Weather Effects
Set cloudy skies, falling rain or snow, drifting fog, and foliage wind to give any garden render a compelling sense of place.
Weather effects are available in Photo mode only. Only one weather effect can be active at a time.
The Weather tab appears only when Photorealistic is the active render style. If you cannot see it, open the Render Styles panel and switch to Photorealistic first.
Enable a weather effect
Toggle one of the available weather effects:
Rain — falling rain streaks overlay the render and surfaces develop a wet sheen that reflects the sky and lights.
Fog — distance-based volumetric fog fills the scene. Adjust Fog Density (how thick the fog is) and Fog Start Distance (how close the fog begins).
Overcast — disables the direct sun and replaces it with a soft, uniform overcast sky. Shadows become very soft and diffuse. Good for showing a garden in typical northern European light.
Drizzle — light rain with smaller droplet streaks and puddle reflections appearing on flat surfaces.
Adjust effect parameters
Each effect has per-effect controls:
- Rain / Drizzle: Rain intensity (droplet density), wind angle
- Fog: Density, start distance, fog color
- Overcast: Sky brightness, cloud coverage level
Adjust cloud cover
Drag the Cloud Cover slider between 0% and 100%. Low values give a mostly clear sky with sharp sun shadows; high values (85–100%) fill the sky and produce flat, diffuse light across the entire garden — similar to an overcast day. The slider live-updates the scene as you drag.
Add rainfall or snowfall
Raise the Rain slider to add falling rain particles to the scene. Raise the Snow slider instead for falling snow. The two are independent — you can use either or both, though combining them at high values is not realistic for most client presentations.
Set accumulated snow depth
The Snow Thickness slider controls how much snow has settled on the ground and on surfaces — it is independent of the Snow (falling) slider. Drag it from 0 up to 30 cm to cover lawns, decking, and hardscape with a layer of snow. The Winter Scene preset sets a 25 cm depth with clear sky to show a post-snowfall garden.
Add fog for atmosphere
The Fog slider adds an exponential haze that thickens toward the horizon, fading distant trees and structures into the mist. Even a low setting (5–15%) gives depth and separation to large garden scenes. The Foggy preset sets fog to 70% for a dramatic early-morning feel.
Set foliage wind speed
The Wind slider (0–30 m/s) controls how much foliage sways in the 3D view. It is a motion effect and has no impact on a single still render or AI render export — it animates the live scene only. Set it to match the energy of the weather you have selected.
Reset weather to clear sky
Click Reset weather at the bottom of the Weather tab to return the weather sliders to the default state (20% cloud cover, no rain, falling snow, or fog, light breeze). The Snow Thickness slider is part of the seasonal state and is not changed by this reset.
For a subtle, sophisticated atmosphere that reads well in client presentations, try the Overcast preset (85% cloud, light fog) with the Light tab's Golden Hour preset — the warm, low sun breaking through heavy cloud creates a compelling, realistic mood.
Rain and Snow are separate from Snow Thickness. If you click the Clear preset after a snow scene, the accumulated snow depth will be reset to 0 as well — the preset applies all values simultaneously.
Key Parameters
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Cloud Cover | Sky coverage. Higher values soften direct sun and flatten shadows across the garden. |
| Rain | Falling rain intensity. Also increases surface wetness and glistening on hard surfaces. |
| Snow | Falling snowflake intensity in the air. Does not affect ground accumulation — use Snow Thickness for that. |
| Snow Thickness | Accumulated snow depth on the ground and surfaces. Independent of the falling Snow slider. |
| Fog | Exponential atmospheric haze. Fades distant objects and increases scene depth. |
| Wind | Foliage sway speed. Affects live 3D animation only — has no effect on still renders or AI render exports. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Why can't I see the Weather tab?
The Weather tab is only available in the Photorealistic render style. Open the Render Style panel and switch to Photorealistic — the Light, Weather, and Season tabs will then appear in the Presentation sidebar.
I raised the Snow slider but the ground is still bare — why?
The Snow slider controls falling snowflakes in the air, not ground accumulation. To cover the ground and surfaces with snow, raise the Snow Thickness slider. The two are independent: you can show a post-snowfall winter scene (thick ground snow, clear sky, no falling snow) using Snow Thickness alone.
Does the Wind slider affect my AI render exports?
No. Wind is a motion effect that animates foliage in the live 3D view only. A still render or AI render export captures a single frame, so wind speed has no visible impact on the exported image.
How do I get a soft, flat light without visible rain or fog?
Click the Overcast preset, which sets cloud cover to 85% and a trace of fog (5%). This mutes direct sun and produces diffuse, shadow-free light — the look of a real overcast day — without any visible precipitation.
Can I mix weather effects, such as rain and fog together?
Yes — all sliders are independent. You can freely combine cloud cover, rain, fog, and snow depth at any intensity. The Heavy Rain preset is a good example: it combines 80% rain, 95% cloud cover, and 25% fog for a stormy scene. Start from a preset then adjust individual sliders to taste.