Simple Clouds
With Simple Clouds installed, the sky gains new cloud types, and storms under heavy clouds bring localized rain, snow and lightning to the player's area.
What it does
Simple Clouds overhauls how clouds are rendered in Minecraft: Java Edition. It adds seven cloud types modeled on real-world counterparts, with stylized visuals meant to extend the vanilla experience rather than simulate weather realistically. Clouds span more than 20,000 blocks and use level-of-detail rendering to reduce their cost.
Precipitation is tied to clouds. Rain and snow appear only beneath clouds that carry precipitation, and stormy clouds produce a haze the author calls storm fog, which makes them look more threatening from a distance. Lightning is custom and thunder is delayed, so both can be seen close up and from afar. The mod is published for Forge and NeoForge, covering 1.20.1 – 1.21.1, under a custom license that is not open source.
Key features
Seven cloud types
Each cloud type is modeled on a real-life counterpart, giving the sky more varied shapes than vanilla clouds.
Storm fog
Haze appears under stormy clouds and makes them look more threatening when seen from a distance.
Localized rain and snow
Precipitation renders only under clouds that produce it, and its rendering has been reworked.
Custom lightning and delayed thunder
Lightning is custom, and thunder arrives after a delay so it can be heard from afar as well as up close.
Level-of-detail clouds
Clouds spanning over 20,000 blocks use level-of-detail rendering, and client config options tune the cost to a given GPU.
Gallery
Compatibility
Latest build for each game version and loader.
Only full game releases are shown. This mod publishes no snapshot builds.
Required by 2 mods
Use cases
Who it’s for: Players who want more varied clouds and localized weather, and server owners who want shared sky visuals between players on Forge or NeoForge.
How it compares
Dynamic Clouds is a client-side only mod for Fabric, Forge and NeoForge, licensed under All rights reserved. Weather Storms & Tornadoes runs on both client and server for Forge and NeoForge, also under All rights reserved. Simple Clouds works on either side, and neither side needs it, and it is licensed under its own custom license.
| Mod | Loaders | Game versions | Environment | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Simple Clouds | Forge and NeoForge | 1.20.1 – 1.21.1 | Client or server, optional | 2025-08-26 |
| Dynamic Clouds | Fabric, Forge and NeoForge | 1.20.1 – 26.3 | Client-side only | 2026-10-06 |
| Weather Storms & Tornadoes | Forge and NeoForge | 1.20.1 – 1.21.1 | Client and server | 2026-05-24 |
Questions
Does Simple Clouds need to be installed on the server?
Which loaders and versions are supported?
Can the mod lower frame rates on older hardware?
In the catalog
Simple Clouds is one of 8,515 World generation mods on ModsFinder, and one of 5,058 World generation mods for Forge. 32,366 mods support Minecraft 1.21.1.
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What the author says
Simple Clouds is a cloud rendering overhaul mod for Minecraft: Java Edition, adding new cloud types, breathtaking visuals, and localized weather. It attempts to mimic real-life weather and cloud formations in a stylized, ambient, and aesthetic way that is meant to build on to the vanilla Minecraft experience. Simple…
Official listing
- Modrinth page
- modrinth.com/mod/simple-clouds
- Owner
- nonamecrackers2
- Published
- 2024-10-14
- Updated on Modrinth
- 2025-08-26
- Facts verified
- 2026-10-15