The Weather application is seen on an iPhone in this photo illustration on January 29, 2019. (Photo by Jaap Arriens/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
NurPhoto via Getty Images
You get bombarded with a ton of questions when people find out you’re a weather enthusiast. Most of them are easy—“will it rain tomorrow?” and, if they’re feeling feisty, “how much do you get paid to be wrong?”—but the most common question by far is “what weather app do you use?” I use just a couple of simple apps to stay on top of the weather when I’m not at my computer. You’ve probably got a few on your phone right now.
It’s easy to assume that folks who love the weather have a treasure trove of secret weather apps that they keep from the masses, like it’s a produce department and we’re hogging all the good bananas for ourselves. The truth is that most of us weather nerds use the apps everyone else has on our phones. It’s all about how you use the data available to you.
Forecasts: Google’s Default Weather App
Yes, “Google’s default weather app.” No, I’m not kidding. Meteorologists and weather buffs get so riled up over weather apps that we don’t stop to consider where those forecasts come from. Some apps aren’t always clear about where they source their forecasts.
I’m fine with the default weather app on my phone—which is helpfully titled “Weather” with a little Google logo over the sun—because I know the forecasts are generated by The Weather Channel. It says so right at the bottom of the app. And almost every reputable app is clear about where they get their data.
Apps aren’t inherently bad if they use good data. What’s bad is relying solely on an app for all of your weather info. Apps are intended for weather at a glance. They tell you the temperature and the chance of precipitation, but that’s it. You can miss important context like the chance for severe weather or a hurricane on an uncertain track.
It’s okay to use the weather app on your phone—that is, as long as you know where the data comes from and you seek out additional context from trustworthy voices like local television meteorologists on social media.
Alerts: The Weather Channel
Weather alerts are tricky. Just about every weather app on my phone sends me alerts—and I even subscribe to a free service that sends texts and emails and phone calls, too. My phone sounds like a slot machine whenever I wind up under a tornado warning.
I judge weather alerts by their reliability and speed. Most of my alerts come within a few minutes of their issuance by the National Weather Service, but The Weather Channel’s app sends the push notification to my phone right away. Sometimes, I get the alert before my actual NOAA Weather Radio goes off.
Radar: Radarscope
Radar is a tough nut to crack on your mobile device. Services have to straddle the line between “too much data for the average user” and “so little data that it’s not helpful.” Most radar data is okay at a glance if you want to know if it’s going to rain or if you really did just hear thunder in the distance.
Radarscope is by far the best radar app out there. Not only does the app give you high-resolution radar imagery for every radar site in the United States (and some in Canada!), but the app also gives you access to the full suite of radar products—precipitation, wind, and “dual-pol” data that lets you differentiate between different types of precipitation.
Unfortunately, Radarscope isn’t free—it costs $9.99—but it’s worth it if you’re serious about wanting to stay ahead of storms heading your way.
Shortcut: NWS Bookmarks
The National Weather Service doesn’t have its own mobile app, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t keep your local NWS forecast on your home screen. Most mobile browsers allow you to add bookmarks directly to your home screen. This nifty feature allows you to add your town’s NWS forecast directly on the home screen—bypassing other apps and the agency’s lack of one.
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