Looking out a window is an easy way to see what the weather is like, but that doesn't tell you what to expect three hours from now, or in different cities. Weather apps fill in the missing pieces, like how to plan for tomorrow's weather, what to expect from precipitation and humidity, and what the day's UV index means for your skin. Unlike the iPhone, the iPad doesn't include a bundled weather app, so we put together a list of our favorites for you.
The Weather Channel (free) Since it's the official app for network with the same name, you expect The Weather Channel to be packed with meteorological information, and it is. TWC shows current conditions and forecasts, current temperature, cloud cover, air pressure, humidity, precipitation, and wind speed, includes radar maps, shows driving routes that avoid storms, displays forecast and current condition videos, and even lists pollen levels and flu breakout areas.
The Weather Channel for iPad
Fahrenheit ($0.99) Fahrenheit loads you up with lots of information about your local weather, but without overloading your senses. It's clean interface shows current conditions along with a multi-day forecast, plus it shows the current temperature as a badge on the app's icon. It supports tracking the weather in as many cities as you like, and shows the current loca conditions, temperature, humidity, air pressure, precipitation, UV index, sunrise and sunset times, displays cloud radar data, temperature maps, precipitation and wind maps, and general satellite weather data, too. Fahrenheit is a universal app so you can use it on your iPad and iPhone, although you need to buy Celsius ($0.99) -- Fahrenheit's sister app -- if you want to see the temperature in Celsius instead.
Fahrenheit for the iPad and iPhone
Magical Weather $4.99 Magical Weather mixes beauty with information to show you the current conditions along with daily and hourly forecasts for eight locations. It also shows current temperature, humidity, UV index, air pressure, precipitation, and wind speed, plus it shows subtle animations depicting the current weather conditions that almost make it feel like you're looking out a window. Magical Weather offers a nice balance between beautiful visuals and weather data.
Magical Weather for the iPad
Weather 2x ($0.99) Weather 2x aims to please the casual weather checker as well as people who are looking for more information about current and future conditions. It's beautiful weather graphics are accompanied by current conditions as well as forecasts, current temperature, humidity, air pressure, precipitation, and wind speed, NOAA weather advisories, and with the $0.99 add-on pack you get more weather visuals and sunrise and sunset times. Weather 2x is a universal app so you can use it on your iPhone, too, and it supports data syncing between your devices through iCloud.
Weather 2x for the iPad and iPhone
Dark Sky ($3.99) Sometimes it's all about knowing whether it's about to rain or snow and not so much about this afternoon's temperature and UV index, and that's what makes Dark Sky so great. The iPad and iPhone app shows the precipitation conditions for your exact location down to the minute, and can send you Push notifications when it's about to rain or snow. It also includes animated radar maps that show you where storms came from and where they are headed.
Dark Sky for the iPad and iPhone