diff --git a/lib/microwaveprop/application.ex b/lib/microwaveprop/application.ex
index 4e267ecd..c5f27a37 100644
--- a/lib/microwaveprop/application.ex
+++ b/lib/microwaveprop/application.ex
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ defmodule Microwaveprop.Application do
       {Phoenix.PubSub, name: Microwaveprop.PubSub},
       Microwaveprop.Cache,
       Microwaveprop.Propagation.ScoreCache,
+      Microwaveprop.Weather.GridCache,
       Microwaveprop.Weather.NexradCache,
       {Oban, Application.fetch_env!(:microwaveprop, Oban)},
       Microwaveprop.RepoListener,
diff --git a/lib/microwaveprop/weather.ex b/lib/microwaveprop/weather.ex
index 5b7a6c6d..a9813bc8 100644
--- a/lib/microwaveprop/weather.ex
+++ b/lib/microwaveprop/weather.ex
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ defmodule Microwaveprop.Weather do
 
   alias Microwaveprop.Repo
   alias Microwaveprop.Weather.Era5Profile
+  alias Microwaveprop.Weather.GridCache
   alias Microwaveprop.Weather.HrrrProfile
   alias Microwaveprop.Weather.IemClient
   alias Microwaveprop.Weather.IemreObservation
@@ -359,12 +360,18 @@ defmodule Microwaveprop.Weather do
 
   @spec latest_grid_valid_time() :: DateTime.t() | nil
   def latest_grid_valid_time do
-    Repo.one(
-      from(h in HrrrProfile,
-        where: h.is_grid_point == true,
-        select: max(h.valid_time)
-      )
-    )
+    case GridCache.latest_valid_time() do
+      %DateTime{} = vt ->
+        vt
+
+      nil ->
+        Repo.one(
+          from(h in HrrrProfile,
+            where: h.is_grid_point == true,
+            select: max(h.valid_time)
+          )
+        )
+    end
   end
 
   @spec latest_weather_grid(map()) :: [map()]
@@ -374,41 +381,77 @@ defmodule Microwaveprop.Weather do
         []
 
       latest_vt ->
-        from(h in HrrrProfile,
-          where:
-            h.valid_time == ^latest_vt and
-              h.is_grid_point == true and
-              h.lat >= ^bounds["south"] and h.lat <= ^bounds["north"] and
-              h.lon >= ^bounds["west"] and h.lon <= ^bounds["east"],
-          select: %{
-            lat: h.lat,
-            lon: h.lon,
-            valid_time: h.valid_time,
-            temperature: h.surface_temp_c,
-            dewpoint_depression: fragment("? - ?", h.surface_temp_c, h.surface_dewpoint_c),
-            bl_height: h.hpbl_m,
-            pwat: h.pwat_mm,
-            refractivity_gradient: h.min_refractivity_gradient,
-            ducting: h.ducting_detected,
-            surface_pressure_mb: h.surface_pressure_mb,
-            surface_temp_c: h.surface_temp_c,
-            surface_dewpoint_c: h.surface_dewpoint_c,
-            surface_refractivity: h.surface_refractivity,
-            profile: h.profile,
-            duct_characteristics: h.duct_characteristics
-          }
-        )
-        |> Repo.all()
-        |> Enum.map(&derive_and_clean/1)
+        case GridCache.fetch_bounds(latest_vt, bounds) do
+          {:ok, rows} ->
+            rows
+
+          :miss ->
+            full = load_weather_grid_from_db(latest_vt)
+            GridCache.put(latest_vt, full)
+            filter_weather_bounds(full, bounds)
+        end
     end
   end
 
