Accurate weather app?

[OakIris]

I have a couple of different weather apps on my phone; one came with HD Widgets (Weather Bug) and the other one is Accuweather Pro.

I do not know the physical location of the sensors that the two apps use, of course, but there is often up to a 10-15 degree difference in the temperature readings the two programs give me. Assuming, perhaps incorrectly, that their sensors are correctly calibrated from time to time, it seems odd that there should be such a large temperature differential It could be due to the particular micro-climate where the sensors are located, of course

So, by consensus, which of the two apps I have is considered "better," as in most likely to be accurate? Is there a more accurate weather app that I should check into - or is it like most weather reports you see and hear - take the readings and predictions with a grain of salt because, seemingly, meteorologists aren't required to be correct or accurate in order to earn their pay?

Holly

 

[codesplice]

There are several different factors that go into how "accurate" a weather application may be perceived to be:

- number and location of reporting weather stations
- accuracy and proximity of your location in reference to those stations
- how frequently the app receives updates from the weather stations (temperature can often change quite quickly)
- any algorithms applied to the data (smoothing or extrapolation for locations between stations

Many of these factors are outside the control of the app (as the app developers don't actually maintain the weather stations), or else certain decisions are made to minimize the battery impact to your device (accurate location polling and frequent data updates can drain your battery like no one's business). It's a challenge to find a good balance.

I've stumbled across a few apps (most notably Minutely which attempt to crowd-source real-time weather data - essentially introducing many more weather stations to the mix. You may want to give it a try and see how it works for you.

Edit: I used Minutely a bit when it first launched, and it had some serious UI and performance issues (not to mention looking like an iOS app). Weather Underground also uses crowd-sourced data, I have (just) found it to be a better option

 

[MLSS]

The weather channel app is spot on for me.

 

[kmf]

Again, it definitely depends on where you are/work/live in relation to the reporting station. With Weather Underground & Weather Bug, and some widgets that offer choices in weather networks, you can choose the closest reporting station to your location. I use WB & WU the most. None are perfect. As I travel in my car the temperature indicator can change by the mile, so it is all pretty relative.

 

[OakIris]

Thanks, codesplice,MLSS and kmf.

I will look into the Weather Underground - being able to choose the weather station location may be just what I need. HD Widgets lets you choose Accuweather, Weather Bug or the Weather Underground, but after you choose the service, there doesn't appear to be an option for WB or WU where you can choose a particular weather station. Perhaps you need to download each app separately to get all of the options instead of going through HD Widgets??

I did downloaded and install the Weather Channel app. lol - Weather Bug and Accuweather both show current temp as being 28

 

[codesplice]

Thanks, codesplice,MLSS and kmf.

I will look into the Weather Underground - being able to choose the weather station location may be just what I need. HD Widgets lets you choose Accuweather, Weather Bug or the Weather Underground, but after you choose the service, there doesn't appear to be an option for WB or WU where you can choose a particular weather station. Perhaps you need to download each app separately to get all of the options instead of going through HD Widgets??

Glad to help! I've got a mild (lol!) app addiction, so it's always nice when my experience/compulsions can help someone else out

And yeah, you'll probably need to use each service's app to get full use of their features. I'm guessing that the various service APIs that HD Widgets is using has access to all of AW/WB/WU's options and information - or, at least, HD Widgets doesn't take advantage of everything that's offered. Keep in mind that it's an all-purpose widget as opposed to a dedicated weather one.

 

[Android Addict]

The one that I use is called "Transparent Weather Clock" it is in the play store and is also pretty accurate for me. Sometimes it is off about one or two degrees but that is not a big deal to me. And you can also customize it

 

[OakIris]

Thank you everyone for your responses.

Sorry about your mild app addiction, codesplice. Is your addiction contagious?

I will check out all of the suggested weather apps. (Guess I should never have installed two different apps on my phone - then I wouldn't have been aware that one of them might be off by 10 degrees, more or less. lol )

Holly

 

[CJM867]

A little over a week ago I installed android weather because the app that came with my phone couldn't even get close to my location... It has been awesome not only can I get accurately my city but I got the itty-bitty town my parents live in in North Dakota. I love the 4by3 widget interface too has a clock, that with one click I can set the alarm, it displays a 5 day forecast and it looks good with out being cluttered.

 

[codesplice]

Sorry about your mild app addiction, codesplice. Is your addiction contagious?

It seems to be

 

[kmf]

I am fortunate to have a WB station at our local school, which is a half mile away from my house. But, the other issue with both WB & WU that we can't control, is the level of quality of equipment used to detect temps, etc. The cost of personal weather stations can
be as low as $100 and as high as several thousand dollars. I know that our school station spent several thousand and got top quality equipment. Living 20 miles from the nearest town with an airport weather station, our local WB is the most accurate for me. I also have 2 outdoor thermometers and one is usually right on with WB.

Yes, I have a thing with the weather and weather apps.

 

[OakIris]

Like you, kmf, I seem to have a thing for weather and weather apps, too.

I have no idea where the "official" weather stations are located around here - did some Google searches but came up with little. I am not quite at the point where I want my own home weather station - surely there is an Android app for that?!? - but have toyed with the idea; just seems that there are always other more important things at which I need to throw my money instead.

I installed a stand alone version of WU today; I don't see anyway to choose a particular weather station on that app, either, but I like the fact that they tie in the information received from local personal weather stations and extrapolate to get average weather info for the area (their "Best Forecast" choice) and that you can also compare those readings with that from the National Weather Service.

Holly