What the first answer means
GO means the complete selected outdoor-meal window is a good measurable weather fit. WAIT means conditions are mixed or a better window is close. NOT TODAY means rain, wind, heat, a thunderstorm signal or the normal time of day makes the selected block a poor fit. The first screen stays simple: verdict, activity, best practical time and one memorable line. Open the supporting details when you want the forecast facts behind it.
The same shared calculation powers this page, the homepage and activity-directory rankings, the natural-language Planner, share links and saved routines. A result is never a fire-safety clearance, food-safety check or permission to use a barbecue at a particular location.
How the BBQ & Picnic score works
An outdoor meal usually lasts longer than a forecast icon. GoodDayTo measures apparent temperature, precipitation probability, forecast rain amount, sustained wind, gusts, UV, daylight and severe-weather codes for every hour in the selected duration. Afternoon and early evening are treated as the most natural times; a dry but unusually early or late block may be capped instead of receiving GO.
The one-, three- and five-hour controls are complete-block checks. Choose one hour for a quick picnic or outdoor snack, three hours for a typical meal and conversation, or five hours for a longer family gathering. The tool does not silently shorten the duration to manufacture a nicer answer. If the final selected hour becomes wet, very windy or dangerously hot, the full plan is capped.
- Complete meal window
- Rain probability
- Forecast rain amount
- Apparent temperature
- Wind & gusts
- UV exposure
- Normal meal timing
- Thunderstorm signals
Rain limits across the whole outdoor-meal window
GoodDayTo adds the forecast precipitation amounts across all selected hours and checks the highest hourly precipitation probability. At least 0.5 mm total rain, or a 70% probability in any selected hour, caps the result at NOT TODAY (45). At least 0.1 mm, or a 40% probability, caps it at WAIT (70). These are conservative planning guardrails for an exposed meal, not a promise that a shower will or will not reach a particular table.
Rain probability and amount answer different questions. A high probability can represent confidence that measurable precipitation will occur without saying how heavy it will be. Keeping both signals visible helps avoid the false precision of treating a single percentage as the whole forecast.
A practical example
Imagine a three-hour garden BBQ with two mild, dry hours followed by an hour showing 72% rain probability. A simple average could still make the gathering look acceptable, yet people, food and cooking equipment may be outside when the weather turns. GoodDayTo caps that whole outdoor-meal window at NOT TODAY. If the last hour shows 45% instead, it caps the block at WAIT. When every hour stays below 40%, total forecast rain stays below 0.1 mm and no other limit is crossed, the rain rule does not prevent GO.
Wind and heat have their own verdict caps
Wind affects more than comfort. Plates, napkins, food covers, parasols and lightweight furniture can move, while cooking equipment may have manufacturer-specific wind restrictions. GoodDayTo caps the weather verdict at WAIT from 20 km/h sustained wind or 32 km/h gusts. It caps the result at NOT TODAY from 28 km/h sustained wind or 42 km/h gusts. These numerical limits are GoodDayTo planning guardrails—not universal fire-safety thresholds. Equipment instructions, local restrictions and conditions at the actual cooking spot always take priority.
Heat also needs an honest upper limit. Apparent temperature from 30°C prevents GO; from 35°C it caps the plan at NOT TODAY. Shade, water and a cooler later window can improve comfort, but the tool cannot know anyone’s age, health, medication, hydration or access to cooling. It also cannot estimate the temperature of a grill, vehicle, table surface or food.
Fire safety is a separate, mandatory check
Never use a barbecue indoors, in a tent, under an awning or in another enclosed space. Keep it stable, away from combustible material, supervise it and follow the equipment instructions. Official UK government outdoor fire-safety guidance also advises keeping water, sand or a garden hose ready. Do not move a lit barbecue, and make sure it is fully cool before disposal or storage.
GoodDayTo cannot see wildfire danger, drought rules, park notices, smoke restrictions, permitted fuels, safe clearances, ground condition or whether barbecues are allowed. A GO result must be ignored wherever a local fire ban, venue rule or official warning says not to light one. For a picnic without cooking, many of these fire checks do not apply, but the rain, wind, heat and thunderstorm limits still do.
Lightning: leave the picnic shelter
A thunderstorm signal independently caps the result at NOT TODAY. The US National Weather Service says there is no safe place outdoors during a thunderstorm. Open picnic shelters, tents, trees and canopies are not safe lightning refuges; move to a substantial building or a hard-topped vehicle. Its guidance says to wait at least 30 minutes after the last thunder before resuming outdoor activity. Read the official NWS lightning-safety guidance.
Follow current local warnings and instructions from park, venue or emergency staff. Forecast grids update periodically and cannot replace a warning received at the location. If thunder is heard, shelter immediately rather than waiting for the page to refresh.
Weather suitability is not food safety
GoodDayTo does not measure food temperature or how long food has been outside. FoodSafety.gov advises refrigerating perishable food within two hours, reduced to one hour when the outdoor temperature is above 90°F (about 32°C), and keeping cold food at 40°F (4°C) or below. Use suitable coolers and food thermometers, keep raw food separate from ready-to-eat food, and follow the latest official advice for the food you are serving.
The 30°C and 35°C weather-score caps are about outdoor-meal suitability; they do not replace those food-handling rules. Even a comfortable GO day can become unsafe if food is not stored, cooked or served correctly.
Assumptions and limitations
Forecast data is hourly and tied to a geographic point. Small showers and neighbourhood wind effects can differ from the forecast grid, and conditions may change after the result loads. GoodDayTo does not know whether your garden is sheltered, a park table is shaded, the ground is muddy, seating is accessible or a venue has changed its hours.
It also cannot verify grill permission, open-fire rules, fuel type, smoke nuisance, facilities, parking, toilets, allergens, food temperature, equipment condition or personal medical needs. Check the actual venue and equipment before leaving. When the result offers a better later window, it is comparing measurable weather only; it is not claiming that the location will be available then.
Frequently asked questions
How does GoodDayTo check rain across a BBQ or picnic?
Every hour in the selected one-, three- or five-hour outdoor-meal block is checked. At least 0.5 mm total rain or a 70% hourly probability caps the result at NOT TODAY; at least 0.1 mm or 40% caps it at WAIT.
Why do wind and gusts matter for outdoor eating?
Wind affects comfort, lightweight items and some cooking equipment. GoodDayTo caps the result at WAIT from 20 km/h sustained wind or 32 km/h gusts, and at NOT TODAY from 28 km/h sustained wind or 42 km/h gusts.
Which duration should I choose?
Choose one hour for a quick picnic or snack, three hours for a typical meal and social time, or five hours for a longer gathering. Cover the complete time people, food and equipment will remain outside.
Does GO mean a barbecue is permitted and safe to light?
No. GO only describes the measured weather fit. Local fire bans, venue rules, fuel restrictions, clearances, equipment instructions and safe placement must be checked separately.
Does the score cover food safety?
No. GoodDayTo does not measure food temperature. FoodSafety.gov says perishable food should be refrigerated within two hours, reduced to one hour when the outdoor temperature is above 90°F or 32°C.
What happens when thunderstorms are forecast?
A thunderstorm signal independently caps the result at NOT TODAY. Move to a substantial building or hard-topped vehicle and wait at least 30 minutes after the last thunder before resuming outdoor activity.