+  defp load_weather_grid_from_db(latest_vt) do
+    from(h in HrrrProfile,
+      where: h.valid_time == ^latest_vt and h.is_grid_point == true,
+      select: %{
+        lat: h.lat,
+        lon: h.lon,
+        valid_time: h.valid_time,
+        temperature: h.surface_temp_c,
+        dewpoint_depression: fragment("? - ?", h.surface_temp_c, h.surface_dewpoint_c),
+        bl_height: h.hpbl_m,
+        pwat: h.pwat_mm,
+        refractivity_gradient: h.min_refractivity_gradient,
+        ducting: h.ducting_detected,
+        surface_pressure_mb: h.surface_pressure_mb,
+        surface_temp_c: h.surface_temp_c,
+        surface_dewpoint_c: h.surface_dewpoint_c,
+        surface_refractivity: h.surface_refractivity,
+        profile: h.profile,
+        duct_characteristics: h.duct_characteristics
+      }
+    )
+    |> Repo.all()
+    |> Enum.map(&derive_and_clean/1)
+  end
+
+  defp filter_weather_bounds(rows, nil), do: rows
+
+  defp filter_weather_bounds(rows, %{"south" => s, "north" => n, "west" => w, "east" => e}) do
+    Enum.filter(rows, fn %{lat: lat, lon: lon} ->
+      lat >= s and lat <= n and lon >= w and lon <= e
+    end)
+  end
+
+  @doc """
+  Eagerly populate the `GridCache` with the full CONUS weather grid for
+  `valid_time` and broadcast it to every node in the cluster. Called from
+  `PropagationGridWorker` after each hourly HRRR upsert so connected clients
+  see zero-DB pan/zoom latency on the `/weather` map.
+  """
+  @spec warm_grid_cache_and_broadcast(DateTime.t()) :: :ok
+  def warm_grid_cache_and_broadcast(valid_time) do
+    rows = load_weather_grid_from_db(valid_time)
+    GridCache.broadcast_put(valid_time, rows)
+    :ok
+  end
+
   @spec weather_point_detail(float(), float(), DateTime.t()) :: map() | nil
   def weather_point_detail(lat, lon, valid_time) do
     step = 0.125
     snapped_lat = Float.round(Float.round(lat / step) * step, 3)
     snapped_lon = Float.round(Float.round(lon / step) * step, 3)
 
