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Universal The best Mac weather app, Forecast Bar, now available on iOS

Cogsworth

Cogsworth

macrumors 6502
Feb 7, 2015
380
271
App looks great and I'd love to try it but I have to agree $7.98 per year is pretty expensive considering the competition. I tend to pass on any app that requires a subscription when there are others for free or a one-time purchase. Right now my weather app of choice is BeWeather 2 which includes a great watch app with a highly configurable complication that updates regularly...all for a one-time purchase of $3.99 with no yearly subscription.

I'm the first one to admit $8 isn't a lot of money, but given the number of weather apps out there it just seems a bit excessive.
 
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dictoresno

dictoresno

macrumors 601
Apr 30, 2012
4,515
658
NJ
I haven't seen a TestFlight update in awhile. Anything new in the works for watchOS 3 betas?
 
pacorob

pacorob

macrumors 68020
Apr 8, 2010
2,118
507
the Netherlands
OfficialForecastBar said:
We use the same data as Dark Sky, and it is largely U.S. only for the minute-to-minute rain, but we have also seen it working in other international locations.
[doublepost=1457298153][/doublepost]

Where available, the widget also shows minute-by-minute rain charts when precipitation is forecast in the next hour.
[doublepost=1457298184][/doublepost]
Click to expand...

I find it odd that US weather apps like yours and BeWeather can't show minute by minute weather (rain) forecast in the app/widget although other Dutch apps/widgets offer this feature (Regenmelding, Buienalarm, Buienradar).
Is there a way to add more support for other countries like the Netherlands. I've seen a similar problem with my current weather widget/app BeWeather 2.
 
OfficialForecastBar

OfficialForecastBar

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Mar 2, 2016
23
8
dictoresno said:
I haven't seen a TestFlight update in awhile. Anything new in the works for watchOS 3 betas?
Click to expand...

We are currently working on updating the app for ios10 and its new features, once we have something we are ready to beta, we will send out another testflight.

pacorob said:
I find it odd that US weather apps like yours and BeWeather can't show minute by minute weather (rain) forecast in the app/widget although other Dutch apps/widgets offer this feature (Regenmelding, Buienalarm, Buienradar).
Is there a way to add more support for other countries like the Netherlands. I've seen a similar problem with my current weather widget/app BeWeather 2.
Click to expand...

This is due to BeWeather using the same weather source as Forecast Bar, forecast.io. Forecast.io currently only providers minute to minute rain predictions for the US, and parts of the UK and Canada.
 
Jessica Lares

Jessica Lares

macrumors G3
Oct 31, 2009
9,612
1,057
Near Dallas, Texas, USA
I like seeing all the different ways Forecast.io is used. Their API is fantastic.

GIZBUG said:
Looks like a decent app, although not fond of Forecast.io for my weather. Never is in the top 3 of being the most accurate for my area. http://www.forecastadvisor.com
Click to expand...

I don't want to say that they're pointing fingers at anyone in particular, but this made me laugh:

ForecastAdvisor Fact
0.0% of AccuWeather's high temperature forecasts for Dallas were off by more than 10 degrees last month.
Click to expand...

They also show these other facts pertaining to other sites too.

Nice site though! Forecast.io isn't in my top 3 either. It's kinda weird though that the accuracy between cities that are only 30 minutes apart are so different. McKinney (Texas) shows Weather Underground, MeteoGroup, and The Weather Channel as its top while The Weather Channel, NWS Digital Forecast, and Weather Underground are the top in Dallas.
 
flyingspur

flyingspur

macrumors regular
Aug 5, 2013
138
125
Dallas TX
OfficialForecastBar said:
We are currently working on updating the app for ios10 and its new features, once we have something we are ready to beta, we will send out another testflight.

This is due to BeWeather using the same weather source as Forecast Bar, forecast.io. Forecast.io currently only providers minute to minute rain predictions for the US, and parts of the UK and Canada.
Click to expand...

BeWeather does show in app and widget rain prediction by the minute. I just watched it in the last week.
May should check your selected weather reporting station. I have found one that is west of me and is
a rapidfire reporter. It updates about every 20 seconds on average. I have found a good selection for my
area.
 
OfficialForecastBar

OfficialForecastBar

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Mar 2, 2016
23
8
GIZBUG said:
Looks like a decent app, although not fond of Forecast.io for my weather. Never is in the top 3 of being the most accurate for my area. http://www.forecastadvisor.com
Click to expand...

