Posts Tagged weather app

One thing I need to know on every trip is the weather forecast.

It’s important if I’m working, especially if I’ll be outdoors. The forecast is just as important on a leisure trip to see if it will be sunny at the beach or snowing in the mountains, and to keep up with weather conditions that could affect driving or flying.

One of my favorite weather apps that I use on both my iPod Touch (it also works on iPhones, of course) and HTC Tilt2 smartphone is Weatherbug Elite. The Elite version of the app costs a buck or two, but it’s ad-free and keeps the information I need at my fingertips.

The first thing I noticed after installing Weatherbug Elite was the nice graphics for current conditions and the forecast. Just one touch drills down to more detailed conditions and forecasts.

The Weatherbug forecasts come from the National Weather Service, which I prefer over private services such as Accuweather. Accuweather uses computer models to generate forecasts over wide areas. While the NWS uses the same models, the agency also operates local forecast offices that can tweak the forecasts when needed.

Notice I didn’t say the National Weather Service is always right. But I still prefer their forecasts over private services and broadcast meteorologists, who are also known as weather guessers.

Weatherbug Elite shows hourly and 7-day forecasts, animated radar maps with zoom and live weather cameras. One nice feature is how multiple locations can be saved. That makes it easy to switch from looking at the local forecast to the forecast at  your destination and any connecting airports in between.

Weatherbug Elite also offers a daily video with the national weather outlook as well as temperature and satellite infrared maps.

One thing that’s impressive about Weatherbug Elite is the wide range of supported platforms. Versions are available not only for the iPhone/iPod and Windows Mobile, but also for Android, Blackberry and Palm webOS phones.

The iPhone/iPod version is 99 cents, while the Windows Mobile version is $1.99. Free versions with ads are available, but I don’t mind paying a small, one-time fee for the ad-free version. An iPad version is also available.

With all the unusual weather we’ve seen in the last year—from floods to deadly tornadoes—weather apps are among my favorites for smartphones. Who needs the 6 o’clock news when Weatherbug Elite is there, anytime you need it?