+    case GridCache.fetch_point(valid_time, snapped_lat, snapped_lon) do
+      {:ok, row} -> row
+      :miss -> weather_point_detail_from_db(valid_time, snapped_lat, snapped_lon)
+    end
+  end
+
+  defp weather_point_detail_from_db(valid_time, snapped_lat, snapped_lon) do
     from(h in HrrrProfile,
       where: h.lat == ^snapped_lat and h.lon == ^snapped_lon and h.valid_time == ^valid_time,
       select: %{
diff --git a/lib/microwaveprop/weather/grid_cache.ex b/lib/microwaveprop/weather/grid_cache.ex
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..16aaa6b5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/microwaveprop/weather/grid_cache.ex
@@ -0,0 +1,137 @@
+defmodule Microwaveprop.Weather.GridCache do
+  @moduledoc """
+  Node-local ETS cache of derived HRRR grid rows keyed by `valid_time`. Mirrors
+  `Microwaveprop.Propagation.ScoreCache` but for the `/weather` map.
+
+  The Weather map LiveView calls `latest_weather_grid/1` on mount and every
+  pan/zoom. Each call otherwise hits the 42M-row partitioned `hrrr_profiles`
+  table, runs per-row `derive_and_clean` transforms, and returns 3-10k rows.
+  With this cache those calls become in-memory map iterations.
+
+  Each cache entry stores `%{{lat, lon} => derived_row}` so per-point lookups
+  (used by `weather_point_detail/3`) are O(1). Populated by
+  `Microwaveprop.Weather.warm_grid_cache/1` after the hourly worker upserts
+  new HRRR data, fanned out across the cluster via the `"weather:cache"`
+  PubSub topic so every node stays in sync.
+  """
+  use GenServer
+
+  alias Phoenix.PubSub
+
+  @table :weather_grid_cache
+  @topic "weather:cache"
+  @pubsub Microwaveprop.PubSub
+
+  @type row :: %{required(:lat) => float(), required(:lon) => float(), optional(atom()) => any()}
+  @type bounds :: %{optional(String.t()) => float()}
+
+  @spec start_link(keyword()) :: GenServer.on_start()
+  def start_link(opts), do: GenServer.start_link(__MODULE__, opts, name: __MODULE__)
+
+  @spec fetch(DateTime.t()) :: {:ok, [row()]} | :miss
+  def fetch(valid_time) do
+    case :ets.lookup(@table, valid_time) do
+      [{_, grid}] -> {:ok, grid_to_list(grid)}
+      [] -> :miss
+    end
+  end
+
+  @spec fetch_bounds(DateTime.t(), bounds() | nil) :: {:ok, [row()]} | :miss
+  def fetch_bounds(valid_time, bounds) do
+    case :ets.lookup(@table, valid_time) do
+      [{_, grid}] -> {:ok, grid_to_filtered_list(grid, bounds)}
+      [] -> :miss
+    end
+  end
+
+  @spec fetch_point(DateTime.t(), float(), float()) :: {:ok, row()} | :miss
+  def fetch_point(valid_time, lat, lon) do
+    case :ets.lookup(@table, valid_time) do
+      [{_, grid}] ->
+        case Map.get(grid, {lat, lon}) do
+          nil -> :miss
+          row -> {:ok, row}
+        end
+
+      [] ->
+        :miss
+    end
+  end
+
+  @spec put(DateTime.t(), [row()]) :: :ok
+  def put(valid_time, rows) do
+    grid = list_to_grid(rows)
+    :ets.insert(@table, {valid_time, grid})
+    :ok
+  end
+
+  @doc "Insert locally AND broadcast to peer nodes via PubSub."
+  @spec broadcast_put(DateTime.t(), [row()]) :: :ok
+  def broadcast_put(valid_time, rows) do
+    PubSub.broadcast(@pubsub, @topic, {:weather_cache_refresh, valid_time, rows})
+    :ok
+  end
+
+  @spec latest_valid_time() :: DateTime.t() | nil
+  def latest_valid_time do
+    match_spec = [{{:"$1", :_}, [], [:"$1"]}]
+
+    case :ets.select(@table, match_spec) do
+      [] -> nil
+      times -> Enum.max(times, DateTime)
+    end
+  end
+
+  @spec prune_older_than(DateTime.t()) :: non_neg_integer()
+  def prune_older_than(cutoff) do
+    match_spec = [{{:"$1", :_}, [{:<, :"$1", {:const, cutoff}}], [true]}]
+    :ets.select_delete(@table, match_spec)
+  end
+
+  @spec clear() :: :ok
+  def clear do
+    :ets.delete_all_objects(@table)
+    :ok
+  end
+
+  @spec sync() :: :ok
+  def sync do
+    GenServer.call(__MODULE__, :sync)
+  end
+
+  @impl true
+  def init(_opts) do
+    :ets.new(@table, [:set, :named_table, :public, read_concurrency: true])
+    PubSub.subscribe(@pubsub, @topic)
+    {:ok, %{}}
+  end
+
+  @impl true
+  def handle_call(:sync, _from, state), do: {:reply, :ok, state}
+
+  @impl true
+  def handle_info({:weather_cache_refresh, valid_time, rows}, state) do
+    put(valid_time, rows)
+    {:noreply, state}
+  end
+
+  def handle_info(_msg, state), do: {:noreply, state}
+
+  # ---------- Internal ----------
+
+  defp list_to_grid(rows) do
+    Map.new(rows, fn %{lat: lat, lon: lon} = row -> {{lat, lon}, row} end)
+  end
+
+  defp grid_to_list(grid), do: Enum.map(grid, fn {_, row} -> row end)
+
+  defp grid_to_filtered_list(grid, nil), do: grid_to_list(grid)
+
+  defp grid_to_filtered_list(grid, %{"south" => s, "north" => n, "west" => w, "east" => e}) do
+    grid
+    |> Enum.filter(fn {{lat, lon}, _} ->
+      lat >= s and lat <= n and lon >= w and lon <= e
+    end)
+    |> Enum.map(fn {_, row} -> row end)
+  end
+end
diff --git a/lib/microwaveprop/workers/propagation_grid_worker.ex b/lib/microwaveprop/workers/propagation_grid_worker.ex
index b105fd6e..ba6fd19f 100644
--- a/lib/microwaveprop/workers/propagation_grid_worker.ex
+++ b/lib/microwaveprop/workers/propagation_grid_worker.ex
@@ -85,6 +85,8 @@ defmodule Microwaveprop.Workers.PropagationGridWorker do
         grid_data = merge_native_duct_data(grid_data, run_time, forecast_hour)
         :erlang.garbage_collect()
 
