In California, which is where I live, we don’t get many changes in our weather conditions. Northern California summers reach just above 100 during the hottest days of August and right around 50 degrees during the coldest months in January. There are no tornadoes, hurricanes, or blizzards in my town, but for some reason, I Love weather apps. Maybe it is because I don’t experience extreme weather conditions, but want to see what they look like from above.
If you are a weather watcher because you are preparing for the upcoming storm, or just like to see those red swirly radar signals moving around on a map, we have a handful of apps that we think are the best weather apps for iPhone…
Dark Sky
When you live in states that have actual rainfall (read: NOT California), you tend to be more in tune to the changing of the seasons and when winter is coming. This app provides detailed information about rain and snow over the next hour. If you want to run out to the store for a bag of chips, you can tell, minute-by-minute, whether you should grab your umbrella before you head out the front door. With advanced notifications, you’ll know when rain is predicted to fall soon. Plus, you can get severe weather alerts to keep you informed on where that storm will hit. It is also compatible with Apple Watch. This app is available for $3.99.
Weather Live
It is a bold statement to say that this is the most beautiful weather app ever. But, you can’t deny that it looks good. Nicely photographed landscapes with particular weather patterns are overlaid with useful information about the current and future weather patterns. You can customize the dashboard with five different designs and rearrange which data parameters are most important to you. Add multiple locations with just a tap. You can also see the temperature at a glance from the icon banner, or in Notification Center. It is also compatible with Apple Watch. This app is available for $2.99.
CARROT Weather
Why settle for beautiful or informative when you can have an angry robot give you the forecast. CARROT has become somewhat of a celebrity over the past few years with a variety of helpful virtual assistant apps. With this one, you’ll get the weather report with a twist of sadistic humor. The app is part weather forecast and part game. The more you do in the app, the more secrets you will unlock. But, don’t let your guard down. That CARROT is a feisty one, and she hates meatbags. It is also compatible with Apple Watch. This app is available for $3.99.
WeatherBug
Thanks to localized weather beacons, this app provides very accurate weather conditions in most neighborhoods. It features a lightning proximity alert notification to let you know if you are near dangerous weather activity. It also has multiple maps, including a storm tracker, so you can monitor where bad weather is heading. With the WeatherBug Home feature, you can connect to the Honeywell or Nest thermostat to gather useful data about energy use throughout the year. With the live cams, you can watch the snowfall (or rain, or whatever) in more than 2,000 locations. It is also compatible with Apple Watch. This app is available for free.
The Weather Channel
Of course, the best app for tracking current weather conditions is the one from the company best known for reporting accurate weather. This app lets you track conditions within 15 minutes of the current day. You can view a 10-day forecast with daily highs and lows and precipitation predictions. The sunrise and sunset is listed for the current day’s information, as well as, wind conditions, pollen count, and emergency weather alerts. You can track storms on the radar map, which shows hourly changes in clouds, temperature, rainfall, snowfall, and UV index. You can manually add multiple locations and save them to your favorite location list for quick referencing. It is also Apple Watch compatible. This app is available for free.
NOAA Hi-Def Radar Pro
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) offers the most comprehensive radar for tracking weather conditions around the world. This app uses NOAA map tracking to bring you real time high-definition weather conditions with full animations, including snowfall, lightning strikes, and more. You can layer various maps for additional information, including cloud coverage, recent wildfires, storm tracking, and droughts. You can bookmark places on the map using your contacts to see what the conditions are like in you family’s area. You can even read up on weather forums from the National Weather Service office. This app is available for $1.99.
Living Earth – Clock & Weather
If you are looking for a go-to app for your weather and clock needs, Living Earth will give you a real treat. Not only can you get a quick glimpse of the current weather conditions, but you can also see what time it is and take a virtual globe for a spin. There is also an alarm clock feature that lets you set your time and even add your own music as a wake up call. You can add as many alarms as you like and schedule them for multiple days of the week. If you find yourself interested in what the world looks like from space, swipe across the globe to see it spin around. The app also includes radar layers so you can see cloud coverage and current temperature and humidity conditions. It is also Apple Watch compatible. This app is available for $2.99.
Yahoo! Weather
When Yahoo launched their weather app, it wowed the tech world. This simple information app offers a quick glance at the current temperature, plus a five-day forecast and details about the current conditions, like cloud coverage, storm predictions, and hourly changes. Instead of stock photos of clouds and wind-blown trees, this app generates pictures that were taken right in your town from Flickr users. The best part is that Yahoo! Weather automatically updates weather conditions based on your current location. Information is so location-based that it changes from city to city, even when they are only a few miles from each other. It is also Apple Watch compatible. This app is available for free.
Weather Underground
The developers of this weather tracking service utilizes information from nearly 26,000 localized weather stations that constantly report the most accurate conditions for the area. You can view information like wind speed, humidity, dew point, moon phases, and more. Check hourly conditions that are updated regularly, see radar layers on a localized map, and share your weather information to Twitter. The seven-day forecast includes daily summaries with sunrise and sunset times. Add snow and ski reports, read weather commentary from Dr. Masters, and listen to weather updates from the National Weather Service Radio. It is also Apple Watch compatible. This app is available for free.