Universal Why is Apple’s weather app so bad? (seriously)

[TonyC28]

Why is Apple’s weather app so bad? I know Apple isn’t generating the data. And it’s not that the data is bad, because weather.com is seemingly correct, it’s that Apple is delivering bad or severely delayed info.

For example, I’m in the south Chicago suburbs. We just had a small cold front come through which knocked the temp from about 85 to 72. Even as I write this two hours after the temperature drop, Apple is still telling me it’s 80 degrees. All other sources, including weather.com, have it at 71 or 72.

So, why is Apple bad at the delivery? And slightly unrelated, why is the Apple weather radar so unreliable? Is this maybe an OS problem or something systemic on Apple’s side that is causing the data to be delayed?

 

[MBAir2010]

that App was great
until rain started (while staring a road bike ride)
when they predicted sun Saturday morning,
so i switched bikes, clothing and rode in the water-mud-alligator slime for 25 miles
instead of the sunny paths and roads for 35 as  weather stated 7Am yesterday

But in all honestly, that was the first missed forecast since iOSX16 tho.

 

[Eric Idle]

Why is Apple’s weather app so bad? I know Apple isn’t generating the data. And it’s not that the data is bad, because weather.com is seemingly correct, it’s that Apple is delivering bad or severely delayed info.

For example, I’m in the south Chicago suburbs. We just had a small cold front come through which knocked the temp from about 85 to 72. Even as I write this two hours after the temperature drop, Apple is still telling me it’s 80 degrees. All other sources, including weather.com, have it at 71 or 72.

So, why is Apple bad at the delivery? And slightly unrelated, why is the Apple weather radar so unreliable? Is this maybe an OS problem or something systemic on Apple’s side that is causing the data to be delayed?

The reason is simple: Apple doesn't give a damn about quality anymore. Their weather app has been abysmal for years. They bought the very best weather app on the market and promptly made it the most awful.

Apple simple just does not care anymore.

 

[splifingate]

It's not a bad app at all, but it's really not designed for obsessive individuals.

I've been using My Radar for something like a decade, now, and it's really everything I ever wanted (apart from just opening the door, stepping-out, and observing).

 

[TonyC28]

It's not a bad app at all, but it's really not designed for obsessive individuals.

I've been using My Radar for something like a decade, now, and it's really everything I ever wanted (apart from just opening the door, stepping-out, and observing).

I’m not sure asking for the temp to be reasonably accurate is obsessive. I know what you mean, but I also don’t think we’re asking for too much here.

 

[splifingate]

I’m not sure asking for the temp to be reasonably accurate is obsessive.

ha! Nothing obsessive about that expectation

 

[Apple_Robert]

I have never had a problem with Apple Weather not showing the correct temp etc.

 

[XboxEvolved]

It’s generally pretty accurate…I’ve seen it tho where I’m standing next to someone and it gives us both slightly different info.

 

[BotchQue]

I've not had an issue with it either, except the next day's predictions were often off, while my favorite local weather girl was usually more accurate (I assumed they both used different official weather services...)

 

[Razorpit]

It's not a bad app at all, but it's really not designed for obsessive individuals.

I've been using My Radar for something like a decade, now, and it's really everything I ever wanted (apart from just opening the door, stepping-out, and observing).

I guess it’s just me and the OP then when Apple weather says 0% chance of rain when it’s absolutely pouring outside? 🤔

 

[russell_314]

It’s usually right for me, but not all the time. I don’t think they get their information from the same sources they did in the past. unfortunately it’s the only option for a weather app that I would consider.

The problem with third party weather apps is for you to get all the benefits out of them like rain notifications, you have to give them full time GPS access. They sell that location data to anyone including law enforcement and governments. I will pass on that.

