Menu
I was so happy to learn that RadarScope was available for my Android smartphone (a Motorola Droid 4). This app gives you NEXRAD Level 3 RADAR images. If you're not a weather groupie, there is helpful information on how to interpret the images on the App's web site:. Buy it and you'll see how sorry the RADAR images are in all the weather apps. RadarScope Pro Tier One is an annual subscription that provides access to real-time lightning data in the U.S. And Canada that animates along with the radar loop and up to 30 frames of radar data.
If you're a weather geek and have a few bucks to burn, there are quite a few excellent weather radar programs available for download. Trying to judge which one is the best can be tough, and each has its strengths and weaknesses. Let's take a look at the best (and the worst) weather radar programs.
- Older versions of RadarScope will continue to rely on our data center in Dallas, so upgrade to 3.9 as soon as you can for the best experience! Snow Squall Warnings. National Weather Service (NWS) began issuing snow squall warnings last November. RadarScope 3.9 adds support for these.
- RadarScope Pro Tier 1 provides access to real-time lightning data that animates along with the radar loop and up to 20 frames of radar data, including.extended loops. of Super-Res Level 2 data. Tier 1 subscribers can also access a data interrogation tool to quickly determine data values for specific radar pixels and an optional dual-pane mode.
The Best: GRLevel2 Analyst
GRLevel2 Analyst (or GR2A) is a program produced by Gibson Ridge, and it is the cream of the crop when it comes to weather radar programs. The program is so powerful that even the National Weather Service uses it as a supplement to their own suite of software.
The software is what I use to post radar images here on The Vane, and GR2A is just as awesome as it is powerful.
Cost:
A $250 one-time fee.
Features:
The biggest feature that comes with GR2A is its ability to display super-resolution Level II radar data, which is a resolution four times higher than Level III data (which is what you commonly see).
GR2A also features a cross-section tool that lets you slice features in half and view their internal workings. This is great for supercells and other storms of interest.
The coolest feature in the program is the volume explorer, which takes into account all 13-15 radar sweeps and extrapolates the precipitation down between the layers. The result is a three-dimensional look at the storm, and the product is often extremely interesting (and useful in a forecast setting).
The powerful features included in GR2A, along with its Landsat backgrounds and extreme level of customization, makes this program the best of the best. It's a bit pricey at $250, but it's well worth it.
GRLevel3
GRLevel3 is GR2A's less expensive and less powerful twin. The program uses Level III radar data, which has a much lower resolution than Level II data but comes with a few more products.
Cost:
A $79.95 one-time fee.
Features:
In addition to being able to see NEXRAD storm attributes (including storm tracks), users can also view rainfall estimates (in one-hour, three-hour, and storm total increments), composite reflectivity (which combines all radar sweeps into one image), as well as low-resolution dual-polarization data.
To help you visualize the different in resolution between Level II and Level III radar data, take a look at the images I used at the top of the GR2A and GRLevel3 sections. They're of the same storm in Nebraska earlier this week. Here's another example using a shield of rain over western Iowa:
Smoothing is generally frowned upon by purist weather geeks, but it's necessary in GRLevel3 in order to look past the pixelated precipitation.
Overall, the Gibson Ridge programs are the most powerful on the market, and if you're willing to drop a chunk of change for GR2a or the cost of a new video game (plus a pizza) on GRLevel3, your inner weather geek will be more than satisfied.
StormLab
While it's the most popular, Gibson Ridge certainly doesn't have a monopoly on weather radar programs. Another popular piece of software weather enthusiasts use is called StormLab. Out of all of the programs on this list, StormLab is likely the closest and most powerful behind the Gibson Ridge products.
Cost:
A one-time fee of $100 for Standard and $179.95 for Supercharged. However, as of this post, both versions were on sale with Standard going for $75 and Supercharged for $130.
