Weather is hugely crucial in the Pokemon series, and Sword and Shield are no different. The weather dictates what Pokemon will be spawning in the area around you. If you are looking for a Pokemon that spawns in a thunderstorm, and the weather is currently sunny, then you will need to switch goals. Unless, of course, there is a way to change the weather.
How To Change Weather In The Wild Area In Pokemon Sword and Shield
While the game itself has no way for you to change the weather, you can do it through the Nintendo Switch’s system clock. It won’t have any negative on your Switch or your game, other than changing the weather in the game. Remember to change it back to the actual time when you are finished, however.
To change the time on your Switch, follow the below steps:
- Navigate to System Settings
- Scroll down to the System Tab
- Click Data and Time
- Change your timezone
- Save the change
You should change it increments of about two hours, as this will move you into a new weather cycle in the game. You don’t even need to turn the game off to do this. After you have changed the weather, try to catch the Pokemon that you are looking for, then change it back to your timezone.
It’s an easy way to spend less time waiting and moving around as you try to catch those rares. There is no guarantee that the next timezone will be the one that gives you the weather conditions that you need, however. Also, be careful about changing it from daytime to nighttime, as this could impact the spawn rate of the Pokemon you want negatively.