 

[BanjoDudeAhoy]

I guess it’s just me and the OP then when Apple weather says 0% chance of rain when it’s absolutely pouring outside? 🤔

Same here (in Northern Europe). For the past couple of weeks it’s been ridiculously inaccurate several times.
I never trust forecasts 100% but the app used to give us good ballpark estimates at least :[

 

[Parowdy]

Not from the Chicago area but Germany instead, I agree.
Although for Germany it seems Apple is (still) using breezometer as their data source, which previously they displayed on the weather app but looking for any mention now in the weather app I can’t confirm.
Anyway, it’s bad. Breezometer is very unreliable for Germany in my experience.
There isn’t even a real Air Quality Indicator/Score available.
It’s also very interesting to witness when two or more people with iPhones have (slightly) different data. Why?

 

[aries81]

What I've noticed is that they seem to try out some features in certain areas, I've spent a couple of days in Belgium the other week and the weather app had rain prediction (Rain in 20 minutes, rain stopping in 8 minutes and so on), which is unavailable here in Germany.

 

[Kiwidevdude]

I've found it quite good in Australia, but they all pull from the BOM here (where https is still in beta: http://www.bom.gov.au/)

 

[aknabi]

It's not a bad app at all, but it's really not designed for obsessive individuals.

I've been using My Radar for something like a decade, now, and it's really everything I ever wanted (apart from just opening the door, stepping-out, and observing).

Yeah who needs accurate data... heck Apple should be allowed +/- 30minutes on the time as well, because only obsessive individuals need exact times.

FYI was heading out and it said it was 20C/68F... so dressed as such for a round of golf... actually it was 27C/81F... was miserable... and cost me around 4 strokes.

But agree the folks in Cupertino don't seem to care... and being a native of the area yeah I'm sure given the lack of variance in temps they don't have these issues... same with all the issues of usability when you're running around a city using public transport in crappy, cold weather... you can tell no one on the IxD team really is thinking about affordances or patterns for this sort of scenario... more optimized for driving your BMW on 280 in perfect weather (or biking/running in the Palo Alto hills).

Edit: replaced you're with your... oops.

 

[splitpea]

The worst of it is that they bought up and shut down Dark Sky, which was possibly the best weather app ever. RIP.

 

[Grayburn]

Works as it should for me, although sometimes info can be a bit off on the odd occasion. But, the same goes for a couple of other Weather apps i have (Carrot, BBC Weather), none of them are perfect.

 

[arkitect]

In the area I live, Southwest England, Apple Weather is really not much worse than the BBC or AccuWeather.
Perhaps the UK data is better transmitted by Apple Weather than in other places.
🤷🏻‍♂️

 

[iHorseHead]

In the area I live, Southwest England, Apple Weather is really not much worse than the BBC or AccuWeather.
Perhaps the UK data is better transmitted by Apple Weather than in other places.
🤷🏻‍♂️

I live in Poland. Yesterday there was a thunderstorm outside and Apple Weather showed me it's sunny.

 

[BanjoDudeAhoy]

In the area I live, Southwest England, Apple Weather is really not much worse than the BBC or AccuWeather.
Perhaps the UK data is better transmitted by Apple Weather than in other places.
🤷🏻‍♂️

Well, it‘s got a pretty easy job in the UK anyway ;P

I jest, of course. I had some very nice summers while I was living in the Southeast and later in the Northwest.

 

[newJeans]

rain forecasting has been really inaccurate in the UK for a few months, at least for me. it will take ages to load the rain map visualisation in the first place, but then once it does load it will show the rain clouds projected to cover the area but the forecast itself won't mention this. and then it will rain as expected. 😂

 

[BigTimEnergy]

rain forecasting has been really inaccurate in the UK for a few months, at least for me. it will take ages to load the rain map visualisation in the first place, but then once it does load it will show the rain clouds projected to cover the area but the forecast itself won't mention this. and then it will rain as expected. 😂

Don’t need a weather forecast in UK this year, it’s gonna rain, guaranteed, every day 😂

 

[arkitect]

Well, it‘s got a pretty easy job in the UK anyway ;P

This is true…

We had our summer a couple weeks back. Four or five days it was…
😁

 

[MBAir2010]

what i like about the  weather app is there are no fake news stories
as other weather web sites force down our throats

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