lotstodo
aka "The Jackal"
I tend to be a bit of a weather geek, OK more than a bit. Because of that, I have had and tossed many weather apps. Some are passable for local stuff, some are passable for radar, and some are passable for alerts. Because of this I don't have just one app.
I can recommend the following:
Weather Underground for it's extensive network of volunteer and professional weather stations. It's great if you really want hyper local things like temperature. The forecasts are NWS, but they go out ten days. It has radar which may be delayed slightly, and the emergency alerts don't always update or track very well unless you physically open the app. This is my basic weather app. I have the alerts turned off for this one but use it often. Ads are not obtrusive. Weatherbug is also a good all around app.
Pro Weather Alert (free version) This is hands down the absolute best emergency alert app available. It comes pre-configured to broadcast emergency tones if the NWS issues a "severe" alert. This is good for most folks, but I like to customize mine. For instance, a severe thunderstorm WATCH is usually not broadcast as severe. There are other less dangerous alerts that most apps don't even pick up, but would be good to know, like local flood watches. This baby is completely customizable, allowing you to get right down to specific events and telling it you want no activation, information only alerts (an icon at the top of the phone that you can pull down to see the info), or an emergency alert with the icon and an audible alarm of your choosing that will sound even if the phone is on silent. It is also one of the best at tracking your location, and you can set the intervals that it activates the GPS and looks for local warnings and watches. It also allows you to chose "favorite" so you can know if there is a warning at home while you are at work. But don't let the custom features scare you off if you aren't a geek, it works very well right out of the box.
Weather radar is an open field right now. I have had PYKL3 Radar ($11.99) for a couple of years now and man it it's sweet. I can't recommend it right this minute because the last mandatory update (2.9.0.4) had some problems, but this is Glen Burns level radar ( live Level 3 NEXRAD/TDWR) that you run from your pocket. It will sync with your AllisonHouse spotter subscription too. You can change to velocity mode, change scan altitude, everything. If you are a true weather geek, give them a while to work out a bug or two from the last update and spring for the big bucks on this one, it's what storm chasers and emergency managers use.
Until then, or if you cant see spending the money and are not a real hardcore geek, then start with MyRadar (free). It doesn't have all the bells and whistles, but is a good near live radar app if you want to know when it is going to rain and how hard. The ads can be a bit of a pain however. A step up from here is Radarscope ($9.99). It will also sync with AllisonHouse and offers live full level 2 functionality. Radarscope Pro ($9.99 per year) adds higher resolution looping, level 3, and data inspection capability.
A note about AllisonHouse.com and other private servers like CaprockWeather.com. During large scale severe outbreaks, the NWS public servers become backlogged and have even crashed. These add on services provide access to the NWS and NEXRAD/TDWR networks through non-public means as well as some added features probably best suited to chasers and professionals. These third party subscriptions are not required for the apps to work, but are an extra level of security and functionality.
All the above apps are available through Google Play or the Apple App Store. The add on subscriptions for the high end radar apps are available through their respective websites, AllisonHouse.com and CaprockWeather.com. You can learn more about the pay radar apps at http://www.pykl3radar.com/ and https://radarscope.io/ .
You don't have to be a geek to be safe. Get a weather app with GPS tracking warning capability and keep your phone with you if it looks to be a stormy day.
I can recommend the following:
Weather Underground for it's extensive network of volunteer and professional weather stations. It's great if you really want hyper local things like temperature. The forecasts are NWS, but they go out ten days. It has radar which may be delayed slightly, and the emergency alerts don't always update or track very well unless you physically open the app. This is my basic weather app. I have the alerts turned off for this one but use it often. Ads are not obtrusive. Weatherbug is also a good all around app.
Pro Weather Alert (free version) This is hands down the absolute best emergency alert app available. It comes pre-configured to broadcast emergency tones if the NWS issues a "severe" alert. This is good for most folks, but I like to customize mine. For instance, a severe thunderstorm WATCH is usually not broadcast as severe. There are other less dangerous alerts that most apps don't even pick up, but would be good to know, like local flood watches. This baby is completely customizable, allowing you to get right down to specific events and telling it you want no activation, information only alerts (an icon at the top of the phone that you can pull down to see the info), or an emergency alert with the icon and an audible alarm of your choosing that will sound even if the phone is on silent. It is also one of the best at tracking your location, and you can set the intervals that it activates the GPS and looks for local warnings and watches. It also allows you to chose "favorite" so you can know if there is a warning at home while you are at work. But don't let the custom features scare you off if you aren't a geek, it works very well right out of the box.
Weather radar is an open field right now. I have had PYKL3 Radar ($11.99) for a couple of years now and man it it's sweet. I can't recommend it right this minute because the last mandatory update (2.9.0.4) had some problems, but this is Glen Burns level radar ( live Level 3 NEXRAD/TDWR) that you run from your pocket. It will sync with your AllisonHouse spotter subscription too. You can change to velocity mode, change scan altitude, everything. If you are a true weather geek, give them a while to work out a bug or two from the last update and spring for the big bucks on this one, it's what storm chasers and emergency managers use.
Until then, or if you cant see spending the money and are not a real hardcore geek, then start with MyRadar (free). It doesn't have all the bells and whistles, but is a good near live radar app if you want to know when it is going to rain and how hard. The ads can be a bit of a pain however. A step up from here is Radarscope ($9.99). It will also sync with AllisonHouse and offers live full level 2 functionality. Radarscope Pro ($9.99 per year) adds higher resolution looping, level 3, and data inspection capability.
A note about AllisonHouse.com and other private servers like CaprockWeather.com. During large scale severe outbreaks, the NWS public servers become backlogged and have even crashed. These add on services provide access to the NWS and NEXRAD/TDWR networks through non-public means as well as some added features probably best suited to chasers and professionals. These third party subscriptions are not required for the apps to work, but are an extra level of security and functionality.
All the above apps are available through Google Play or the Apple App Store. The add on subscriptions for the high end radar apps are available through their respective websites, AllisonHouse.com and CaprockWeather.com. You can learn more about the pay radar apps at http://www.pykl3radar.com/ and https://radarscope.io/ .
You don't have to be a geek to be safe. Get a weather app with GPS tracking warning capability and keep your phone with you if it looks to be a stormy day.