diff --git a/assets/css/ui.css b/assets/css/ui.css
index ac8f745..f880e74 100644
--- a/assets/css/ui.css
+++ b/assets/css/ui.css
@@ -615,6 +615,47 @@
   border: 1.5px solid #c9b08a;
   margin-bottom: 18px;
 }
+
+/* acquiring-data popup overlay */
+.acquiring-overlay {
+  position: fixed;
+  inset: 0;
+  background: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.45);
+  display: flex;
+  align-items: center;
+  justify-content: center;
+  z-index: 9999;
+}
+.acquiring-popup {
+  background: #fdf8ee;
+  border: 1.5px solid #c9b08a;
+  border-radius: 10px;
+  padding: 32px 40px;
+  display: flex;
+  flex-direction: column;
+  align-items: center;
+  gap: 18px;
+  box-shadow: 0 8px 32px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.22);
+}
+.acquiring-spinner {
+  width: 36px;
+  height: 36px;
+  border: 3px solid #c9b08a;
+  border-top-color: #7a5c2a;
+  border-radius: 50%;
+  animation: acquiring-spin 0.8s linear infinite;
+}
+@keyframes acquiring-spin {
+  to { transform: rotate(360deg); }
+}
+.acquiring-label {
+  font-family: Manrope, sans-serif;
+  font-size: 11px;
+  font-weight: 700;
+  letter-spacing: 0.07em;
+  text-transform: uppercase;
+  color: #7a5c2a;
+}
 .utci-fetch-time {
   text-align: right;
   font-size: 0.72rem;
diff --git a/assets/js/app.js b/assets/js/app.js
index 3e15afd..a6c5fad 100644
--- a/assets/js/app.js
+++ b/assets/js/app.js
@@ -357,7 +357,12 @@ export function UTCIForecast() {
             ⚠ ${error}
           </div>`}
         ${loading && !error && html`
-          <div class="utci-status">Acquiring forecast data…</div>`}
+          <div class="acquiring-overlay">
+            <div class="acquiring-popup">
+              <div class="acquiring-spinner"></div>
+              <div class="acquiring-label">Acquiring forecast data…</div>
+            </div>
+          </div>`}
 
         ${forecast && days.length > 0 && html`<${DayTabs}
           days=${days}