The best Weather apps of 2014

Best weather app 2014

The weather may be getting crazier each year, but the apps that tell us about conditions, both local and across the globe, are getting more reliable. With the update to iOS 8 just a few short months ago, we’ve seen an influx of weather related services that we are glad to add to our Home screen (and Lock screen too).

We rounded up what we think are the best weather apps to have released in 2014. Then, we voted on which ones we liked the best. The winner and runner-ups are listed below; along with the weather app we think takes the cake for all-time.

The best Weather app of 2014

Clima

clima-review

In case you hadn’t noticed, around here, we like the minimalistic, color coordinated look when it comes to our weather apps. This one has it in spades. The day’s temperature is displayed in big, bold lettering with the hourly and daily forecasts easy to reach by swiping to the right or left. If you flip your iPhone into landscape mode, you will see even more hours and days, up to 11 hours ahead and eight days out. You can also have precipitation notifications sent to you at specific times of the day. So, if you are headed home, you’ll know whether to bring your stashed umbrella or not. This app is available for $0.99.

The runner ups

Forecast+

Forecast+

One of my personal favorite additions to iOS 8 is the Notification Center widget. Forecast+ exemplifies that new feature by setting up a simple view for weather conditions right in your Today view. The current temperature is boldly displayed at the top with a few-word summary (like, “Sunny and Warm”) underneath. To the right is the current precipitation and humidity. Below is a five-day forecast of upcoming weather condition with highs, lows, and chance of rain. If you don’t like the way the information is displayed, you can switch to Compact View instead to take up less screen space. This app is available for $0.99.

Weather or Not

Weather or Not iPhone

Whenever I go out in the winter, I’m always conflicted as to how I should dress or whether I should bring extra warm clothes. This app works perfect for giving you an idea of what the weather will be like during specific events you plan to attend. It connects to your Calendar app and shows you what to expect for meetings, dinner, and whatever else you have planned for the day. Schedule weather alerts to get notifications before heading out to that picnic to let you know if you should bring a jacket or switch to Tevas. The app also features a Notification Center widget so you can see all of your appointments, and the expected forecast right on your Lock screen. This app is available for $2.99.

Weather Widget

Weather Widget

If the most important thing for you to see on your Lock screen is the weather, this app is going to make you very happy. It comes with four different widgets so you can keep close watch on daily, hourly and worldwide conditions. The worldwide widget lets you choose specific places and allows you to switch to different temperature units. You can include detailed information for humidity, precipitation, dew point, and more. The hourly forecast shows exact weather predictions covering the next 12 hours. The five-day forecast will give you an idea of what the rest of the week will look like. You can adjust each widget to customize your Today view and see exactly what you want. This app is available for $0.99.

The best Weather app ever

Dark Sky

Dar Sky iPhone 6 Plus

Sometimes, you just need to quickly glance at your iPhone to see when to expect rainfall during the next hour so you will know whether you can take the dog for a walk soon or if you should wait until a bit later. This app will take the weather predictions right down to the minute so you know how long that walk will be. If you are out and about and the clouds suddenly roll in, you can have an alert sent to you before it starts raining in your exact location. The Notification Center widget fills you in on the next hour’s weather conditions, right from the Lock screen. This app is available for $3.99.

What is your favorite weather app to come out in 2014? Let us know in the comments below.

The best apps of the year: