diff --git a/messages/de.json b/messages/de.json
index 84e1fb1..8ae4807 100644
--- a/messages/de.json
+++ b/messages/de.json
@@ -335,5 +335,33 @@
 	"cadence_varies": "variiert",
 	"model_group_automatic": "Automatisch",
 	"model_group_reanalysis": "ECMWF-Reanalyse",
-	"model_group_regional_reanalysis": "Regionale Reanalyse"
+	"model_group_regional_reanalysis": "Regionale Reanalyse",
+	"wmo_0": "Klarer Himmel",
+	"wmo_1": "Überwiegend klar",
+	"wmo_2": "Teils bewölkt",
+	"wmo_3": "Bedeckt",
+	"wmo_45": "Nebel",
+	"wmo_48": "Gefrierender Nebel",
+	"wmo_51": "Leichter Nieselregen",
+	"wmo_53": "Mäßiger Nieselregen",
+	"wmo_55": "Starker Nieselregen",
+	"wmo_56": "Leichter gefrierender Nieselregen",
+	"wmo_57": "Starker gefrierender Nieselregen",
+	"wmo_61": "Leichter Regen",
+	"wmo_63": "Mäßiger Regen",
+	"wmo_65": "Starker Regen",
+	"wmo_66": "Leichter gefrierender Regen",
+	"wmo_67": "Starker gefrierender Regen",
+	"wmo_71": "Leichter Schneefall",
+	"wmo_73": "Mäßiger Schneefall",
+	"wmo_75": "Starker Schneefall",
+	"wmo_77": "Schneegriesel",
+	"wmo_80": "Leichte Regenschauer",
+	"wmo_81": "Mäßige Regenschauer",
+	"wmo_82": "Heftige Regenschauer",
+	"wmo_85": "Leichte Schneeschauer",
+	"wmo_86": "Starke Schneeschauer",
+	"wmo_95": "Gewitter",
+	"wmo_96": "Gewitter mit leichtem Hagel",
+	"wmo_99": "Gewitter mit starkem Hagel"
 }
diff --git a/messages/en.json b/messages/en.json
index a8b8526..536c18c 100644
--- a/messages/en.json
+++ b/messages/en.json
@@ -335,5 +335,33 @@
 	"cadence_varies": "varies",
 	"model_group_automatic": "Automatic",
 	"model_group_reanalysis": "ECMWF reanalysis",
-	"model_group_regional_reanalysis": "Regional reanalysis"
+	"model_group_regional_reanalysis": "Regional reanalysis",
+	"wmo_0": "Clear sky",
+	"wmo_1": "Mainly clear",
+	"wmo_2": "Partly cloudy",
+	"wmo_3": "Overcast",
+	"wmo_45": "Fog",
+	"wmo_48": "Depositing rime fog",
+	"wmo_51": "Light drizzle",
+	"wmo_53": "Moderate drizzle",
+	"wmo_55": "Dense drizzle",
+	"wmo_56": "Light freezing drizzle",
+	"wmo_57": "Dense freezing drizzle",
+	"wmo_61": "Slight rain",
+	"wmo_63": "Moderate rain",
+	"wmo_65": "Heavy rain",
+	"wmo_66": "Light freezing rain",
+	"wmo_67": "Heavy freezing rain",
+	"wmo_71": "Slight snowfall",
+	"wmo_73": "Moderate snowfall",
+	"wmo_75": "Heavy snowfall",
+	"wmo_77": "Snow grains",
+	"wmo_80": "Slight rain showers",
+	"wmo_81": "Moderate rain showers",
+	"wmo_82": "Violent rain showers",
+	"wmo_85": "Slight snow showers",
+	"wmo_86": "Heavy snow showers",
+	"wmo_95": "Thunderstorm",
+	"wmo_96": "Thunderstorm with slight hail",
+	"wmo_99": "Thunderstorm with heavy hail"
 }
diff --git a/messages/es.json b/messages/es.json
index 7b4924c..fc4aff5 100644
--- a/messages/es.json
+++ b/messages/es.json
@@ -335,5 +335,33 @@
 	"cadence_varies": "variable",
 	"model_group_automatic": "Automático",
 	"model_group_reanalysis": "Reanálisis del ECMWF",
-	"model_group_regional_reanalysis": "Reanálisis regional"
+	"model_group_regional_reanalysis": "Reanálisis regional",
+	"wmo_0": "Cielo despejado",
+	"wmo_1": "Mayormente despejado",
+	"wmo_2": "Parcialmente nublado",
+	"wmo_3": "Cubierto",
+	"wmo_45": "Niebla",
+	"wmo_48": "Niebla engelante",
+	"wmo_51": "Llovizna débil",
+	"wmo_53": "Llovizna moderada",
+	"wmo_55": "Llovizna intensa",
+	"wmo_56": "Llovizna engelante débil",
+	"wmo_57": "Llovizna engelante intensa",
+	"wmo_61": "Lluvia débil",
+	"wmo_63": "Lluvia moderada",
+	"wmo_65": "Lluvia intensa",
+	"wmo_66": "Lluvia engelante débil",
