Inconsistency with regard to Weather Apps

[Just_Me_D]

After all these years, the inconsistency among weather apps still amazes me. For instance, I have the following weather apps installed on my iPhone and all of them have location services enabled.

1. Native Apple Weather App
2. Dark Sky
3. AccuWeather
4. Carrot
5. BeWeather 3
6. Foreca
7. MyRadar Pro

Here is the current temperature here in Orlando as indicated by the aforementioned weather apps in the same order.

• 81℉
• 81℉
• 84℉
• 80℉
• 84℉
• 81℉
• 80℉

One would think if the weather apps are indeed displaying the weather from my exact location then the results would be the same. Clearly the apps are using different sources. Is your experience similar?

 

[JandN2639]

We use the Weather Channel app. Although the weather station in our location is much closer to Lake Michigan than we are (3+ miles), we simply add or subtract 3-4 degrees, depending on the time of year. Everything related to weather forecasts is an approximation.

 

[dmoskaluk]

After all these years, the inconsistency among weather apps still amazes me. For instance, I have the following weather apps installed on my iPhone and all of them have location services enabled.

1. Native Apple Weather App
2. Dark Sky
3. AccuWeather
4. Carrot
5. BeWeather 3
6. Foreca
7. MyRadar Pro

Here is the current temperature here in Orlando as indicated by the aforementioned weather apps in the same order.

• 81℉
• 81℉
• 84℉
• 80℉
• 84℉
• 81℉
• 80℉

One would think if the weather apps are indeed displaying the weather from my exact location then the results would be the same. Clearly the apps are using different sources. Is your experience similar?

Try intermixing countries!! Not only willl temps vary by 5+ degrees, forecasts of both bad & good weather will vary widely. My norm is to 'see & smell' then check my apps to see which reflects something close to the truth. Then do more or less the same for a 3 day day forecast, then a week. When assessing an app with selectable source I run them all too.

 

[Ecm]

Weather apps I've checked refresh on a schedule -- usually 15 min is the most frequent option; 1 hour set as default. This is probably to avoid battery impact? The native app however, is real time, so will likely be the most accurate. This is probably because it is so carefully tuned in the OS like other Apple apps. I've noticed that if I manually refresh Today Weather, it usually matches what the native app is already displaying.

 

[dmoskaluk]

Weather apps I've checked refresh on a schedule -- usually 15 min is the most frequent option; 1 hour set as default. This is probably to avoid battery impact? The native app however, is real time, so will likely be the most accurate. This is probably because it is so carefully tuned in the OS like other Apple apps. I've noticed that if I manually refresh Today Weather, it usually matches what the native app is already displaying.

Realizing I'm offshore- I find an hour is about the best I'll get, but 2 or 3 more normal for US based apps. IBM Weather Channel ( & Wunderground) are not real time but closer ie more like 30 min refresh. I've tried 'Background App refresh' for many but it really made little difference. The 'Rest of the week' on Native (Weather Channel powered) can get totally wonky beyond a day or so ahead.

 

[Ecm]

Realizing I'm offshore- I find an hour is about the best I'll get, but 2 or 3 more normal for US based apps. IBM Weather Channel ( & Wunderground) are not real time but closer ie more like 30 min refresh. I've tried 'Background App refresh' for many but it really made little difference.

Well, I can see that may be different challenge for those who have purchased their own tropical island...

Kidding aside, have you checked update frequency in your app(s)?

 

[dmoskaluk]

Well, I can see that may be different challenge for those who have purchased their own tropical island...

Kidding aside, have you checked update frequency in your app(s)?

Usually it's in settings if it can be changed from default. 'Bought an island' - I wish, hold that thought, no I don't. I simply chose one where family lived & retired gracefully to close the circle.

 

[dmoskaluk]

Realizing I'm offshore- I find an hour is about the best I'll get, but 2 or 3 more normal for US based apps. IBM Weather Channel ( & Wunderground) are not real time but closer ie more like 30 min refresh. I've tried 'Background App refresh' for many but it really made little difference. The 'Rest of the week' on Native (Weather Channel powered) can get totally wonky beyond a day or so ahead.

Why I'm more interest in 'a few days ahead to a week' is because a local has different interests than the Tourist Board . As we again I fear, slide towards drought, we have to manage our rainwater tank ( fed by troughs from a big gutter system on the roof) and not overuse it. It's a backup to government water mains and contains when full 15000 gal approx. We also store essentially 'the last 900 gal of Govt water in a tank plumbed into the house. Strict management is essential as the only reason we got through last year's drought without going 'dry taps' was that 'covid vacancy rate' and the dead tourist industry ( closed hotels and guest apartments) very greatly reduced demand. A lot of other parishes are on & off dry taps all summer season & Govt tankers have to supply to fill buckets etc. Our rainwater tank is primarily for garden water but after last year we've curtailed it's consumption until rainfall more assured to refill. It's water must be boiled and a few drops of chlorine added if cooking or drinking. Ask any farmer, anywhere & maybe in different words he or she will say that "Rain comes in 'two' amounts - 'two' little or 'two much'....

 

[imwjl]

No surprises. Following crowd-sourced sites and having had an earlier wireless system I'd see that sort of variation on a same property. I see that sort of variation if I look at two airports and a few weather stations in my metro area. At the moment Ventusky map shows an area 2 mi away and the more urban part of my metro area warmer than my edge of city spot. An app that uses NOAA matches the main airport. Weather Underground that uses a crowd-sourced station near me matches that for a few degrees different. The airport with a frozen lake helping wind blow towards it is cooler than the one in a valley.

Again, no surprises. There are micro differences in an area and different data sources for the apps.