Features:
StormLab Standard is similar to GRLevel3, featuring Level III radar data and some barebones tools to track precipitation. The cool thing about this program is that it comes with audio alerts to warn users when the a storm gains certain attributes (hail or rotation, for example). The program also features an 'auto-archive' feature, which their site claims to save radar imagery to your computer when you're away.
StormLab Supercharged is similar to GR2A, using super-resolution Level II data to give users a better look at storms than the cheaper version. While you can't take a vertical cross-section or create a 3D rendering of storms, the Supercharged version comes with a 'pathcast' much like you would see on the local news. The pathcast—the cone and blue box shown in the snapshot at the top of this section—allows you to use the storm's motion and speed to determine at what time that part of the storm will reach cities in the cone.
Although it's a bit pricier than it's worth, StormLab is a pretty good program for people looking for solid radar software without all of the fancy analysis tools that Gibson Ridge provides.
WeatherStudio
WeatherStudio is a neat little program that uses lower-resolution Level III data in conjunction with satellite and model data imagery in order to provide users with a complete analysis tool rather than just a look at radar data.
Cost:
A $79.99 one-time fee for personal users; $249.99 one-time fee for commercial users.
Features:
In addition to the radar, this program allows users to add model imagery from the NAM (North American Model) and GFS (American global model), as well as forecast data from the National Weather Service, Storm Prediction Center, and National Hurricane Center.
![Radarscope Pro Professional Weather Radar 3 12 Radarscope Pro Professional Weather Radar 3 12](https://is2-ssl.mzstatic.com/image/thumb/Purple22/v4/83/80/a9/8380a98b-1001-88f5-4a72-66ca8e5aef34/pr_source.png/643x0w.png)
In other words, the program is flush with data. It's data overload, almost. The only problem I had with the program is that it ran really rough on my (somewhat powerful) computer once I loaded the radar with model data. I hate to keep comparing other software to Gibson Ridge products, but WeatherStudio is very, very similar to GREarth for those who are familiar with it.
RadarLab HD
RadarLab HD is a barebones subscription service provided by WeatherTAP that lets users access radar imagery through the company's website rather than downloading software onto your computer.
Cost:
$7.99 per month or $83.95 per year.
Features:
While RadarLab HD isn't fancy, it does show Level II radar data with accompanying map overlays. Overlays include severe weather watches, warnings, lightning data, and several other features that enhance the radar and maps with additional information. It's not the best—the website is pretty laggy—but it might be ideal for users who want to spend $21 on a slight radar upgrade for just the springtime severe weather season without having to commit to a hefty one-time software purchase.
Weather Defender
I saved Weather Defender for the end because it's my least favorite of all of the reputable radar programs. This piece of software is largely aimed at corporate users who need to keep tabs on storms for stuff like outdoor events or shipping—their website proudly boasts that Kellogg's uses Weather Defender (and thinks it's grrrrrrrreat!).
Cost:
They make it extremely hard to find a price on their site — it's virtually nonexistent unless you commit to downloading it and jumping through hoops. According to CNET, the program costs $21.95, but it doesn't specify if that's a one-time fee or a recurring monthly or yearly subscription.
Features:
Warning and watch polygons, Level III radar data, lightning plots.
Bonus: RadarScope
RadarScope is an excellent program for users of Apple products (computers, phones, and tables) as well as folks who have phones that run Android. It's an app that provides smooth, useful Level II radar data.
Cost:
$9.99 one-time fee on both iTunes and Google Play for phones/tablets; $29.99 for Mac*.
Features:
Since RadarScope is an app, it doesn't have bells and whistles, but it's powerful and useful for any severe weather situation. The app comes with Level II radar data and warning data from the National Weather Service, and users can use their AllisonHouse subscriptions for extra addons (such as lightning data).
[Top image of a NOAA Doppler radar site in central Illinois via Dan on Flickr, screenshots via their respective programs | *Corrected]
You can follow the author on Twitter or send him an email.