+	"wmo_67": "Lluvia engelante intensa",
+	"wmo_71": "Nevada débil",
+	"wmo_73": "Nevada moderada",
+	"wmo_75": "Nevada intensa",
+	"wmo_77": "Granos de nieve",
+	"wmo_80": "Chubascos débiles",
+	"wmo_81": "Chubascos moderados",
+	"wmo_82": "Chubascos violentos",
+	"wmo_85": "Chubascos de nieve débiles",
+	"wmo_86": "Chubascos de nieve intensos",
+	"wmo_95": "Tormenta",
+	"wmo_96": "Tormenta con granizo ligero",
+	"wmo_99": "Tormenta con granizo fuerte"
 }
diff --git a/messages/fr.json b/messages/fr.json
index 30c7e72..1b7a88f 100644
--- a/messages/fr.json
+++ b/messages/fr.json
@@ -335,5 +335,33 @@
 	"cadence_varies": "variable",
 	"model_group_automatic": "Automatique",
 	"model_group_reanalysis": "Réanalyse ECMWF",
-	"model_group_regional_reanalysis": "Réanalyse régionale"
+	"model_group_regional_reanalysis": "Réanalyse régionale",
+	"wmo_0": "Ciel dégagé",
+	"wmo_1": "Plutôt dégagé",
+	"wmo_2": "Partiellement nuageux",
+	"wmo_3": "Couvert",
+	"wmo_45": "Brouillard",
+	"wmo_48": "Brouillard givrant",
+	"wmo_51": "Bruine faible",
+	"wmo_53": "Bruine modérée",
+	"wmo_55": "Bruine dense",
+	"wmo_56": "Bruine verglaçante faible",
+	"wmo_57": "Bruine verglaçante dense",
+	"wmo_61": "Pluie faible",
+	"wmo_63": "Pluie modérée",
+	"wmo_65": "Pluie forte",
+	"wmo_66": "Pluie verglaçante faible",
+	"wmo_67": "Pluie verglaçante forte",
+	"wmo_71": "Neige faible",
+	"wmo_73": "Neige modérée",
+	"wmo_75": "Neige forte",
+	"wmo_77": "Grésil",
+	"wmo_80": "Averses faibles",
+	"wmo_81": "Averses modérées",
+	"wmo_82": "Averses violentes",
+	"wmo_85": "Averses de neige faibles",
+	"wmo_86": "Averses de neige fortes",
+	"wmo_95": "Orage",
+	"wmo_96": "Orage avec grêle légère",
+	"wmo_99": "Orage avec forte grêle"
 }
diff --git a/messages/it.json b/messages/it.json
index ad8ece2..c43c69c 100644
--- a/messages/it.json
+++ b/messages/it.json
@@ -335,5 +335,33 @@
 	"cadence_varies": "variabile",
 	"model_group_automatic": "Automatico",
 	"model_group_reanalysis": "Rianalisi ECMWF",
-	"model_group_regional_reanalysis": "Rianalisi regionale"
+	"model_group_regional_reanalysis": "Rianalisi regionale",
+	"wmo_0": "Cielo sereno",
+	"wmo_1": "Prevalentemente sereno",
+	"wmo_2": "Parzialmente nuvoloso",
+	"wmo_3": "Coperto",
+	"wmo_45": "Nebbia",
+	"wmo_48": "Nebbia gelata",
+	"wmo_51": "Pioviggine debole",
+	"wmo_53": "Pioviggine moderata",
+	"wmo_55": "Pioviggine intensa",
+	"wmo_56": "Pioviggine congelantesi debole",
+	"wmo_57": "Pioviggine congelantesi intensa",
+	"wmo_61": "Pioggia debole",
+	"wmo_63": "Pioggia moderata",
+	"wmo_65": "Pioggia forte",
+	"wmo_66": "Pioggia congelantesi debole",
+	"wmo_67": "Pioggia congelantesi forte",
+	"wmo_71": "Nevicata debole",
+	"wmo_73": "Nevicata moderata",
+	"wmo_75": "Nevicata forte",
+	"wmo_77": "Granuli di neve",
+	"wmo_80": "Rovesci deboli",
+	"wmo_81": "Rovesci moderati",
+	"wmo_82": "Rovesci violenti",
+	"wmo_85": "Rovesci di neve deboli",
+	"wmo_86": "Rovesci di neve forti",
+	"wmo_95": "Temporale",
+	"wmo_96": "Temporale con grandine leggera",
+	"wmo_99": "Temporale con grandine forte"
 }
diff --git a/src/routes/weather/compare/[location]/ModelPictogramTimeline.svelte b/src/routes/weather/compare/[location]/ModelPictogramTimeline.svelte
index ef64421..88aaa20 100644
--- a/src/routes/weather/compare/[location]/ModelPictogramTimeline.svelte
+++ b/src/routes/weather/compare/[location]/ModelPictogramTimeline.svelte
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 
 	import * as m from '$lib/paraglide/messages';
 