+        Weather.warm_grid_cache_and_broadcast(valid_time)
+
         Phoenix.PubSub.broadcast(
           Microwaveprop.PubSub,
           "weather:updated",
diff --git a/lib/microwaveprop_web/live/backfill_live.ex b/lib/microwaveprop_web/live/backfill_live.ex
index 09554e84..743c6b35 100644
--- a/lib/microwaveprop_web/live/backfill_live.ex
+++ b/lib/microwaveprop_web/live/backfill_live.ex
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ defmodule MicrowavepropWeb.BackfillLive do
 
   import Ecto.Query
 
+  alias Microwaveprop.Cache
   alias Microwaveprop.Radio.Contact
   alias Microwaveprop.Repo
   alias Microwaveprop.Workers.BackfillEnqueueWorker
@@ -92,11 +93,19 @@ defmodule MicrowavepropWeb.BackfillLive do
   end
 
   defp schedule_refresh(socket) do
-    ref = Process.send_after(self(), :refresh_stats, 1000)
+    # 2s debounce — bulk enrichment runs produce hundreds of status_changed
+    # events per second, and each stats refresh fires 8+ count queries.
+    ref = Process.send_after(self(), :refresh_stats, 2_000)
     assign(socket, refresh_timer: ref)
   end
 
   defp count_unprocessed do
+    Cache.fetch_or_store({__MODULE__, :count_unprocessed}, 2_000, fn ->
+      count_unprocessed_raw()
+    end)
+  end
+
+  defp count_unprocessed_raw do
     incomplete = [:pending, :queued, :processing, :failed]
     done = [:complete, :unavailable]
 
@@ -147,6 +156,10 @@ defmodule MicrowavepropWeb.BackfillLive do
   end
 
   defp fetch_stats do
+    Cache.fetch_or_store({__MODULE__, :stats}, 2_000, fn -> fetch_stats_raw() end)
+  end
+
+  defp fetch_stats_raw do
     jobs =
       Repo.all(
         from(j in "oban_jobs",
@@ -190,7 +203,12 @@ defmodule MicrowavepropWeb.BackfillLive do
   end
 
   defp fetch_db_stats do
-    # Regular tables + partitioned tables (summing child partition stats)
+    # pg_class + pg_stat_user_tables join is slow — 5s cache is fine since
+    # table row counts barely change in a 5-second window.
+    Cache.fetch_or_store({__MODULE__, :db_stats}, 5_000, fn -> fetch_db_stats_raw() end)
+  end
+
+  defp fetch_db_stats_raw do
     %{rows: rows} =
       Repo.query!("""
       SELECT
diff --git a/lib/microwaveprop_web/live/contact_live/show.ex b/lib/microwaveprop_web/live/contact_live/show.ex
index eee57eec..6b880a80 100644
--- a/lib/microwaveprop_web/live/contact_live/show.ex
+++ b/lib/microwaveprop_web/live/contact_live/show.ex
@@ -35,37 +35,29 @@ defmodule MicrowavepropWeb.ContactLive.Show do
       Phoenix.PubSub.subscribe(Microwaveprop.PubSub, "contact_enrichment:hrrr")
       Phoenix.PubSub.subscribe(Microwaveprop.PubSub, "contact_enrichment:weather")
       Phoenix.PubSub.subscribe(Microwaveprop.PubSub, "contact_enrichment:solar")
+
+      # Defer the expensive enrichment loads (HRRR profiles, terrain profile,
+      # IEMRE, elevation profile, propagation analysis — each touching large
+      # tables or doing ITU-R math) until after the initial shell has been
+      # sent. Users see the contact basics in ~20ms instead of waiting the
+      # full ~500ms-2s mount.
+      send(self(), {:hydrate, can_enqueue})
     end
 
