4 Best Weather Forecast Apps to Track Storms and Other Disasters
It’s impossible to stop storms and other disasters from happening altogether. The next best thing is to react in a timely manner when they do occur. The weather app that comes with your computer or smartphone, they’re good but there are better choices out there. Below are our 4 favorite forecast apps that are free and super helpful to have on hand.
National Weather Service
In terms of accuracy, the National Weather Service is uncontested. As part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the National Weather Service is the direct source for all things weather. The website provides real-time radar data for free, and has been optimized for both desktop and mobile users. There are also nifty animations and features to show wind velocity and rainfall too.
The Weather Channel
The Weather Channel is easily the most intuitive and popular weather forecast app on our list. There’s also a website – but trust us when we say that nothing beats the app. The Weather Channel has all the standard features of a general weather app to make it useful. But, there’s more. Features that are worth mentioning include the satellite function and future storm movement feature. The satellite function allows you to zoom in and zoom out all the way down to street level to see what’s happening weather-wise. And, the future storm movement feature uses the company’s proprietary short-range modeling to predict where a storm will wreak havoc next.
Windy
Windy is a weather app that has a special place in the heart of outdoor enthusiasts. Beyond the typical radar, Windy does a fantastic job showing users wind data information in a fluid and breathtaking way. On the app, you’ll also find anything from cloud precipitation to weather model data. Windy may sometimes feel too complex for the average user, but the depth of the app is great for boaters, pilots, and outdoor explorers.
AccuWeather
AccuWeather is designed to be used on the go, and does a lot more than just radar. There is plenty of data to be viewed – such as the 15-day forecast and the government issued storm tracker. The app also sends out live weather alerts like the other weather apps on our list. While the app is great overall, we do find it inconvenient that future radar only goes out by 3 hours in advance.
https://www.weather.gov/
https://weather.com/
http://windy.com/
https://www.accuweather.com/