I also agree Willy Weather is excellent, especially if you also have an Apple Watch. Great tfr of info on that, including tides which I also check regularly.
It’s been a while since I checked the BOM site on my phone, looks like things have changed a bit.
https://weather.bom.gov.au/onboarding
And https://m.bom.gov.au has been retired.
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This is so true. I hope BOM can take some inspiration!
Complete re-design of BOM app today.
Thoughts?
I think I prefer the old one at this point, but I’ve only spent a few minutes looking at the new version. It has an I-was-designed-for-larger-screens look about it now, which is probably good for many, but the old version seemed to fit better on my old SE.
I wish it saved my old locations through the update, but they seem to be all gone. The resizable rain map is definitely an improvement though.
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still using weather.bom.gov.au saved on homescreen (haven’t yet dl the app), which is a good alternative. Loads very fast.
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I’ve used a lot of apps none do it like pocket weather and I’m just constantly frustrated. I need something that has easy access to the rain radar and also showing times it’s going to rain and percentage chance and amount like pocket weather did. I walk twice a day and rely on it in Melbourne to duck out between showers/storms. I keep getting rained on lately.
This is exactly what I use Rain Parrot for.
Have been using Weatherzone for a while. It has a graph that has an hourly breakdown showing chance of rain and the radar is easy to access. Not sure if the free version has all of this but going ad free is only $2 for the year.
The new BOM app gives hour by hour temperatures, rain forecasts for 3 hour periods, and rain radar, all for free.
If you want more rainfall granularity, then Snowflake offers hour by hour rain forecasts.
For answers to the question “Is it going to rain in the next hour or two, and if so, when will it start?”, Rain Parrot is the go.
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I have the pro subscription to weatherzone, it is incredibly detailed, has a quite useful range of layers to its radars, useful historical stats etc for about $60 a year as I recall. But I work in a field where granular detail of present weather conditions, and detailed longer range forecasts are needed. Most casual users would have no need for it.
That said, I don’t think BOM should be in the business of producing an app, when there is already a plethora of private sector people already doing so.
It priority should be spending its resources on making sure the observations are good (reliable, useful, consistent and widespread), and the data is readily and freely accessible for app builders to do cool stuff. It should not be, for example, shutting down stations in regional areas while spending money on stuff like apps the private sector is already doing. Modelling, or relying on amateur weather stations like the one in my backyard, are not a replacement for actual met station observations.
I disagree on some points. Whereas the public should have free access to this data (as we kwn it), private companies should not.
As it is also our data, it should be presented in an accessible way, and if I recall correctly they are legally required to provide this. Be it a home screen bookmark (which already exists), or an app I’ll leave that up to BOM to decide.
As for app developers, their business models need to provide something users are willing to pay for (including covering their costs in gaining access to data we cover the cost of). Many do. No one should get a free ride for their own profit.
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I would in fact normally agree with that avolve. People should not expect free stuff (which isn’t actually free, as someone pays for it.
In my defence I will put up two arguments as starters:
- Met data is a for real public good (it isn’t a label I bandy about a lot, too much can get labelled as such by people wanting their snout at the taxpayer trough). The cost of actually collecting it would not be feasible for the private sector. Maximising its availability has all sorts of benefits.
- Many weather app developers are little guys. They don’t have deep pockets and can’t afford the fees (see pocket weather). Yet it is area that has clear benefits to users, and fosters innovative approaches.
I think we mostly agree.
Government bodies like the BOM are an example of why neoliberal capitalism cannot provide community services (amongst other things).
I am all for maximising ability of the data, and when I come to want more features than the BOM website/shortcut provides, I will likely subscribe to Snowflake Plus. I am all for apps utilising the data, just not for free (I was a fan of Pocket Weather).
Big or small developers, the BOM data has a cost. And that needs to be part of their business plan.
I would have happily paid a subscription for pocket weather. We werent given the option or asked.
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I would have too, but as apple wants a full 30% cut every time, it’s little wonder the devs considered it a non starter. trying to charge $2.99 p/m is gonna need 30% on top which brings it closer up to $5/m which is pita territory.
not to mention at that lower rate there’s revenue but no money for the dev themselves.
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Sigh.
After a year it falls to 15%.
Also, which bloody App Store charges less, hmm?
Sick to death of freeloaders.
I thought Snowflake showed great promise - developed by Bjango who have give us some great little apps in the past, but it hasn’t had a single update in 7 months, and is missing widget options as well as complication options for the newest Apple Watch faces.
Might have to head back to Carrot with its BOM data subscription. At least that gets regular updates.
Google play has a one off fee of $25.
Not looking to free load but I really hate the subscription model that is increasingly infesting software these days.
I want to ‘buy’ the rights to a version of an app, I don’t want to ‘rent’ the rights to use an app.
And yes I’d rather pay $600 to Microsoft for office than $15 per month or whatever it is (no idea because I refuse to go the subscription route). I dropped Adobe for the same reason a few years ago.
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As of right now, I’m still looking for my weather app of choice. One that uses BOM data and provides a few different home screen widget options. I doubt I would ever pay for an annual subscription for weather, I’d rather just use the BOM app or website.