Amazing apps that alert me to rain and ligtning

[holstein13]

A few months ago I found a great app for my iphone called "Dark Sky" that alerts me when it's about to rain. My experience with it so far has been remarkably good. I'd say it's about 60% - 75% accurate. It has a nice alert jingle and gives me time to bring in chairs, awnings, etc. It also tells me when it should stop raining and it's hyper local.

Recently, I found another good app by weather underground called "Storm" that alerts me when rain is in my area and also lightning. This new app has a great storm tracking radar that projects the storms into the future. It's my new favorite app.

I also noticed that the Weather Channel's app does something similar but I haven't had great luck with it so far.

[cmcdar]

SCVJeff wrote:
I drove across the desert to Las Vegas this afternoon into a group of thunderheads starting around Barstow. Not only did Weather Radio wake up to the EAS FFW's being issued, but it was faster response than Storm, Intellicast, ABCLA, and several others running in GPS Follow Me mode. The only service to beat Weather Radio was the built-in EAS Emergency Alerts built into the phones. It was probably 10 seconds ahead of even Weather Radio.

And when I arrived in town.. Downpour, flooded streets, great light show, and more coming from the east. The FFW's were being issued about every 30min all afternoon.

If possible, I want the option of pulling off the road and finding a place to ride out the storm. I DON"T want to just have to pull to the side of the highway because I can't see to drive. THAT is a very dangerous place to be.

I LOVE this new2 cell phone technology! I, just a few weeks ago, discarded my old clamshell and upgraded to an android JUST to be able to utilize the apps and early warning.

[holstein13]

JackInAZ wrote:

Personally I just like the technology and run at least 5wx apps in the background at all times, because one is never always accurate.

So how's your smartphone battery? Holding up OK?

I've got the iPhone 6+ and these programs run all day long. I rarely go to bed at 11 pm with less than 50% battery life remaining.

For smaller phones or older phones, I'd consider using a battery pack case such as the Mophie. I used a Mophie before with my 5s and never had to worry about running out the battery even if I was using GPS and watching video's all day.

[JackInAZ]

Personally I just like the technology and run at least 5wx apps in the background at all times, because one is never always accurate.

So how's your smartphone battery? Holding up OK?

[SCVJeff]

I drove across the desert to Las Vegas this afternoon into a group of thunderheads starting around Barstow. Not only did Weather Radio wake up to the EAS FFW's being issued, but it was faster response than Storm, Intellicast, ABCLA, and several others running in GPS Follow Me mode. The only service to beat Weather Radio was the built-in EAS Emergency Alerts built into the phones. It was probably 10 seconds ahead of even Weather Radio.

And when I arrived in town.. Downpour, flooded streets, great light show, and more coming from the east. The FFW's were being issued about every 30min all afternoon.

[cmcdar]

I have had the weather alert wake me in the night and warn of high winds and heavy electrical storms.

I got the family up and we got in the car and drove away from the danger of falling trees.

Fortunately, there were trees downed in the storm but none of my camp area was affected.

One other time we had early warning of a "freak" October 1st snow storm in western NY and immediately broke down camp and packed up the awning and tents. That year most other folks in the campground lost their awnings and tents due to heavy snow. Trees and tree limbs down in that storm too.



THAT is why I appreciate a Weather Alert Radio. But if others just want to look up, that's ok too.

[holstein13]

CavemanCharlie wrote:
Weather prediction is not perfect yet. Being warned and prepared is good but, you still don't know where the storm is going to go and you can't perfectly avoid it.

That's exactly correct. Ideally, and eventually, we may have an app that tells us the exact path, duration and intensity of a tornado; but when I think of the complexity of such a prediction, I think it probably won't happen in my lifetime. There are simply too many variables and we don't even understand or have the data on most of them.

But I'm thrilled with the tools we have today. I can't believe that we've gotten so much more advanced today than we were even 15 years ago. I literally have more information and sophisticated tools at my fingertips today than professional weather forecasters had in their newsrooms 15 years ago.

It's not perfect or even absolutely necessary, but I find it provides me actionable information and helps me make better decisions.

