When it comes to checking the weather around you, there are plenty of options available for the users. This is particularly the case if you own an iPhone or iPad. Given the number of choices available out there, picking the best app can be slightly difficult. This is why we’ve decided to talk about some of the best weather radar apps for the iPhone and iPad.
Most of these offerings are free to download but come with ads as well as in-app purchases to unlock additional features. This is common practice in the industry today and not very surprising. So let’s take a look at some of the best weather radar apps you can get for the iPhone and iPad.
Best Weather Radar App for iPhone and iPad
1. Dark Sky Weather
This app is rated to offer the best hyperlocal weather information around you. It can create precise forecasts depending on your location and also offer minute-by-minute predictions on how the weather is going to behave around you today. The app also comes with some of the best weather animations we’ve seen in a third-party app, making this an absolute delight to use. In addition to adding spice to the app, these animations also help you understand the path of a storm or clouds around you.
Naturally, an app like this can also offer push notifications, although you will need to allow permission to send you notifications when the app is first opened. This app also has its own notification center widget, allowing you to see the weather around you in a glance without having to open the app.
Dark Sky Weather also has a cool feature that allows you to check the weather for past dates. The developers have also designed a robust iPad app for Dark Sky Weather which is definitely worth checking out. Dark Sky Weather is free to download but comes with a single in-app purchase, presumably to remove ad content.
Download it now: here
2. NOAA Weather Radar Live
This is a good app to have if you’re looking for real-time weather alerts as well as information on hurricanes or any other weather changes around you. It can also offer live radar images along with accurate weather forecasts for the future. The NOAA app also comes with a 24-hour precipitation map that shows you where it’s going to rain within the next 24 hours. If your location is not detected automatically, you can choose to enter your location manually and also choose from map views like standard, hybrid, and satellite, thus giving you a comprehensive view of the areas around your location.
The app can also detail all the important National Weather Service watches as well as alerts and warnings in the form of an interactive polygon on the map. This app also offers basic weather details like pressure, humidity, wind speed, visibility, dew point info, and so on, thus covering all its bases. The NOAA Weather Radar Live app is free to download on the App Store and comes with multiple in-app purchases. The app also has dedicated apps for the iPad as well as the Apple Watch.
Download it now: here
3. RadarScope
This is a slightly advanced weather monitoring app that is targeted towards meteorologists and weather experts in the field. It can show detailed radar maps for your vicinity while also offering real-time data on metrics like reflectivity, velocity, dual-polarization, and more. The app uses data from NEXRAD or TDWR radar sites in the U.S., Guam, Puerto Rico, Korea, and Okinawa in addition to data from Environment Canada and Australian Bureau of Meteorology radars. This means you get an accurate radar reading of the weather around you, while also warning you of imminent thunderstorms, tornadoes, hurricanes or any other deadly event.
For those who don’t know how to read radar data, the app also includes helpful pointers to indicate what the climate is going to be like. This makes it accessible to everyone, regardless of the user’s expertise in the field of meteorology. RadarScope is a free download on the App Store. It also has in-app purchases.
Download it now: here
4. RainAware Weather Timer
This app aims to give you the precise time before it’s going to rain around you. This is done by using a variety of metrics and live data from multiple weather stations around your location. This can also help you prepare accordingly in the event of a false alarm wherein you see plenty of clouds but it never rains. We’re not sure how the data works in all locations, but it appears to cover a wide range of locations worldwide.
Using this app, you can watch clouds dissipating or forming using high-resolution satellite imagery within the app. Users can also choose to share the estimated rain time on social media to warn their friends of an impending rain shower. The app can update each minute to make sure you’re getting the most accurate information. You can also choose to receive forecasts of up to 12 hours in advance to help you make plans accordingly. This is an app unlike any other which makes this definitely worth a look. The app is free to download but comes with a single in-app purchase. It also comes with dedicated apps for the Apple Watch as well as the iPad.
Download it now: here
5. Weather Underground
This is one of the most comprehensive weather apps you can get for your iPhone or iPad, thanks to real-time data from 270,000+ personal weather stations around the world. Thanks to this, the app can offer accurate hyper-local forecasts and current conditions based on your location. You can also get data on metrics like chances of precipitation which helps you plan for your trips our outdoor visits well in advance. Further, Weather Underground can offer hour-by-hour and 10-day forecasts to help you stay ahead of the weather.
Additionally, users can also get data on air quality, UV index, local flu outbreaks, sunrise/sunset, moonrise/moonset, and so on. Following the new iOS 13 update, Weather Underground can now seamlessly shift between light & dark modes within the app. While the app is offered for free, it does come with ads. Customers can get rid of this by making an in-app purchase which will make the app ad-free for a year. Weather Underground also has an app for the Apple Watch, letting you check weather data at a glance on your wrist.
Download it now: here
6. AccuWeather
This is undoubtedly one of the best weather radar app out there and has been the trusted source for all weather information for quite some time now. The app can provide data on cloud cover, UV index, and RealFeel Temperature, which is exclusive to AccuWeather. This app is known for its superior accuracy as well as the ability to provide detailed weather forecasts for your location. Thanks to technologies like RealFeel & RealFeel Shade Temperature, the app can accurately tell you how the weather feels and how it actually is.
AccuWeather can also be quite useful in providing minute-by-minute or 15-day forecasts that can help you make necessary adjustments to your plan well in advance. I also like the fact that you can hide the metrics that are not relevant to you, thus keeping the app free of unnecessary data. AccuWeather is a free download but comes with additional features that require in-app purchases. The developers also offer an app for the iPad, Apple Watch as well as iMessage and the Apple TV. Be sure to check it out.
Download it now: here
7. WeatherBug
This app uses slightly advanced metrics to track the weather around you and can also use multiple maps like the Doppler radar across the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Alaska, and Hawaii. This app can also offer details on lightning, wind, temperature, pressure, as well as humidity. The app can also help provide a detailed forecast by the week, hour or the current weather. This app can also provide information on weather which may impact your workouts, allergies, chronic pain and much more.
The developers offer a neat weather widget that allows you to quickly view the weather condition around you without opening the app. WeatherBug is a free download on the App Store and comes with in-app purchases.
Download it now: here
8. Yahoo Weather
While Yahoo’s dedicated best weather radar app may not provide advanced weather metrics as we see on other weather apps, it does offer some of the most beautiful backgrounds within the app. Photos are picked up from Flickr and matched with your current location, adding a bit of uniqueness to each user’s experience. Additionally, the app can offer hourly, 5-day, and 10-day forecasts which helps you plan ahead for a trip or vacation depending on the weather.
The app can show you data of up to 20 cities at a time, and all you have to do is add the + sign to add a new city. Users can also choose to submit their stunning weather photos to Yahoo Weather as part of #projectweather on Flickr. One of the best parts about Yahoo Weather is that it can offer you all the information you need on the weather as well as the forecast without charging you a dime. This is a free app with no in-app purchases on board.