Weather



Weather was announced April 7th 2011, by Notch that confirmed weather would be added in the 1.5 update. He stated that there would be periodic downfall depending on the region, such as snowy biomes getting snow, others getting rain, and deserts getting no precipitation whatsoever. Rain makes the sky darker, blocks out the sun, stars, and moon and makes everything wetter. It also causes crops to grow. In snowy region ice will grow back and snow will cover the ground where it can reach. Rain will also put out any fires except burning netherrack. There will also be the occasional thunder and lightning during both rain and snow. (The 1.5 update has just arrived April 19th 2011.)

Confirmed information about weather

 * Rain and snow will be a temporary and global occurrence.
 * You can't see the sun, moon and stars while it's raining, and days are light level 14 instead of 15.
 * Higher odds of catching fish while raining. It may fill small holes with water.
 * It will not solidify lava, but it does put out fires.
 * Wolves get wet in the rain and crops will get watered.
 * Ice and snow will regrow whilst snowing.
 * Rain will not put out netherrack fires.
 * Lightning sets fire to the ground upon hitting it, but that is immediately extinguished by the rain.
 * If Lightning strikes a pig, it will morph into a zombie pigman.
 * Thunderstorms are much darker than normal rain, at light level 7 or less. Notch has confirmed it will be dark enough to spawn aggressive monsters.
 * Rain prevents monsters from burning.

A preview video was also uploaded onto the TeamMojang YouTube channel showing weather and other future updates.