One thing in life that always seems unpredictable is the weather. Oftentimes we get caught in the rain by surprise because we failed to plan for that event. Luckily, there is a solution to the problem and you can carry it with you wherever you go – the weather app for your phone. This handy tool can be a lifesaver when you are making plans for the day or even looking ahead to the weekend.
The question you may have is – which weather application is best? There is really no clear answer to this because personal preference plays a big role in the one to choose. But to make things easier, here are a few that seem to have some of the best features you might be looking for.
Weather Underground
Weather Underground has been around a long time and is a very reliable source for weather information. You can receive hyper-local conditions as well as forecasts with this handy tool. They use live user reporting and weather stations to get you the up to date information as good as any source available. There is also a webcam feature which allows you to take an actual peek at the weather in certain areas. The Weather Underground App is available on Google Play and iTunes and is free.
The Weather Channel
The Weather Channel is probably the most recognized because of its presence on television. This app is great for tracking storms, getting forecasts both in hourly and daily formats, and displaying radar images. The radar is very unique in that it includes both a time lapse display of the past and also a forecast for the future. This allows you to actually see the weather patterns as they appear on radar.
There is also an option to receive “Push Alerts” for severe weather conditions in your area – another good way to stay prepared. There are even weather Tweets in a social media type setting to make things more interesting.
AccuWeather
AccuWeather provides what they term “real feel” temperatures as part of their daily forecasts. This is a nice feature because it gives you a better sense of how hot or cold the weather outside actually feels. There is also a lifestyle section which lists conditions that exist for a variety of outdoor activities. Whether it is golfing or looking at the stars, you can determine if the weather is right for it. There are also listings of the impact of the weather on various health conditions such as arthritis and influenza.
AccuWeather from Google Play or AccuWeather from iTunes is free.
MyRadar
Finally, there is MyRadar – this is perhaps the premier app for looking at live radar. There is updating of maps every 10 minutes and a visually appealing and detailed view. You can even upgrade your service to a paid version for $1.99 which adds a handy hurricane tracker with National Weather Service alerts. Living here in south Florida makes this a great feature to have just in case there is a threat of a storm.
Keep in mind that free apps always tend to come with a large amount of advertising. This is a minor inconvenience, however, compared to the benefits of having these great resources for your cell phone.