Master Minecraft Weather: The Ultimate "No More Thunder" Datapack Guide
Weather in Minecraft can be a fickle thing. One moment you are building a sprawling castle under a bright sun, and the next, a thunderstorm rolls in, darkening the skies and spawning lightning that threatens your wooden structures. For players who crave control over their blocky climate, the "No More Thunder - Weather Control" datapack offers a simple yet powerful solution. It hands the reins of the weather cycle back to you, allowing you to dictate exactly how long clear skies and rain showers last, all without a single line of code.
What Is the Weather Control Datapack?
This datapack is a lightweight modification for Minecraft Java Edition that completely replaces the default weather cycle. Instead of unpredictable and often annoying thunderstorms, the datapack limits weather to only two states: clear and rain. Thunder is removed entirely in this version, giving you a peaceful environment free from lightning strikes and hostile mob spawns triggered by storms. The duration of each weather phase is determined by a random value that falls between a minimum and maximum limit you set, ensuring no two weather patterns are exactly alike while still staying within your comfort zone.
How It Works
Under the hood, the datapack uses Minecraft’s tick system. One in-game day lasts 24000 ticks, or 20 real-world minutes. The datapack measures weather duration in in-game hours, where each hour equals 1000 ticks. When you configure the datapack, you set a minimum and maximum number of in-game hours for both clear and rainy weather. Every time the weather switches, a new random duration is generated between those bounds, keeping the cycle dynamic but predictable. A scoreboard system displays all relevant timers and settings, letting you monitor exactly when the next change will occur.
Installation and Initialization
Getting started is straightforward. First, download the datapack from the appropriate GitHub branch for your Minecraft version—versions from 1.21.6 to 1.21.10 are in one branch, while 1.21.11 and newer reside in another. Place the datapack in your world’s "datapacks" folder and reload the world. For players who want a streamlined experience, the foxygame.net launcher provides a convenient, flexible, and modern Minecraft launcher where you can download datapacks right from the menu, eliminating manual file management. Once loaded, open the chat and run /datapack list. You should see "File/Weather Control" in green brackets. Then initialize the system with the command /function weather-control:w_c__init_weather. After that, everything runs automatically.
Configuration and Settings
Tweaking the weather behavior is incredibly user-friendly. The datapack includes a dialog window that can be opened with /function weather-control:w_c__settings. This interface displays all current minimum and maximum values and allows you to adjust them directly without memorizing commands. If you prefer command-line control, you can use scoreboard commands. Here are the key settings and their corresponding commands:
- Maximum clear weather duration:
/scoreboard players set _hoursClearMax <value> - Minimum clear weather duration:
/scoreboard players set _hoursClearMin <value> - Maximum rain duration:
/scoreboard players set _hoursRainMax <value> - Minimum rain duration:
/scoreboard players set _hoursRainMin <value>
All values are in in-game hours. The actual length of any weather period is a random number between the min and max you specify, so you retain an element of surprise without losing control.
Scoreboard Insights
To keep an eye on the weather cycle, display the scoreboard with /scoreboard objectives setdisplay sidebar WeatherCycle. To hide it, simply run the same command without the objective name. The scoreboard shows several useful metrics:
- Next Weather Rain: The time in ticks until the weather changes to rain.
- Next Weather Clear: The time in ticks until the weather changes to clear.
- Hours Clear Max / Min: The configured limits for clear weather duration.
- Hours Rain Max / Min: The configured limits for rain duration.
- Is Switch: An internal control value that manages the weather transition logic.
This transparency makes it easy to plan your activities—whether you are waiting for a clear day to explore or hoping for rain to fill your cauldrons.
Why Use This Datapack?
The "No More Thunder" datapack is perfect for builders, redstone engineers, and survival players who want a calm, predictable atmosphere. It removes the annoyance of thunder without disabling rain entirely, preserving the game’s natural feel. The configuration requires no programming knowledge, and the in-game settings dialog makes adjustments effortless. Because the datapack only cycles between clear and rain, you never have to worry about lightning setting your wooden roof on fire or charged creepers ruining your day. It is an elegant, low-impact addition that respects vanilla mechanics while giving you the power to shape your world’s climate.
Conclusion
Weather control in Minecraft doesn’t have to be complicated or require mods that alter the game’s core. This datapack delivers a clean, configurable solution that puts you in charge of the skies. With simple initialization, a handy settings dialog, and real-time scoreboard feedback, you can fine-tune the balance between sunshine and rain to match your playstyle. Give it a try, and enjoy a Minecraft world where the weather always works on your terms.
--- **Update Jul 10, 2026:** Added 3 files for version 26.2, 26.1.2, 26.1.1, 26.1, 1.21.11.