On your MacBook, you either open the notification area to check the weather widget or summon Siri to know the latest updates for the day. For all other needs and additional features, you will surely require a third-party app on your MacBook. We have gathered a few apps with multiple additional features that you might find useful. Let’s get started.
Read: Top 10 Free macOS Apps to Boost Your Productivity
Weather Apps for Mac
1. Weather Dock — Best Weather App for Quick Forecast
Weather Dock is an ultra-minimal weather app for Mac. There aren’t many features to talk about the app. But, it provides accurate weather information via Weather Underground. It also has the potential to be a satisfactory weather app.
User Interface & Customization
As the name says, Weather Dock, primarily works as an icon on the Dock. Without opening a window, you can know the temperature and basic forecast. As far customization is concerned, you can change visual theme, animation speed, type of data shown etc.
Weather Data
Even with its free plan, Weather Dock shows you three days of weather forecast. It gives a deep view into current conditions as well. You can get to know about Wind, Wind Direction, Dew Point and Humidity etc. Weather Dock: Desktop forecast also has a simple animation to denote the weather condition.
Data Availability
The app works worldwide, since it relies on Weather Underground data. However, not all advanced data is available at all locations. That said, you can still count on this weather app to know the accurate temperature and basic prediction, no matter where you are.
Download Weather Dock: Desktop forecast (Free, in-app purchases)
2. Weather Live Free — Weather App for Long-Term Forecast
Weather Live Free calls itself the most beautiful weather app for Mac, and we think it’s true. It focuses more on the displayed content and the beauty of it. Although you cannot expect any innovative feature, Weather Live Free can be a great free choice.
User Interface & Customization
Weather Live Free has one of the colorful interfaces we’ve seen. On the background, you can see animation for the shown weather. It also arranges weather data in an intuitive manner. The app is highly customizable. You can change the overall layout — Full Mode and Text Mode —, position of individual content etc.
Weather Data
Compared to the previous one, Weather Live Free shows deeper weather data, such as Wind Chill, Visibility Details, Pressure etc. As said earlier, you can change the positions or disable some. You know the best part? Even in free version, Weather Live Free shows 7-day and 24-hour forecasts.
Data Availability
Weather Live Free seems to work in most places, without compromising weather data. In the first choice, it was not showing some content in certain locations. Weather Live Free, however, manages to show in-detail weather data for most locations.
Download Weather Live Free (Free, in-app purchases)
3 Weatherbug — Weather App with Minimal Data
Weatherbug is yet another minimal weather app for Mac. It doesn’t come with a fully-fledged window or a Preferences section, Instead, you can have a quick look on weather data aspects. The icon is available on the Mac menu bar icon.
User Interface
Keeping things minimal, Weatherbug shows you the temperature and the weather-condition icon on the top menu bar of your Mac. When you click on the icon, Weatherbug panel gets open, showing more info like local time and weather forecast. There aren’t many customization options.
Weather Data
This is where the limitation comes. Weatherbug shows a limited amount of data like current temperature, a graph and live radar. However, when you click on the icon, Weatherbug website opens up, where you can see a lot of information.
Data Availability
Weatherbug supports more than 2.6 Million locations, without compromising accuracy of data. It relies on 10000+ weather stations and lightning detection framework. You can add as many locations as possible and it seems to work worldwide.
Download Weatherbug (Free)
4. Swackett — Mac Weather App for Visual Weather Report
If you need a visual weather report instead of some numbers, Swackett for Mac is a likely option. It is actually a part of a bigger weather network, which launches multiple apps. As far as Mac users are concerned, it gets a visual representation of current weather — also showing whether you’d need a jacket or coat.
User Interface & Customization
Swackett app has used a visual-friendly UI. In a simple glance, you can know the current temperature as well as how today will be like. You can expand the other sections to know the weather forecast for days. Swackett does not offer any kind of customization options, though.
