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WeatherBug Elite

Yosef

Member
Jan 18, 2010
89
5
I purchased WeatherBug Elite and have some question concerning where they get their weather data. In comparing the weather data from "AccuWeather" and "The Weather Channel," the WeatherBug is always showing a very different temperature. My daily compute is 50 miles one way and I pass through about 10 different cities. The "AccuWeather" and "The Weather Channel" results are fairly close, but the WeatherBug results are quite different. I believe "AccuWeather" and "The Weather Channel" use official weather reading sites, while WeatherBug uses local businesses, stadiums, schools, and public buildings. I'm concerned that the results I'm getting with WeatherBug is not accurate and trust worthy.

Also, everyone now and then, WeatherBug goes crazy and reports the weather in Taiwan! WEIRD!
 
Yosef, Weatherbug has it's own network of weather stations that are generally located at public schools, personal homes or businesses. Accuweather and weather.com get their data from the official NOAA weather stations, usually only at airports or other main locations. Weatherbug, IMHO, can provide much more accurate weather info due to their network.
 
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Yosef, Weatherbug has it's own network of weather stations that are generally located at public schools, personal homes or businesses. Accuweather and weather.com get their data from the official NOAA weather stations, usually only at airports or other main locations. Weatherbug, IMHO, can provide much more accurate weather info due to their network.

The Weatherbug accuracy will be more localized because of their network of reporting entities. The risk is causing a traveler passing through to get info from a location s/he is only briefly in while entering an area where no Weatherbug reporting apparatus is operating; the data will be for where the traveler just left, not where they are or are going to.

That is why I like Accuweather; you can input any location and get current data via satellite images, etc.
 
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Frisco, I see your point. But that can be explained simply that there aren't as many reporting entities for Accuweather. Here in Salt Lake City, there's just 3: SLC Airport, Provo Airport and Hill AFB in Ogden. So of course your information will be "current" longer as you travel the I-15 corridor as it would only need to update 3 times.

The entities for weatherbug are very numerous in most areas and depending on how often you have the app set to update, you could very well be very current and accurate.
 
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The entities for weatherbug are very numerous in most areas and depending on how often you have the app set to update, you could very well be very current and accurate.

Thus the first sentence in my post about Weatherbug (one of my partners uses it daily; he is an airline pilot).

He also explained the risks to me recently, as he often drives from one end of a metropolis to another, crossing rivers (well-known "micrometeorology locations," meaning different, changeable weather near there compared to surrounding areas), etc.
 
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Based on quite a few years of experience, I would rate Weatherbug as best for accuracy. As stated above, they have tons of reporting stations (that they certify for use. They aren't just the Wikepedia of weather).

HOWEVER.... I would also rate them the highest at being a resource hog as well, PC and mobile.

Way back when I first started using weatherbug, it was great. I had it set on my PC at work to show the weathwer there, and at home (about 30 miles away). It was cool to see how different it could be.

Then they added a couple of ads for revenue. That's cool, they need to make money too.

Then they slowly evolved into an billboard with a little weather tucked into the corner. So, I went paid. Sweet, the ads are gone, but why is my PC running so slow? Oooohhhh... Weatherbug is contacting home. And again. And again....

Tried changing settings and whatnot to no avail. Dumped it. Thanks anyways guys...

Tried it on my phone recently. Same thing. The constant updating, while making sure I had the most recent info, was killing me.

Just my opinion.
 
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Since WeatherBug gets it's data from local public schools, personal homes or businesses, how reliable is that data and how is it transmitted to WeatherBug? Is there some monitoring equipment at each location that automatically feeds the WeatherBug Network? Also, is that equipment certified and calibrated? Anyone know?
 
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I'm still concerned about the accuracy of WeatherBug Elite. It's temperature is always very different from either AccuWeather or Weather.com. In addition, it frequently tells me I'm in a city about 10 miles away. Also, it doesn't seem to update itself unless I manually update (set to 15 minute update interval). I'm seriously thinking of getting rid of WeatherBug and going back to the HTC Widget. Anyone else seeing these problems?
 
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I can't get my widget to update unless I open the full app. Do you need the elite version for this? I've pretty much tried all the settings.

The widget is a little tricky. Notice that the top half of the widget is a SLIGHTLY different shade of blue than the bottom half. If you press the bottom half of the widget you get an 'update data' option that will refresh the widget data.
If you press the top half of the widget the full program opens.

It took me several days to figure that out. I knew that sometimes it 'updated' and sometimes it opened the app, I just couldn't figure out what was causing these things to happen.
 
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mhotovec - Thats not quite true! Touching the bottom and top of the widget will both send you to the whole program. The only way to get the update option is to hit the little gear symbol. However, it's not a full update, it only updates to the reading from the main program. In addition, the program still does not seen to update automatically per the interval chosen.
 
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Yosef, what size is the widget you're using? I'm using the 1x1 size, I wonder if that makes a difference (also I"m using the free WB, not the paid version). I can SEE the little gear you're referring to, but there isn't one chance in hades that I'd be able to press JUST that gear - it's about the size of a pinhead - maybe if I used a pencil point... :)
As for update timing, I can honestly say I've never noticed - but that's probably just me. I update the widget if I think it's lagged behind, and the program seems to fetch an update each time I open it - at least I've never caught it being obviously out of sync with the world.
 
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My school is a Weatherbug reporting station. It's not very accurate, due to the location of the reporting hardware. Not to mention, this hardware is usually run and monitored by students. I have found several inaccuracies and problems with stations in my area.

I went back to the Weather Channel app. TWC has much better notifications, IMO. Also, my WB widget was stubborn in updating properly. TWC seems much more timely.

To each their own.
 
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My school is a Weatherbug reporting station. It's not very accurate, due to the location of the reporting hardware. Not to mention, this hardware is usually run and monitored by students. I have found several inaccuracies and problems with stations in my area.

I went back to the Weather Channel app. TWC has much better notifications, IMO. Also, my WB widget was stubborn in updating properly. TWC seems much more timely.

To each their own.

I completely agree with you! :(
 
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