-	import { getWeatherIconName } from '../../utils/weather-codes';
+	import { getWeatherDescription, getWeatherIconName } from '../../utils/weather-codes';
 
 	interface Props {
 		timestamps: number[];
@@ -62,8 +62,9 @@
 	let displayModels = $derived(models.filter((m) => hourlyFlat[`weather_code_${m}`]));
 </script>
 
-{#snippet weatherIcon(name: string, size: number = 24)}
+{#snippet weatherIcon(name: string, size: number = 24, description: string = '')}
 	<svg class="inline-block fill-foreground" width={size} height={size}>
+		{#if description}<title>{description}</title>{/if}
 		<use xlink:href="/images/weather-icons/{name}.svg#Layer_1"></use>
 	</svg>
 {/snippet}
@@ -135,7 +136,11 @@
 										? 'border-l-2 border-l-primary/20'
 										: ''} {!day ? 'bg-indigo-950/5 dark:bg-indigo-500/5' : ''}"
 								>
-									{@render weatherIcon(getWeatherIconName(code, day))}
+									{@render weatherIcon(
+										getWeatherIconName(code, day),
+										24,
+										getWeatherDescription(code)
+									)}
 								</td>
 							{/each}
 						</tr>
diff --git a/src/routes/weather/historical/[location]/HistoricalDaily.svelte b/src/routes/weather/historical/[location]/HistoricalDaily.svelte
index 1d5f989..3c7d27e 100644
--- a/src/routes/weather/historical/[location]/HistoricalDaily.svelte
+++ b/src/routes/weather/historical/[location]/HistoricalDaily.svelte
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 	} from '$lib/services/weather';
 
 	import { getColor, getTempStyle } from '../../utils/colors';
-	import { getWeatherIconName } from '../../utils/weather-codes';
+	import { getWeatherDescription, getWeatherIconName } from '../../utils/weather-codes';
 	import { type WeatherUnits, getPrecipUnit, getTempUnit } from '../../week/[location]/types';
 
 	interface Props {
@@ -202,7 +202,8 @@
 						>{formatZoned(date, timezone, 'd MMM')}</span
 					>
 