-    weather = load_weather(contact)
-    solar = if can_enqueue, do: maybe_enqueue_solar(contact), else: load_solar(contact)
-    hrrr_path = Weather.hrrr_profiles_for_path(contact)
-    hrrr = List.first(hrrr_path)
-
-    {hrrr, contact} =
-      if can_enqueue, do: maybe_enqueue_hrrr(hrrr, contact), else: {hrrr, contact}
-
-    terrain = Terrain.get_terrain_profile(contact.id)
-    contact = if can_enqueue, do: maybe_enqueue_terrain(terrain, contact), else: contact
-    contact = if can_enqueue, do: maybe_enqueue_weather(weather, contact), else: contact
-    iemre = load_iemre(contact)
-    elevation_profile = compute_elevation_profile(contact, hrrr_path, weather.soundings)
-    propagation_analysis = build_propagation_analysis(contact, hrrr_path, terrain, elevation_profile, weather.soundings)
-    data_sources = build_data_sources(hrrr, hrrr_path, terrain, weather, elevation_profile)
-
     {:ok,
      assign(socket,
        page_title: "#{contact.station1} / #{contact.station2}",
        contact: contact,
-       surface_observations: weather.surface_observations,
-       soundings: weather.soundings,
-       solar: solar,
-       hrrr: hrrr,
-       iemre: iemre,
-       terrain: terrain,
-       elevation_profile: elevation_profile,
-       propagation_analysis: propagation_analysis,
-       data_sources: data_sources,
+       surface_observations: [],
+       soundings: [],
+       solar: nil,
+       hrrr: nil,
+       iemre: nil,
+       terrain: nil,
+       elevation_profile: nil,
+       propagation_analysis: nil,
+       data_sources: nil,
+       hydrated: false,
        terrain_expanded: false,
        hrrr_profile_expanded: false,
        obs_sort_by: "station_name",
@@ -234,6 +226,44 @@ defmodule MicrowavepropWeb.ContactLive.Show do
   end
 
   @impl true
+  def handle_info({:hydrate, can_enqueue}, socket) do
+    contact = socket.assigns.contact
+
+    weather = load_weather(contact)
+    solar = if can_enqueue, do: maybe_enqueue_solar(contact), else: load_solar(contact)
+    hrrr_path = Weather.hrrr_profiles_for_path(contact)
+    hrrr = List.first(hrrr_path)
+
+    {hrrr, contact} =
+      if can_enqueue, do: maybe_enqueue_hrrr(hrrr, contact), else: {hrrr, contact}
+
+    terrain = Terrain.get_terrain_profile(contact.id)
+    contact = if can_enqueue, do: maybe_enqueue_terrain(terrain, contact), else: contact
+    contact = if can_enqueue, do: maybe_enqueue_weather(weather, contact), else: contact
+    iemre = load_iemre(contact)
+    elevation_profile = compute_elevation_profile(contact, hrrr_path, weather.soundings)
+
+    propagation_analysis =
+      build_propagation_analysis(contact, hrrr_path, terrain, elevation_profile, weather.soundings)
+
+    data_sources = build_data_sources(hrrr, hrrr_path, terrain, weather, elevation_profile)
+
+    {:noreply,
+     assign(socket,
+       contact: contact,
+       surface_observations: weather.surface_observations,
+       soundings: weather.soundings,
+       solar: solar,
+       hrrr: hrrr,
+       iemre: iemre,
+       terrain: terrain,
+       elevation_profile: elevation_profile,
+       propagation_analysis: propagation_analysis,
+       data_sources: data_sources,
+       hydrated: true
+     )}
+  end
+
   def handle_info({:terrain_ready, _contact_id}, socket) do
     contact = %{socket.assigns.contact | terrain_status: :complete}
     terrain = Terrain.get_terrain_profile(contact.id)
@@ -502,15 +532,17 @@ defmodule MicrowavepropWeb.ContactLive.Show do
   end
 
   defp fetch_queue_counts do
-    import Ecto.Query
+    Microwaveprop.Cache.fetch_or_store({__MODULE__, :queue_counts}, 5_000, fn ->
+      import Ecto.Query
 
