Where and when does it rain in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet?

In Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, weather can have a huge impact on a Pokémon’s damage output and move pool. It can be a powerful tool outside of battle, too. Some interesting evolutions are tied to specific weather conditions in the game, like rainstorms.

To help you add rain-loving critters to your team, here’s a breakdown of where and when it rains in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, with tips on how to make the most of this weather condition.

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet rain system, explained

Like most of the game’s weather conditions, rain in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet is a random occurrence that follows the in-game clock.

Currently, there is no way to force a rainstorm outside of a battle in the game. It’s simply a case of flying around the different zones and keeping an eye out for rainstorms, as they can pop up in almost any area of the Paldean map, excluding zones like Asado Desert.

While there aren’t any designated rainy areas, some zones do seem to get more rain than others. Based on our research, there is an area that seemingly has a higher chance of rain—North Province (Area Two), particularly near the Pokémon Center and the Team Star Fighting Crew base.

We managed to trigger a rainstorm within about 15 to 20 minutes in this area by flying to the Pokémon Center, running around for a minute, flying to another Pokémon Center on the map, then coming back. It’s not the most exciting gameplay loop, but it did result in a lengthy rainstorm.

North Province (Area Two) is a great spot to level up your Pokémon for the end game and pick up some rare items scattered across the forest floor. If you’ve not finished the Team Star storyline yet, make sure to take down Eri’s team at the nearby base.

Rain is a fairly standard weather condition in Scarlet and Violet for the most part, but one key benefit that it offers is the evolutionary condition to turn Sliggoo into Goodra.

Sliggoo is a Dragon-type Pokémon that evolves from the adorable Goomy at level 40. If you catch a Sliggoo and get it to level 50 or higher, you can evolve it into the powerful Goodra by leveling it up during a rain storm.

This means that heading to North Province (Area Two) with a level 50 Sliggoo is a surefire way to add a pseudo-legendary/powerhouse to your team. Goodra is a Dragon-type with an interesting move set that can come in handy during the endgame, so it’s worth picking up if you can.

We’d recommend using a Rare Candy to quickly level up your Sliggoo if you have it. There’s no way to determine exactly how long a rainstorm will last, so it’s best to take advantage of it when you come across it and get the evolution done quickly.