-					<svg class="my-0.5" width="20" height="20" aria-hidden="true">
+					<svg class="my-0.5" width="20" height="20">
+						<title>{getWeatherDescription(daily.weather_code[i])}</title>
 						<use
 							xlink:href="/images/weather-icons/{getWeatherIconName(
 								daily.weather_code[i],
diff --git a/src/routes/weather/utils/weather-codes.spec.ts b/src/routes/weather/utils/weather-codes.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..313aab4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/routes/weather/utils/weather-codes.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,129 @@
+import { existsSync } from 'node:fs';
+import { join } from 'node:path';
+import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest';
+
+import {
+	computeDayNightWeatherCodes,
+	getWeatherDescription,
+	getWeatherIconName
+} from './weather-codes';
+
+const ICON_DIR = join(process.cwd(), 'static/images/weather-icons');
+
+// The codes open-meteo actually emits (WMO 4677 subset), with the family each
+// one belongs to. The icon mapping used to be built for a different code table,
+// which is how fog ended up showing hail and a hail thunderstorm a tornado -
+// mismatches nothing in the type system could catch.
+const OPEN_METEO_CODES: Record<number, { meaning: string; family: RegExp }> = {
+	0: { meaning: 'Clear sky', family: /clear/ },
+	1: { meaning: 'Mainly clear', family: /clear|cloudy/ },
+	2: { meaning: 'Partly cloudy', family: /cloudy/ },
+	3: { meaning: 'Overcast', family: /cloudy/ },
+	45: { meaning: 'Fog', family: /fog/ },
+	48: { meaning: 'Depositing rime fog', family: /fog/ },
+	51: { meaning: 'Light drizzle', family: /sprinkle|showers/ },
+	53: { meaning: 'Moderate drizzle', family: /sprinkle|rain/ },
+	55: { meaning: 'Dense drizzle', family: /sprinkle|rain/ },
+	56: { meaning: 'Light freezing drizzle', family: /rain-mix|sleet/ },
+	57: { meaning: 'Dense freezing drizzle', family: /rain-mix|sleet/ },
+	61: { meaning: 'Slight rain', family: /rain|sprinkle|showers/ },
+	63: { meaning: 'Moderate rain', family: /rain/ },
+	65: { meaning: 'Heavy rain', family: /rain/ },
+	66: { meaning: 'Light freezing rain', family: /rain-mix|sleet/ },
+	67: { meaning: 'Heavy freezing rain', family: /rain-mix|sleet/ },
+	71: { meaning: 'Slight snowfall', family: /snow/ },
+	73: { meaning: 'Moderate snowfall', family: /snow/ },
+	75: { meaning: 'Heavy snowfall', family: /snow/ },
+	77: { meaning: 'Snow grains', family: /snow/ },
+	80: { meaning: 'Slight rain showers', family: /showers|rain/ },
+	81: { meaning: 'Moderate rain showers', family: /showers|rain/ },
+	82: { meaning: 'Violent rain showers', family: /showers|rain/ },
+	85: { meaning: 'Slight snow showers', family: /snow/ },
+	86: { meaning: 'Heavy snow showers', family: /snow/ },
+	95: { meaning: 'Thunderstorm', family: /thunderstorm|storm-showers|lightning/ },
+	96: { meaning: 'Thunderstorm with slight hail', family: /thunderstorm|storm-showers|hail/ },
+	99: { meaning: 'Thunderstorm with heavy hail', family: /thunderstorm|storm-showers|hail/ }
+};
+
+const codes = Object.keys(OPEN_METEO_CODES).map(Number);
+
+describe('getWeatherIconName', () => {
+	it.each(codes)('code %i resolves to icon files that exist', (code) => {
+		for (const daytime of [true, false]) {
+			const name = getWeatherIconName(code, daytime);
+			expect(existsSync(join(ICON_DIR, `${name}.svg`)), `${name}.svg missing`).toBe(true);
+		}
+	});
+
+	it.each(codes)('code %i uses a glyph that matches its meaning', (code) => {
+		const { meaning, family } = OPEN_METEO_CODES[code];
+		for (const daytime of [true, false]) {
+			const name = getWeatherIconName(code, daytime);
+			expect(name, `${code} (${meaning}) → ${name}`).toMatch(family);
+		}
+	});
+
+	it('never shows a tornado: open-meteo has no tornado code', () => {
+		const names = codes.flatMap((c) => [getWeatherIconName(c, true), getWeatherIconName(c, false)]);
