Updated 24 October 2026. Every answer lists its source.
Minecraft weather, time and sky questions, answered
The sky changes how mobs spawn, how crops grow and when you can sleep. Here is how weather and time work.
How long does rain last in Minecraft?
Rain lasts about half a day to a full day of game time, then clear weather returns. The timing is random.
Source: Minecraft Wiki - Rain
How often does it thunder in Minecraft?
Thunderstorms are rarer than rain and happen randomly. They darken the sky enough for monsters to spawn during the day.
Source: Minecraft Wiki - Thunderstorm
What does lightning do in Minecraft?
Lightning can start fires and changes some mobs: villagers become witches, pigs become zombified piglins, creepers become charged and mooshrooms change color.
Source: Minecraft Wiki - Lightning
What does a lightning rod do?
A lightning rod attracts lightning that strikes near it, protecting nearby blocks from fire. It sends a redstone signal when hit.
Source: Minecraft Wiki - Lightning Rod
Can you sleep in a thunderstorm?
Yes. You can sleep during a thunderstorm even in the daytime, and sleeping clears the weather.
Does rain help crops grow?
Rain does not speed up crops directly, but it keeps farmland moist even without water nearby.
Source: Minecraft Wiki - Farmland
What happens to fire in the rain?
Rain puts out fire on exposed blocks and on burning mobs and players.
How many ticks is a Minecraft day?
A full day is 24,000 ticks (20 minutes). Time 0 is sunrise, 6000 noon, 12000 sunset and 18000 midnight.
Source: Minecraft Wiki - Daylight cycle
How long is night in Minecraft?
Night lasts about 7 minutes of the 20-minute day, plus sunset and sunrise.
Source: Minecraft Wiki - Daylight cycle
How do you tell the time in Minecraft?
Hold a clock: it shows the sun and moon moving. On Java, F3 does not show the time, but /time query daytime does with cheats.
What are the moon phases in Minecraft?
The moon goes through 8 phases, one per night. A full moon makes slimes spawn more in swamps and mobs better equipped.
Source: Minecraft Wiki - Moon
When do monsters spawn at night?
Monsters start spawning when the sky darkens around sunset and stop burning or spawning at sunrise.
Source: Minecraft Wiki - Daylight cycle, Minecraft Wiki - Spawn
What happens if you do not sleep in Minecraft?
After three nights without sleep, phantoms start spawning at night and swoop at you.
Source: Minecraft Wiki - Phantom
What time can you sleep in Minecraft?
From about tick 12542 (sunset) to 23459 in clear weather, or any time during a thunderstorm.
Source: Minecraft Wiki - Bed
Does time pass when you are offline?
In singleplayer time stops when the world is closed. On a server it keeps running while the server is on.
Source: Minecraft Wiki - Daylight cycle
More questions
Every topic is on the FAQ hub. Questions about the ArtemisPvP server itself (commands, ranks, events) are on the server FAQ. Server IP: play.artemispvp.com.