diff --git a/src/bot/modules/weather.rs b/src/bot/modules/weather.rs
index 0f92267..4acbe8d 100644
--- a/src/bot/modules/weather.rs
+++ b/src/bot/modules/weather.rs
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ impl Store {
 }
 
 fn fetch_weather(location: &str) -> Result<String, String> {
-    let path = format!("/{}?format=%l:+%C+%t+feels+%f+%w+%h&m", url_encode(location));
+    let path = format!("/{}?format=%l|%c|%C|%t|%f|%w|%h&m", url_encode(location));
     let mut last = "no response".to_string();
     for attempt in 0..3 {
         if attempt > 0 {
@@ -118,16 +118,9 @@ fn fetch_weather(location: &str) -> Result<String, String> {
         }
         match https_get("wttr.in", &path) {
             Ok(body) => {
-                let line: String = body
-                    .lines()
-                    .map(str::trim)
-                    .find(|l| !l.is_empty())
-                    .unwrap_or("")
-                    .chars()
-                    .take(250)
-                    .collect();
-                if !line.is_empty() {
-                    return Ok(line);
+                let raw = body.lines().map(str::trim).find(|l| !l.is_empty()).unwrap_or("");
+                if !raw.is_empty() {
+                    return Ok(format_weather(raw, location));
                 }
                 last = "empty response".to_string();
             }
@@ -143,6 +136,24 @@ fn fetch_weather(location: &str) -> Result<String, String> {
     Err(last)
 }
 
+pub fn format_weather(raw: &str, location: &str) -> String {
+    let f: Vec<&str> = raw.split('|').map(str::trim).collect();
+    if f.len() >= 7 {
+        let temp = f[3].trim_start_matches('+');
+        let feels = f[4].trim_start_matches('+');
+        let msg = format!(
+            "{} {}: {}, {} (feels like {}) · 💨 {} · 💧 {}",
+            f[1], f[0], f[2], temp, feels, f[5], f[6]
+        );
+        return msg.chars().take(250).collect();
+    }
+    let low = raw.to_lowercase();
+    if low.contains("not found") || low.contains("unknown location") {
+        return format!("couldn't find '{location}' — try a city name or postcode");
+    }
+    raw.chars().take(250).collect()
+}
+
 struct HttpErr {
     msg: String,
     retry: bool,
diff --git a/tests/weather.rs b/tests/weather.rs
index 2b4c303..9744f06 100644
--- a/tests/weather.rs
+++ b/tests/weather.rs
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ use std::collections::BTreeMap;
 use std::path::PathBuf;
 
 use rustbot::bot::module::{Action, Command, Module};
-use rustbot::bot::modules::weather::{parse_db, to_json, Weather};
+use rustbot::bot::modules::weather::{format_weather, parse_db, to_json, Weather};
 
 fn cmd<'a>(sender: &'a str, name: &'a str, args: &'a [&'a str]) -> Command<'a> {
     Command { sender, reply_to: "#chan", name, args, prefix: ">", network: "test" }
@@ -65,3 +65,19 @@ fn w_without_saved_location_hints_to_add() {
     let r = reply(&w.on_command(&cmd("nobody", "w", &[]))).to_string();
     assert!(r.contains("add"), "reply: {r:?}");
 }
+
+#[test]
+fn format_weather_builds_friendly_line() {
+    let out = format_weather("73700|☀️ |Sunny|+23°C|+18°C|↘8km/h|45%", "73700");
+    assert!(out.contains("☀️"), "{out}");
+    assert!(out.contains("73700: Sunny"), "{out}");
+    assert!(out.contains("23°C") && !out.contains("+23"), "{out}");
+    assert!(out.contains("feels like 18°C"), "{out}");
+    assert!(out.contains("45%"), "{out}");
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn format_weather_friendly_not_found() {
+    let out = format_weather("location not found: upstream error", "zzz");
+    assert!(out.contains("couldn't find 'zzz'"), "{out}");
+}