+		expect(names.some((n) => n.includes('tornado'))).toBe(false);
+	});
+
+	it('distinguishes overcast from partly cloudy', () => {
+		expect(getWeatherIconName(3, true)).not.toBe(getWeatherIconName(2, true));
+	});
+
+	it('falls back to a clear glyph for codes it does not know', () => {
+		expect(getWeatherIconName(12345, true)).toBe('wi-day-clear');
+	});
+});
+
+describe('getWeatherDescription', () => {
+	it.each(codes)('code %i has a description', (code) => {
+		expect(getWeatherDescription(code).length).toBeGreaterThan(0);
+	});
+
+	it('returns nothing for unknown or missing codes', () => {
+		expect(getWeatherDescription(12345)).toBe('');
+		expect(getWeatherDescription(null)).toBe('');
+		expect(getWeatherDescription(undefined)).toBe('');
+		expect(getWeatherDescription(NaN)).toBe('');
+	});
+});
+
+describe('daily aggregation', () => {
+	const DAY = 24 * 3600;
+	// One synthetic day: sunrise 06:00, sunset 20:00, hourly codes from 00:00.
+	const hourly = (codes: number[]) => codes.map((_, i) => i * 3600 * 1000);
+	const run = (hourCodes: number[]) =>
+		computeDayNightWeatherCodes(hourly(hourCodes), hourCodes, [6 * 3600], [20 * 3600]).day[0];
+
+	const mostlyClear = (overrides: Record<number, number>) =>
+		Array.from({ length: DAY / 3600 }, (_, h) => overrides[h] ?? 0);
+
+	it('lets a single thundery hour lead the day, as before', () => {
+		expect(run(mostlyClear({ 18: 95 }))).toBe(95);
+	});
+
+	it('picks the plain thunderstorm when a lone 99 ties with a 95', () => {
+		// the reported case: one hour of 99 next to one hour of 95 used to escalate
+		// the whole day card to the most extreme code on the scale
+		expect(run(mostlyClear({ 18: 99, 19: 95 }))).toBe(95);
+	});
+
+	it('still shows 99 when it is the only thunder code', () => {
+		expect(run(mostlyClear({ 18: 99 }))).toBe(99);
+	});
+
+	it('follows frequency before severity within thunder', () => {
+		expect(run(mostlyClear({ 15: 99, 16: 99, 17: 95 }))).toBe(99);
+	});
+
+	it('keeps preferring the heavier code on a tie outside thunder', () => {
+		// 65 (heavy rain) over 80 (slight showers) - the open-meteo max-code flaw
+		expect(run(mostlyClear({ 12: 65, 13: 80 }))).toBe(65);
+	});
+
+	it('does not let one foggy hour brand the day', () => {
+		expect(run(mostlyClear({ 7: 45 }))).toBe(0);
+	});
+});
diff --git a/src/routes/weather/utils/weather-codes.ts b/src/routes/weather/utils/weather-codes.ts
index a222a3a..d7f3fb7 100644
--- a/src/routes/weather/utils/weather-codes.ts
+++ b/src/routes/weather/utils/weather-codes.ts
@@ -1,8 +1,10 @@
+import * as m from '$lib/paraglide/messages';
+
 const weatherCodes: Record<number, string> = {
 	0: 'clear',
 	1: 'clear',
 	2: 'cloudy',
-	3: 'cloudy',
+	3: 'overcast',
 	4: 'fog',
 	5: 'fog',
 	10: 'fog',
@@ -30,26 +32,26 @@ const weatherCodes: Record<number, string> = {
 	42: 'rain',
 	43: 'sprinkle',
 	44: 'rain',
-	45: 'hail',
+	45: 'fog',
 	46: 'hail',
 	47: 'snow',
-	48: 'snow',
+	48: 'fog',
 	50: 'sprinkle',
 	51: 'sprinkle',
 	52: 'rain',
-	53: 'rain',
+	53: 'sprinkle',
 	54: 'sprinkle',
 	55: 'rain',
 	56: 'rain-mix',
-	57: 'sprinkle',
+	57: 'rain-mix',
 	58: 'rain',
 	60: 'sprinkle',
 	61: 'sprinkle',
 	62: 'rain',
 	63: 'rain',
 	64: 'hail',
-	65: 'hail',
-	66: 'hail',
+	65: 'rain',
+	66: 'rain-mix',
 	67: 'rain-mix',
 	68: 'rain-mix',
 	70: 'snow',
@@ -61,13 +63,13 @@ const weatherCodes: Record<number, string> = {
 	76: 'snow',
 	77: 'snow',
 	78: 'snow',
-	80: 'rain',
-	81: 'sprinkle',
+	80: 'showers',
+	81: 'showers',
 	82: 'rain',
 	83: 'rain',
 	84: 'storm-showers',
-	85: 'rain-mix',
-	86: 'rain-mix',
+	85: 'snow',
+	86: 'snow',
 	87: 'rain-mix',
 	89: 'hail',
 	90: 'lightning',
@@ -77,18 +79,68 @@ const weatherCodes: Record<number, string> = {
 	94: 'lightning',
 	95: 'thunderstorm',
 	96: 'thunderstorm',
-	99: 'tornado'
+	99: 'storm-showers'
 };
 