[CavemanCharlie]

cmcdar wrote:
I just saw this - I want to be one of the campers who get out BEFORE





Heavy rainfalls wreak havoc

I don't know the particulars of that situation. But, that can be hard to do. If I hooked up and fled at every flash flood watch, or even warning !! I would be stuck at home cowering and never go anywhere.

A tornado or severe storm is different. The last time I was at a campground and there was a warning for them I drove down by the storm shelter and sat in my pickup, ready to run for cover if things had gotten worse. They didn't and it was all just a little wind.

Weather prediction is not perfect yet. Being warned and prepared is good but, you still don't know where the storm is going to go and you can't perfectly avoid it.

[cmcdar]

daglenn1960 wrote:
We use Storm and find it very accurate and helpful.

It never cease to amaze me (esp. on this forum) that folks who use 4+ wheel conveyances and reside in 2+ wheel mobile-houses, both of which include man-centuries of science/technology/engineering/manufacturing progress ***** about other folks using all this 'newfangled technology'.

[daglenn1960]

We use Storm and find it very accurate and helpful.

It never cease to amaze me (esp. on this forum) that folks who use 4+ wheel conveyances and reside in 2+ wheel mobile-houses, both of which include man-centuries of science/technology/engineering/manufacturing progress ***** about other folks using all this 'newfangled technology'.

[holstein13]

Dustytuu wrote:
Why don't people just look outside
and at the sky????

This app is superior to looking at the sky. The app will tell you when it will rain and when the rain will stop. I've never been able to do that by just looking up. This app looks out miles upon miles and over mountain tops.

Besides, I'm not always outside. I may be inside or it may be night time and too dark to see the clouds.

[Dustytuu]

Why don't people just look outside
and at the sky????

[holstein13]

cmcdar wrote:
Ideally, an app that would send warnings (depending on my location) as I drive. ie Tornado Warnings.

Thanks,
Caryl

"Storm" will do this on an iPhone. But if you want official warnings, there is a program called "WeatherAlerts" that works well with the iPhone. Both programs are hyper local and will give you warnings for only the area you are currently in with no need for programming. They are based on your GPS location and run in the background.

[SCVJeff]

Again, check the radios! As I said, allot of them respond to Event Codes WITHOUT FIPS. That makes them wide open. Check it out.

[cmcdar]

I just saw this - I want to be one of the campers who get out BEFORE





Heavy rainfalls wreak havoc

[cmcdar]

Thanks all for the input and information.

Since I will be on the road for several months, the "traditional" weather radio would be difficult to program every time I stop. I do appreciate the SAME broadcasts but mostly you have to enter a county name/code to get those.

I am very interested in having continual weather alerts "follow" me as I drive down the highway. In my past travels, I would leave Buffalo, NY in the morning and be in Lexington, KY by 6pm. It is all those miles I am concerned about.

I did "upgrade" to a smart phone (tracfone) just for the sole purpose of being able to receive emergency weather alerts straight to my phone.

First I set my phone to be able to receive Wireless Emergency Alerts

I also downloaded "IMAP Weather Radio" as it was one of the apps I found to "follow" me based in the GPS location of the phone.

To say that I am disappointed with the quality of weather radios is an understatement. I have had a Midland 120 and a Radio Shack 12-550. BOTH died within 2 or 3 years. They were used seasonally for 6 months then repacked in their original boxes to wait for the next spring. Maybe it is because everything is made in china and there, they do not use solder on electronic connections, they use shellac. IDK

ANYWAY I do use Walkie Talkies for TT maneuvering and cycling and one of my Cobra units has a very nice weather Radio. I have tested this unit and it works great in my TV and my TT so I will be using it for weather broadcasts IF I do not have wifi or data connection for my phone.

ALL that said, I am someone who likes to be prepared. I have been camping and had violent weather conditions some of which I have waited out and some of which I jumped in my TV and fled.

Hopefully, I will now be fore warned!

ANY OTHER input would be appreciated as my andriod apps are thus far "untested".

Thanks!!!