-    from(j in Oban.Job,
-      where: j.state in ["available", "scheduled", "retryable", "executing"],
-      group_by: j.queue,
-      select: {j.queue, count(j.id)}
-    )
-    |> Microwaveprop.Repo.all()
-    |> Map.new()
+      from(j in Oban.Job,
+        where: j.state in ["available", "scheduled", "retryable", "executing"],
+        group_by: j.queue,
+        select: {j.queue, count(j.id)}
+      )
+      |> Microwaveprop.Repo.all()
+      |> Map.new()
+    end)
   end
 
   defp internal_network?(session) do
diff --git a/test/microwaveprop/weather/grid_cache_test.exs b/test/microwaveprop/weather/grid_cache_test.exs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..31e45fe4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/microwaveprop/weather/grid_cache_test.exs
@@ -0,0 +1,85 @@
+defmodule Microwaveprop.Weather.GridCacheTest do
+  use ExUnit.Case, async: false
+
+  alias Microwaveprop.Weather.GridCache
+
+  setup do
+    GridCache.clear()
+    :ok
+  end
+
+  describe "fetch/1" do
+    test "returns :miss when nothing is cached" do
+      assert GridCache.fetch(~U[2026-04-12 12:00:00Z]) == :miss
+    end
+
+    test "returns cached rows after put" do
+      rows = [%{lat: 32.0, lon: -97.0, temperature: 25.0}]
+      GridCache.put(~U[2026-04-12 12:00:00Z], rows)
+      assert {:ok, [%{lat: 32.0, lon: -97.0}]} = GridCache.fetch(~U[2026-04-12 12:00:00Z])
+    end
+  end
+
+  describe "fetch_bounds/2" do
+    setup do
+      rows = [
+        %{lat: 32.0, lon: -97.0, temperature: 25.0},
+        %{lat: 40.0, lon: -74.0, temperature: 20.0},
+        %{lat: 34.0, lon: -98.0, temperature: 28.0}
+      ]
+
+      GridCache.put(~U[2026-04-12 12:00:00Z], rows)
+      :ok
+    end
+
+    test "returns all rows when bounds are nil" do
+      assert {:ok, list} = GridCache.fetch_bounds(~U[2026-04-12 12:00:00Z], nil)
+      assert length(list) == 3
+    end
+
+    test "returns only rows inside the bounds" do
+      bounds = %{"south" => 31.0, "north" => 35.0, "west" => -100.0, "east" => -95.0}
+      assert {:ok, list} = GridCache.fetch_bounds(~U[2026-04-12 12:00:00Z], bounds)
+      assert length(list) == 2
+    end
+
+    test "returns :miss when the valid_time is not cached" do
+      bounds = %{"south" => 0.0, "north" => 90.0, "west" => -180.0, "east" => 0.0}
+      assert GridCache.fetch_bounds(~U[2099-01-01 00:00:00Z], bounds) == :miss
+    end
+  end
+
+  describe "fetch_point/3" do
+    setup do
+      rows = [
+        %{lat: 32.0, lon: -97.0, temperature: 25.0},
+        %{lat: 33.0, lon: -97.0, temperature: 27.0}
+      ]
+
+      GridCache.put(~U[2026-04-12 12:00:00Z], rows)
+      :ok
+    end
+
+    test "returns the cached row for a known point" do
+      assert {:ok, %{temperature: 25.0}} =
+               GridCache.fetch_point(~U[2026-04-12 12:00:00Z], 32.0, -97.0)
+    end
+
+    test "returns :miss for an unknown point" do
+      assert GridCache.fetch_point(~U[2026-04-12 12:00:00Z], 40.0, -74.0) == :miss
+    end
+  end
+
+  describe "latest_valid_time/0" do
+    test "returns the most recent cached valid_time" do
+      GridCache.put(~U[2026-04-12 10:00:00Z], [])
+      GridCache.put(~U[2026-04-12 14:00:00Z], [])
+      GridCache.put(~U[2026-04-12 12:00:00Z], [])
+      assert GridCache.latest_valid_time() == ~U[2026-04-12 14:00:00Z]
+    end
+
+    test "returns nil when nothing is cached" do
+      assert GridCache.latest_valid_time() == nil
+    end
+  end
+end