-// These conditions ship only as a single neutral glyph (no day/night variant).
-const NEUTRAL_ICONS = new Set(['snowflake-cold', 'strong-wind', 'dust', 'tornado']);
+// Conditions that ship as a single neutral glyph (no day/night variant). The
+// file is not always wi-<name>: 'overcast' uses the flat cloud, which keeps it
+// distinct from 'cloudy' (code 2), whose glyph carries a sun or moon.
+const NEUTRAL_ICONS: Record<string, string> = {
+	'snowflake-cold': 'wi-snowflake-cold',
+	'strong-wind': 'wi-strong-wind',
+	dust: 'wi-dust',
+	tornado: 'wi-tornado',
+	overcast: 'wi-cloudy'
+};
 
 export function getWeatherIconName(code: number, daytime: boolean): string {
 	const name = weatherCodes[code as keyof typeof weatherCodes] ?? 'clear';
-	if (NEUTRAL_ICONS.has(name)) return `wi-${name}`;
+	const neutral = NEUTRAL_ICONS[name];
+	if (neutral) return neutral;
 	return `wi-${daytime ? 'day' : 'night'}-${name}`;
 }
 
+// Plain-language name for each code open-meteo actually emits (WMO 4677 subset),
+// used as the hover title on the pictograms. A glyph alone is ambiguous - the
+// hail-thunderstorm swirl in particular reads as something far more dramatic
+// than "thunderstorm with heavy hail".
+const WMO_DESCRIPTIONS: Record<number, () => string> = {
+	0: m.wmo_0,
+	1: m.wmo_1,
+	2: m.wmo_2,
+	3: m.wmo_3,
+	45: m.wmo_45,
+	48: m.wmo_48,
+	51: m.wmo_51,
+	53: m.wmo_53,
+	55: m.wmo_55,
+	56: m.wmo_56,
+	57: m.wmo_57,
+	61: m.wmo_61,
+	63: m.wmo_63,
+	65: m.wmo_65,
+	66: m.wmo_66,
+	67: m.wmo_67,
+	71: m.wmo_71,
+	73: m.wmo_73,
+	75: m.wmo_75,
+	77: m.wmo_77,
+	80: m.wmo_80,
+	81: m.wmo_81,
+	82: m.wmo_82,
+	85: m.wmo_85,
+	86: m.wmo_86,
+	95: m.wmo_95,
+	96: m.wmo_96,
+	99: m.wmo_99
+};
+
+/** Localized condition text for a weather code; '' for codes we have no name for. */
+export function getWeatherDescription(code: number | null | undefined): string {
+	if (code == null || !Number.isFinite(code)) return '';
+	return WMO_DESCRIPTIONS[code]?.() ?? '';
+}
+
 // ─── Local day/night weather codes ──────────────────────────────────────────
 // Open-meteo's daily weather_code is a plain numeric max over all 24 hourly
 // codes (VariableDaily.swift: `.max(.weathercode)`) — there is no day/night
@@ -113,8 +165,17 @@ const FOG = new Set([45, 48]);
 // counterparts when breaking frequency ties (fixes 80 "outranking" 65).
 const INTENSITY_EQUIV: Record<number, number> = { 80: 61, 81: 63, 82: 65, 77: 71, 85: 71, 86: 75 };
 
