#DARK SKY VS CARROT WEATHER ANDROID#

The animation here comes from wind lines that streak across the map, instantly helping you figure out where rain and snow is going to head. It’s unfair to say Ventusky is all about the map, but this is the one app that in that area visually gives Dark Sky a run for its money. Which apps should you consider, then, to replace or augment Dark Sky? We reckon the outlook’s sunny for the following four… Ventusky Also, weather data is not free, and so don’t begrudge a weather app if it demands monthly IAP to keep the lights on! 4 great Dark Sky alternatives for iPhone You need a weather app that’s usable, with great clarity, and ideally that enables you to switch sources if its primary one isn’t good for your current location (thereby potentially removing hyperlocal accuracy problems). If you’re a dedicated Dark Sky user - or someone who likes the idea of a weather app designed around immediacy and great design - there are key things to consider when perusing the App Store. (Similarly, treat long-term forecasts as informed guesses and your life will be a happier one.) These should be taken with a pinch of salt, because forecasts are often based on interpolation of weather center data rather than direct readings - hence why you’ll sometimes stare at an app claiming there’s blazing sunshine all around while a grey sky lurks overhead. We today see weather apps boast of accurate hyperlocal forecasting.

Still, Dark Sky is far from alone in being a product of algorithms and models. The original system would, he suggested, “never be able to predict six hours in the future, let alone a day from now.” Although Dark Sky evolved, it never quite shook off a reputation for poor long-term accuracy. One of the app’s creators said the team’s work was numerical and statistical rather than meteorological. When looking to replace Dark Sky, it’s worth being mindful of its shortcomings as well as its positives. Frustratingly, Apple has to date done little with Dark Sky beyond integrating an imminent rainfall graph into its own Weather app - and even then only for US locations. The API will function until the end of 2021.

#DARK SKY VS CARROT WEATHER ANDROID#

The Android app was shuttered, and although an online version remains, it too was planned to close this past summer. Many now rely on Dark Sky data for their foundation, primarily due to that ‘next hour’ rainfall forecast. Simultaneously, Dark Sky got its hooks into the weather apps ecosystem through an API other apps could incorporate. The latest incarnation of the Dark Sky app ($4/£4) still features a map, now wrapped around a zoomable, thumbable globe but the main view includes a stylish, minimalist forecast, with an embedded, static miniature map outlining nearby rainfall. In ignoring all but the imminent future, Dark Sky’s hyperlocal forecasts let you know if stepping outside would mean a soaking in half an hour and its map view dazzled as neon clouds billowed across gray lines atop a jet-black background. Unencumbered by the need to satisfy the feature set of more typical weather apps, it was intentionally limited to focus on the next hour. This round-up outlines why this is a bad thing (we’re fans) and your best bet for alternatives when new owner Apple pulls the plug.īack in 2012, after a Kickstarter campaign, the original Dark Sky pulled off the trick of being visually arresting, unique and genuinely useful.

Much-loved weather app Dark Sky is going dark.

The outlook’s sunny if you want a great-looking feature-packed weather app

Dark sky vs carrot weather