Yes, according to Nielsen, weather apps are second only to gaming apps in terms of popularity. But their popularity shouldn’t come as much surprise. After all, who wouldn’t like to know if it’s going to rain before they leave the house? And since so many people are using weather apps, it doesn’t make sense to gear a list for one specific platform. So in order to promote inclusion, here are the top weather apps for iPhone and Android in 2013.
AccuWeather – free
AccuWeather is one of the premier names in weather apps, and indeed they have been providing different mobile versions of their forecasting stations for some time. Their current offering is one of the best, as it offers sever weather alerts as well as 15-day forecasts. It also comes with animated maps as well as the ability to sync with calendar apps. Social sharing is another nice feature.
Weather+ – free
This app comes with a simple layout that is designed like a clock face and provides nuts-and-bolts weather info. Everything from wind speed to barometric pressure is covered, and custom settings allow the user to see whether patterns in far-flung global locales.
Weather Bug – free
Boasting “the largest network of weather sensors,” this app claims to deliver the most comprehensive weather data from across the planet. This app draws from these sensors to give users a percentage figure of just how likely it is to rain or snow. These stats are then converted into real-time forecasts that any average smartphone users should find useful. It also offers a number of sever weather alerts and features.
Weather Live – $0.99
Is a more streamlined, user-friendly entry into the weather app scene. It forgoes the more meteorological features of apps like AccuWeather for a straightforward and sleek interface with an eye-popping design. A clock-face template overlays animated backgrounds that signal things like rain, humidity, pressure and temperature data.
Haze – $2.99
This app is all about style and simplicity. And although it has a hefty price tag for a mobile app, its very design fits that of the sleek iPhone to a T. It contains three different and vibrant screens the user can swipe through in order to find detailed weather info based on time of day: sunrise, sunset, etc.
By downloading even just one of these options, smartphone users everywhere can know with a measure of certainty whether the day will call for a jacket or light clothing. In fact, almost all of these apps provide more accurate weather predictions than the typical TV weatherman – and they do it without the wig!
Scott Johnson is a tech blogger and iPhone aficionado. He writes on behalf of Internet insurer Protect Your Bubble.