-/** Most frequent code; ties go to the more intense (then higher) code. */
-function modeWithHighTiebreak(codes: number[]): number {
+/**
+ * Most frequent code; ties go to the more intense (then higher) code, or with
+ * `preferLower` to the least intense one.
+ *
+ * Thunder is the one group that ties downwards. Within it the code only
+ * describes how much hail comes with the storm, and letting the worst of them
+ * win a coin-flip tie is how a single hour of 99 used to brand a whole day as
+ * the most extreme thing on the scale. Elsewhere the heavier code winning a tie
+ * is the point (heavy rain over slight showers).
+ */
+function modeWithHighTiebreak(codes: number[], preferLower = false): number {
 	const counts = new Map<number, number>();
 	for (const c of codes) counts.set(c, (counts.get(c) ?? 0) + 1);
 	let best = codes[0];
@@ -122,11 +183,10 @@ function modeWithHighTiebreak(codes: number[]): number {
 	for (const [code, count] of counts) {
 		const intensity = INTENSITY_EQUIV[code] ?? code;
 		const bestIntensity = INTENSITY_EQUIV[best] ?? best;
-		if (
-			count > bestCount ||
-			(count === bestCount &&
-				(intensity > bestIntensity || (intensity === bestIntensity && code > best)))
-		) {
+		const winsTie = preferLower
+			? intensity < bestIntensity || (intensity === bestIntensity && code < best)
+			: intensity > bestIntensity || (intensity === bestIntensity && code > best);
+		if (count > bestCount || (count === bestCount && winsTie)) {
 			best = code;
 			bestCount = count;
 		}
@@ -144,7 +204,7 @@ function daypartCode(codes: number[]): number | null {
 	// (open-meteo's "don't hide hazards" philosophy, kept per-group).
 	for (const group of [THUNDER, FREEZING, SNOW, RAIN, DRIZZLE]) {
 		const hits = hours.filter((c) => group.has(c));
-		if (hits.length > 0) return modeWithHighTiebreak(hits);
+		if (hits.length > 0) return modeWithHighTiebreak(hits, group === THUNDER);
 	}
 
 	// Fog needs persistence (≥2h and ≥¼ of the daypart) so one misty hour at
diff --git a/src/routes/weather/week/[location]/DailyCards.svelte b/src/routes/weather/week/[location]/DailyCards.svelte
index debe2fd..5c3e440 100644
--- a/src/routes/weather/week/[location]/DailyCards.svelte
+++ b/src/routes/weather/week/[location]/DailyCards.svelte
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 	import * as m from '$lib/paraglide/messages';
 
 	import { getTempStyle } from '../../utils/colors';
-	import { getWeatherIconName } from '../../utils/weather-codes';
+	import { getWeatherDescription, getWeatherIconName } from '../../utils/weather-codes';
 	import { precipIsSignificant, sunIsSignificant, windIsSignificant } from './significance';
 	import { type FetchedDaily, type WeatherUnits, getWindArrowRotation } from './types';
 
