How scoring works
What goes into the verdict, how wash type changes the call, and why forecasts are guidance — not guarantees.
The score in plain English
You are not asking “what is the weather?” — you are asking “will I waste my time washing the car right now?”. The score starts from your wash plan (quick rinse through to wax/sealant) and checks whether the next few hours give you enough dry, calm, daylight time for a clean finish.
1) Rain risk (the big one)
Rain falling now, or a high chance of showers in your dry window, pulls the score down fast. The site is not saying the car cannot get wet — it is asking whether you can rinse, wash, and dry before weather ruins the finish.
2) Drying conditions
Wind and humidity control how quickly water clears from panels. That affects streaks, drips, and water spots. A mild breezy day can be perfect; a still muggy afternoon can be frustrating even without rain.
3) Panel heat, cold, and daylight
Hot sun makes products and rinse water flash-dry (spot risk). Near-freezing air can refreeze water in door shuts. Washing after dark slows drying — the score tightens when your dry window runs into evening.
4) Your wash setup
Wash type, time available, finish level, drying method, car colour, and where you are washing (open driveway, shade, garage) all change how strict the score is. A quick rinse tolerates more weather than a wax job.
Data source
Forecasts come from Open-Meteo. Place search uses UK postcodes.io and OpenStreetMap Nominatim. We translate hourly fields into a practical driveway verdict — we do not run a weather model ourselves.
What we are not
- We cannot see your driveway shade, nearby trees, or hose pressure.
- We cannot predict every shower. If the sky looks wrong, trust your eyes.
- We do not promise spot-free — we help you pick a better window.