Configure Weather and Season Settings
Customize weather patterns, rain, temperature, and seasonal progression on your Project Zomboid server.
Weather and seasons affect gameplay, farming, temperature survival, and visibility. You can customize these settings to match your server's style.
Weather Settings
Edit Zomboid/Server/[servername]_SandboxVars.lua:
| Setting | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|
RainIsDestructive | true | Rain damages open containers and items left outside |
Temperature | 3 | Climate temperature (1=Very Cold, 2=Cold, 3=Normal, 4=Hot, 5=Very Hot) |
Rain | 3 | Rain frequency (1=Very Dry, 2=Dry, 3=Normal, 4=Rainy, 5=Very Rainy) |
ErosionSpeed | 3 | How fast nature reclaims buildings (1=Very Slow, 5=Very Fast) |
ErosionDays | -1 | Days before erosion starts (-1 = use ErosionSpeed scale) |
Season and Start Date
Control when your server's game world begins:
| Setting | Default | Range | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
StartMonth | 7 | 1–12 | Starting month (7 = July) |
StartDay | 1 | 1–28 | Starting day of the month |
StartTime | 2 | 1–5 | Time of day (1=7:00, 2=9:00, 3=12:00, 4=14:00, 5=18:00) |
Season Effects
| Months | Season | Effects |
|---|---|---|
| March–May | Spring | Moderate temps, farming begins, rain |
| June–August | Summer | Warm, good farming, longer days |
| September–November | Autumn | Cooling temps, harvest time, rain |
| December–February | Winter | Cold, snow, no farming, shorter days |
Common Configurations
Mild Climate (Casual)
Temperature = 4,
Rain = 2,
RainIsDestructive = false,
ErosionSpeed = 1,
StartMonth = 6,Warm weather, less rain, rain doesn't damage items. Start in summer for easy early game.
Harsh Winter Start (Hardcore)
Temperature = 1,
Rain = 4,
RainIsDestructive = true,
ErosionSpeed = 5,
StartMonth = 12,Start in December with freezing temperatures and frequent rain. Nature reclaims fast.
Eternal Summer
Temperature = 5,
Rain = 1,
StartMonth = 7,Hot, dry conditions. Good for servers focused on combat rather than survival mechanics.
Erosion Settings
Erosion controls how fast nature reclaims the built environment — grass grows through streets, vines cover buildings, trees sprout.
| Value | Speed |
|---|---|
| 1 | Very Slow (almost no visible change) |
| 2 | Slow |
| 3 | Normal (default) |
| 4 | Fast |
| 5 | Very Fast (overgrown within weeks) |
💡 Tip: Fast erosion creates a more atmospheric post-apocalyptic feel. Slow erosion keeps the world looking "fresher" longer.
Farming and Temperature
Temperature directly affects farming:
- Too cold: Crops won't grow and may die
- Normal: Standard growing seasons apply
- Too hot: Crops may need more water
Starting in summer (month 6–8) gives players the most time to establish farms before winter.
Related Guides
See also: Sandbox Settings | Sleep and Time Settings | Configure Your Server
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