@@ -196,6 +196,7 @@
 									height="100px"
 									style="filter: url(#thin-day-icon)"
 								>
+									<title>{getWeatherDescription(dayCode)}</title>
 									<use
 										xlink:href="/images/weather-icons/{getWeatherIconName(
 											dayCode,
@@ -208,6 +209,7 @@
 									width="42px"
 									height="42px"
 								>
+									<title>{getWeatherDescription(nightCode)}</title>
 									<use
 										xlink:href="/images/weather-icons/{getWeatherIconName(
 											nightCode,
diff --git a/src/routes/weather/week/[location]/DailyStripSticky.svelte b/src/routes/weather/week/[location]/DailyStripSticky.svelte
index b35b5f8..58cfa5f 100644
--- a/src/routes/weather/week/[location]/DailyStripSticky.svelte
+++ b/src/routes/weather/week/[location]/DailyStripSticky.svelte
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 	import * as m from '$lib/paraglide/messages';
 
 	import { getTempStyle } from '../../utils/colors';
-	import { getWeatherIconName } from '../../utils/weather-codes';
+	import { getWeatherDescription, getWeatherIconName } from '../../utils/weather-codes';
 	import {
 		getSunshineColor,
 		getSunshinePercent,
@@ -276,6 +276,7 @@
 							<div class="icon-row flex w-full items-center justify-center">
 								<div class="icon-wrap">
 									<svg class="day-icon fill-foreground">
+										<title>{getWeatherDescription(dayCode)}</title>
 										<use
 											xlink:href="/images/weather-icons/{getWeatherIconName(
 												dayCode,
@@ -285,6 +286,7 @@
 									</svg>
 								</div>
 								<svg class="night-icon self-end fill-foreground/60">
+									<title>{getWeatherDescription(nightCode)}</title>
 									<use
 										xlink:href="/images/weather-icons/{getWeatherIconName(
 											nightCode,
diff --git a/src/routes/weather/week/[location]/HourlyTable.svelte b/src/routes/weather/week/[location]/HourlyTable.svelte
index 6f01d72..6d2f6b1 100644
--- a/src/routes/weather/week/[location]/HourlyTable.svelte
+++ b/src/routes/weather/week/[location]/HourlyTable.svelte
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 	import * as m from '$lib/paraglide/messages';
 
 	import { getTempStyle } from '../../utils/colors';
-	import { getWeatherIconName } from '../../utils/weather-codes';
+	import { getWeatherDescription, getWeatherIconName } from '../../utils/weather-codes';
 	import {
 		type FetchedDaily,
 		type FetchedHourly,
@@ -425,8 +425,9 @@
 	});
 </script>
 
-{#snippet weatherIcon(name: string, size: number = 16)}
+{#snippet weatherIcon(name: string, size: number = 16, description: string = '')}
 	<svg class="inline-block fill-foreground" width={size} height={size}>
+		{#if description}<title>{description}</title>{/if}
 		<use xlink:href="/images/weather-icons/{name}.svg#Layer_1"></use>
 	</svg>
 {/snippet}
@@ -678,7 +679,11 @@
 												!cellData[i + 1].isDaytime}
 										>
 											{#if finite(wCode)}
-												{@render weatherIcon(getWeatherIconName(wCode, cell.isDaytime), iconPx)}
+												{@render weatherIcon(
+													getWeatherIconName(wCode, cell.isDaytime),
+													iconPx,
+													getWeatherDescription(wCode)
+												)}
 											{/if}
 										</td>
 									{/each}
diff --git a/src/routes/weather/week/[location]/NearbyCities.svelte b/src/routes/weather/week/[location]/NearbyCities.svelte
index 8c5bb53..442d87c 100644
--- a/src/routes/weather/week/[location]/NearbyCities.svelte
+++ b/src/routes/weather/week/[location]/NearbyCities.svelte
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 	import { type NearbyCity, findNearbyCities } from '$lib/services/nearby-cities';
 	import { type NearbyDaily, fetchNearbyDaily } from '$lib/services/weather';
 
-	import { getWeatherIconName } from '../../utils/weather-codes';
+	import { getWeatherDescription, getWeatherIconName } from '../../utils/weather-codes';
 
 	import type { UnitPrefs } from '$lib/stores/settings';
 
@@ -113,6 +113,7 @@
 				>
 					<svg class="shrink-0 fill-foreground/80" width="34px" height="34px">
 						{#if day}
+							<title>{getWeatherDescription(day.weatherCode)}</title>
 							<use
 								xlink:href="/images/weather-icons/{getWeatherIconName(
 									day.weatherCode,