Modern mobile weather apps for iOS and Android keep you up-to-date with rain and extreme heat, and can be life-saving during hurricane season. In this article, I'll analyze how these apps have evolved and explore their role for people living in a country that suffers from the threat of tropical storms and their consequences every year.

How did we live without weather apps, or where did it all start?

Immediately after the launch of the App Store in July 2008, the first iOS weather apps began to appear on this platform. They provided basic weather information, such as temperature, forecasts, and radar images.

The first weather apps were basic with elementary features. They did not have interactive maps in their functionality; the apps duplicated the weather forecast from national weather agencies. At that time, weather maps were just static images.

Over time, interactive maps began to appear. This was a significant step in the evolution of weather mobile apps, transforming the category and setting a new standard. Gradually, indie developers, and then weather-related TV channels in the US began to create their weather apps using interactive maps. These maps allowed the user to navigate, zoom in and out, and see various indicators.

On the App Store, software developers started experimenting with new devices and weather maps. That's how Dark Sky appeared (and was among the leaders in this category in the App Store until Apple acquired it).

The second important point in the evolution of mobile weather apps is the use of radar data with interactive maps.

The third important point in the development of weather apps is an opportunity to use the location of the device and adjust the forecast exactly to the user's request. That is, to receive alerts about a certain intensity of precipitation, high temperature, wind speed, etc. Such data personalization in weather apps and selecting information important to the user has made them more convenient for each target audience.

How weather apps changed the game during hurricane seasons?

Mobile weather apps have evolved a lot, raising awareness and allowing people to plan their time with the weather in mind. Apps, as a whole, have changed our world and our perception. This also applies to tracking the movement of hurricanes because now we have the weather forecast in our pocket. Of course, this includes the significant role of TV in weather forecasts and a well-established system of notifications from weather agencies.

However, in contrast, mobile weather apps make information consumption more personalized and accessible. You can now track the weather in a few seconds and at a convenient time. Weather apps are the best trackers for natural phenomena like tornadoes (which occur very quickly and are less predictable).

For example, citizens of Puerto Rico are the first to "welcome" tropical storms from the Atlantic Ocean due to their geographical location. For at least six months of the year, weather apps are the most viewed apps in this country because life can depend on them.

A hurricane can do much more damage if no one knows about it. Ignorance, not the hurricane itself, is the biggest problem for coastal Americans.

The evolution of weather apps

Back in 2013, I was interested in developing a weather mobile app that offered users more than just a standard forecast from a weather station. Living in Florida, I know firsthand the importance of providing users with accurate long-term weather forecasts (up to 48 hours). It's crucial to warn users about tropical storms and hurricanes, even if these storms only slightly affect their area.

For example, the Rain Viewer weather app my team and I created has detailed rainfall maps, and tracks storms in different regions. Of course, this is not a panacea for the user, but such data is a valuable tool during hurricane season.

Last year over 700 weather apps appeared in the App Store, and three times as many in Google Play. The qualitative characteristics of forecasts include not only visualization of maps but also accurate data. For this, the app must have extensive radar coverage (today, most mobile weather apps use radar data).

The bad news is that climate change makes yearly tropical storms and hurricanes more destructive. The good news is that modern mobile apps are rapidly evolving. Now they allow you to predict the effects of hurricanes, such as strong winds, intense precipitation, and extreme heat.

Weather apps designed for weather enthusiasts, outdoor workers, commuters, vacation planners, and those who like to keep everything under control, including the weather, offer the following hurricane tracking tools:

• Hurricane path tracking considering the change in its strength (categories),
• Description of the hurricane’s characteristics at its location,
• Detailed hurricane timeline,
• Alerts about the formation of a hurricane and its approach to the current location,
• Current precipitation on the radar map and its forecast for the next 24-48 hours,
• Wind speed forecast map or hourly wind speed readings to track hurricane force winds.

Add to that the ability to:

• Track temperature on the map,
• View weather forecast on home screen widgets without launching the app,
• Get customizable push notifications about upcoming precipitation (you can set up the intensity of rainfall to be notified about),
• Visualize precipitation and cloud cover in real time using radar and satellite maps.

While weather apps still use core data from NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) and NHC (National Hurricane Center), they have completely personalized weather alerts and made tropical storm tracking as quick and easy as possible. Radar data and map visualization have also brought the use of these apps to a new and more interactive level. Many users rely on weather apps for evacuation alerts during approaching hurricanes, even though this information is primarily provided by weather agencies.