Weather accuracy does vary from place to place, you can see where forecast.io is getting data for you specific location at forecast.io/raw

You can also check out the free version of Forecast Bar. https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/forecast-bar-free-weather/id1119966969?mt=8

flyingspur said:
BeWeather does show in app and widget rain prediction by the minute. I just watched it in the last week.
May should check your selected weather reporting station. I have found one that is west of me and is
a rapidfire reporter. It updates about every 20 seconds on average. I have found a good selection for my
area.
Click to expand...

Forecast Bar also includes minute by minute precipitation data for many different locations including but not limited to, the US, and parts of Canada and the UK.

Benjamin Frost said:
Love this app.

I have a request: may we have the date added to the app? Just showing days of the week is not as helpful. I like to see dates next to the days.
Click to expand...

Thanks for your suggestion, i will add it to our list of ideas for upcoming builds.
 
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Benjamin Frost

Benjamin Frost

Suspended
May 9, 2015
2,405
5,001
London, England
OfficialForecastBar said:
Weather accuracy does vary from place to place, you can see where forecast.io is getting data for you specific location at forecast.io/raw

You can also check out the free version of Forecast Bar. https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/forecast-bar-free-weather/id1119966969?mt=8



Forecast Bar also includes minute by minute precipitation data for many different locations including but not limited to, the US, and parts of Canada and the UK.



Thanks for your suggestion, i will add it to our list of ideas for upcoming builds.
Click to expand...

Great, thanks!

Also, I'd like to see precipitation in inches. Minor quibble, I know. Also, when there is measurable rainfall, I'd like to see the amount appearing on the main screen, not just when you tap the hour. It's handy to see at a glance whether there's going to be a flash flood in addition to the general description.
 
OfficialForecastBar

OfficialForecastBar

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Mar 2, 2016
23
8
Benjamin Frost said:
Great, thanks!

Also, I'd like to see precipitation in inches. Minor quibble, I know. Also, when there is measurable rainfall, I'd like to see the amount appearing on the main screen, not just when you tap the hour. It's handy to see at a glance whether there's going to be a flash flood in addition to the general description.
Click to expand...

This feature is actually already built into Forecast Bar. If you tap the day/chance % it will show you the precipitation amount. see image below
MyCsO9V.png
 
Last edited:
dk001

dk001

macrumors demi-god
Oct 3, 2014
11,128
15,478
Sage, Lightning, and Mountains
OfficialForecastBar said:
Wanted to give everyone a sneak peak at what we have been working on. Introducing Weather for Messages

Click to expand...

Nice but... One of the biggest issues I have with the Forecast Bar ( and most weather apps) is when the reading were recorded.
The app tells you "12:08 pm" however that is the app refresh time.
See a good example below: Forecast Bar was refreshed at 12:08 however the reading are from at least 2 hours earlier. BeWeather was refreshed at 12:08 however the readings are from 12:02.
IMG_3104_1.PNG IMG_3105_1.PNG
Like the app and the new stuff coming. However it really needs something that says when the reading were actually taken. It makes a big difference.

btw - I think the weather map could use a hybrid type look.
 
OfficialForecastBar

OfficialForecastBar

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Mar 2, 2016
23
8
Rhonindk said:
Nice but... One of the biggest issues I have with the Forecast Bar ( and most weather apps) is when the reading were recorded.
The app tells you "12:08 pm" however that is the app refresh time.
See a good example below: Forecast Bar was refreshed at 12:08 however the reading are from at least 2 hours earlier. BeWeather was refreshed at 12:08 however the readings are from 12:02.
View attachment 641687 View attachment 641688
Like the app and the new stuff coming. However it really needs something that says when the reading were actually taken. It makes a big difference.

btw - I think the weather map could use a hybrid type look.
Click to expand...

Thank you for the idea! We do show the last refresh time, but we aren't told when that reading was actually taken. If BeWeather is using forecast.io for that reading, that is just showing the time they refreshed the weather, not the actual reading.
 
dictoresno

dictoresno

macrumors 601
Apr 30, 2012
4,515
658
NJ
actually had the following coordinate location info pop up yesterday randomly instead of the actual location name. went away soon after i refreshed a few times. oh and yesterday was the first day in awhile that i was able to get the location and current weather to display perfectly and update as it should all the time. location info changed while i was driving, 10-15 minutes at a time. very accurate now. it used to take forever to update after a 45 minute drive. now it updates in real time while driving the way it should.
 

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