---
name: "setOvercast"
type: command
status: ok
groups: ["Environment"]
arma3_since: "0.50"
locality: {"argument": null, "effect": "local", "server_exec": false}
source: https://community.bistudio.com/wiki/setOvercast
revid: 376723
updated: 2025-11-12T14:34:03Z
---

# setOvercast

*Command · Environment · Arma 3 v0.50 · introduced in Operation Flashpoint v1.00*

Locality: effect **local**

## Description

Set overcast to given value smoothly during given time (in seconds). Zero time means immediate change.
An overcast setting of zero means clear (sunny) weather, and one means storms and rain are very likely. Higher overcast values also result in higher [wind](../commands/wind.md) speeds.

## Syntax

```sqf
time setOvercast overcast
```

**Parameters:**

- `time`: [Number](../topics/Number.md) - in seconds
- `overcast`: [Number](../topics/Number.md) - in range 0..1

**Returns:** [Nothing](../topics/Nothing.md)

## Examples

### Example 1

```sqf
60 setOvercast 0.5;
```

## Multiplayer

**Pre Arma 3:** Each client and the server can have differing overcast values. 

> [!NOTE]
> **Arma 3:** In Arma 3 weather values are periodically synchronised with the server.

## See also

[overcast](../commands/overcast.md) · [nextWeatherChange](../commands/nextWeatherChange.md) · [simulSetHumidity](../commands/simulSetHumidity.md)

## Community notes

**Hardrock** — 2006-08-04

*Notes from before the conversion:*

Use [setRain](../commands/setRain.md) if you want to make sure it rains.

---

**Ceeeb** — 2007-04-20

Only one script command induced weather change (either setOvercast or [setFog](../commands/setFog.md)) can be happening at a time. Starting a new weather change will immediately halt the current weather change. [SetRain](../commands/setRain.md) changes are independent and can occur simultaneously to a weather change.

---

**DnA** — 2013-08-14

Arma 3's volumetric clouds cannot be instantly changed (it would take up to a few seconds to do a full recompute). Therefore, *0 setOvercast 0* will not have the desired effect. You can use [skipTime](../commands/skipTime.md) to get to the desired cloud coverage.

NOTE: To get instant, seamless overcast change to overcast 1 advance the time 24 hours with [skipTime](../commands/skipTime.md) while setting overcast transition time to 86400 seconds (24 hours) - Killzone_Kid (12:08, 15 August 2013)

```sqf
86400 setOvercast 1;
skipTime 24;

// to remain on the same date:
skipTime -24;
86400 setOvercast 1;
skipTime 24;
```

---

**Killzone_Kid** — 2013-10-28

With removal of [simulSetHumidity](../commands/simulSetHumidity.md), in order to add instant cloud cover, execute [simulWeatherSync](../commands/simulWeatherSync.md) with delay (for now):

```sqf
skipTime -24;
86400 setOvercast 1;
skipTime 24;
0 spawn {
    sleep 0.1;
    simulWeatherSync;
};
```

There is slight freeze with simul command.

---

**Adanteh** — 2015-08-21

Delay in Arma 3 doesn't work for quick changes. Using 120 [setOvercast](../commands/setOvercast.md) 1 only reaches full overcast after about 50 minutes.
Using [setTimeMultiplier](../commands/setTimeMultiplier.md) does speed up the overcast, but it doesn't render any clouds.
You will need to [skipTime](../commands/skipTime.md) or [forceWeatherChange](../commands/forceWeatherChange.md) to render clouds if you want it to happen within the hour.

---

**AgentRev** — 2016-05-05

Actual transition time is inversely proportional to the [timeMultiplier](../commands/timeMultiplier.md). For example, a time of 7200 (2 hours) and a timeMultiplier of 2 will result in a real-life transition time of 7200 / 2 = 3600 (1 hour).

In case of overcast, a timeMultiplier > 1 will cause gradual desyncing of the cloud cover with the [overcast](../commands/overcast.md) value, so it is advised that you multiply the transition time by the multiplier, i.e. :

```sqf
(7200 * timeMultiplier) setOvercast 1
```

<sub>Source: [BI Community Wiki — setOvercast](https://community.bistudio.com/wiki/setOvercast) (revision 376723).</sub>