
Honestly, pinpointing exactly what time is the rain coming today isn't just about looking at a percentage. It’s about understanding the specific timing of the moisture moving through your zip code.
The Afternoon Shift: When the Drip Starts
For a huge chunk of the East Coast, specifically around the Delmarva area and parts of the Mid-Atlantic, the morning is actually looking pretty decent. You’ve likely seen some sun, and it’s feeling weirdly mild—close to 50 degrees in some spots. But don't let that fool you into leaving your jacket at home.
The latest data from local stations like WBOC shows that while the morning stays dry, a slight chance of rain starts creeping in during the afternoon hours. We’re talking that annoying, misty stuff that ruins a hair day but doesn't quite flood the gutters.
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If you’re in the South, particularly North Texas or Georgia, things are a bit more complicated. In North Texas, you might see a few sprinkles, but the real concern there is actually the wind and low humidity. Georgia, on the other hand, is bracing for a shift. While today might stay mostly cloudy and cold, the real precipitation—a mix of rain and snow—is timed for Saturday night into Sunday morning.
Why "3:00 PM" Isn't Always 3:00 PM
Most people check their weather app, see a rain icon at 3:00 PM, and assume they’ll be wet by 3:01. Weather forecasting doesn't work that way. When a forecast says there's a 40% chance of rain at a specific time, it’s a calculation of area and confidence.
Take the West Coast right now. If you're in San Jose or San Francisco, you're looking at overcast skies but basically a 0% chance of rain for the daylight hours today. It’s "dry air" city over there. Meanwhile, if you're in Kauai, you've got isolated showers that are scattered throughout the morning, tapering off into the afternoon.
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The timing depends on "clippers"—fast-moving systems that dive down from Canada. One of these is currently moving across the Great Lakes. For those folks, the "rain" is actually coming as light snow and it’s happening in waves throughout the weekend.
Breaking Down the Evening Timeline
If the rain hasn't hit your window yet, here is the general timeline for the "wet" zones today:
- Mid-Afternoon (2:00 PM - 5:00 PM): Light showers begin in the Mid-Atlantic and Delmarva.
- Late Evening (8:00 PM - 11:00 PM): Rain chances intensify in the Southeast (Georgia/Carolinas) as a wintry mix prepares to move in.
- After Midnight: This is when the "real" rain arrives for many, often transitioning into snow as temperatures drop into the 30s.
How to Get the Exact Timing
Stop looking at the daily summary. It's useless for timing. Instead, use a radar loop. If you see a green blob moving toward your city, look at the distance. Most storm systems move at about 25 to 40 miles per hour. If the rain is 80 miles away, you’ve got two hours.
Check the "Dew Point" on your app too. If the dew point is rising and the temperature is falling, the air is becoming saturated. That’s usually the sign that the rain is less than an hour away.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Check the "Hourly" tab, not the "Daily" tab. Look for when the precipitation percentage jumps above 40%.
- Pull up a live radar map (like WeatherBug or NWS). If you see "virga" (rain that evaporates before hitting the ground), the radar will look green, but you'll stay dry.
- Prepare for the temperature drop. In many areas, the rain today is the "warm" part of the front; once it passes, temperatures are expected to crater into the 20s or teens by Sunday night.