Weather Data
As far as technical details are involved, Swackett doesn’t show much of data. However, you can know levels of temperature, precipitation levels, sunrise-sunset timings and an hour-based graph of temperature. Just as we said, Swackett also suggest the kind of dress you should wear.
Data Availability
Swackett app works worldwide, but it doesn’t let you set up a location. You can find real-time location using ‘Location’ or select the popular ones from list. Also, it shows a single city’s weather details at a time. In the US, many features including radar data are available.
Download Swackett(Free, $6 for pro version)
5. RadarScope — Weather App for Enthusiasts and Professionals
If you are looking for best weather radar app, go for RadarScope. It’s definitely a unique weather app for Mac, but not for everyone. You should check this out only if you are a weather enthusiast. As the name says, it’s supposed to give you RADAR details and not just some temperature data.
User Interface
RadarScope has been designed in such a way that you have a professional way to look at RADAR data. So, if you are planning to find actual weather data, you should know how to analyze RADAR information. There is a bunch of options for customizations though.
Weather Data
As we said, RadarScope does not show you predefined temperature or the precipitation levels. You should have the knowledge and experience to understand what the RADAR data means. This app is for enthusiasts, and enthusiasts only.
Data Availability
RadarScope shows professional RADAR data from authorized sources. You can find data from multiple sites across the United States, Puerto Rico and Guam. You are getting level 3 RADAR data from NEXRAD locations across the country.
Download RadarScope (Free, $30 for premium)
6. Carrot Weather — Multi-Platform Weather App for Mac
If you are ready to pay, Carrot Weather is the best overall weather app for Mac. It’s an app that is filled with humor, intelligence and interaction. Carrot Weather doesn’t simply show you the weather — it presents the weather conditions beautifully.
User Interface & Customization
Carrot Weather has taken a visual-first approach when it comes to UI. You can get a quick glance of current weather conditions, and Carrot Weather presents the information quite humorously. There is also a minimal window for the Mac menu bar.
Weather Data
Carrot Weather brings a huge amount of weather data, but things are meant to be quick here. You can know the current temperature and forecast on daily or hourly basis. You can also access 7-day forecasts from the minimal or full window.
Data Availability
Carrot Weather says that the weather data is available worldwide. However, depending on the location, the availability may vary. For instance, advanced options like Dew Point and UV Index may not be available in all cities.
Download Carrot Weather (Free, $12 for premium)
7. Forecast Bar — Best Overall Weather App For Mac
Forecast Bar is probably the best weather app you can get for Mac. This multi-platform weather app does a great job in showing important weather data without disturbing anything. We’d recommend this app for all common users who need accurate weather information.
User Interface & Customization
Forecast Bar doesn’t have a fully-fledged interface. Everything can be managed via the menu bar icon. It has an extensive interface that gives importance to data. Compared to any app in the list, Forecast Bar lets you customize the interface to the minute details.
Weather Data
By default, Forecast Bar shows a variety of weather-related information, such as temperature, dew point, wind, pressure etc. You can also get quick forecast information from the menu bar. You can also bring some cool features like Graph Data, Time Machine and Radar Data
Data Availability
Forecast Bar works worldwide and tries to bring variety of data to all places. In US cities, you can get as much details as possible. In addition to these, you have some awesome features like minute-by-minute prediction and iCloud Sync.
Radarscope Free Download
Download Forecast Bar (Free)
Radarscope User Guide
Wrapping Up: Weather Apps for Mac
Radarscope Pro Professional Weather Radar 3 12 Volt
We believe we have brought you some of the finest weather apps for Mac. Forecast Bar would be our go-to option. We recommend it for most users. It also offers sync between iOS and tvOS devices you have. However, if you need a humorous way of knowing about weather, Carrot Weather makes sense too. The best part about Carrot Weather is that you can have the same experience on multiple devices. On the other hand, if simplicity is your thing, Weather Live Free and Weatherbug also makes sense. Make your best judgement and let us know your eperiences in the comments below.