Weather Strip

Probability of sun, clouds, rain, and snow

The amount of space taken up by each weather type represents how likely each is to occur.

At the left end of the example here, you would expect to see direct sun (top) about 20% of the time, clouds with no precipitation (middle) about 60% of the time, and snow falling (bottom) about 20% of the time. As you move towards the right, you would expect a little more sun and a transition from snow to rain (if any precipitation falls at all).

The distance from the cloud line to the baseline of the graph represents the predicted cloud cover percentage. In the unusual case that the chance of rain is higher than the cloud coverage, it means storms are moving through the area quickly enough that the probability of rain falling over the course of an hour is more than the percentage of sky actually covered by clouds.

Remember, probabilities like these are designed to be accurate over the long term. For example, if the forecast shows a 50% chance of rain, it might rain that whole time or it might not rain at all — or anywhere in between — but over many time periods with that forecast, on average you can expect rain 50% of the time.

Amount of rain and snow

When more than a slight drizzle is expected, the forecasted precipitation amount for each hour is shown as blue bars across the bottom of the timeline. If no bars are visible, no significant accumulation is expected.

The exact number of inches (or mm) expected per hour is shown in the legend.

If the expected precipitation is snow, the bars represent the equivalent amount of meltwater, so you can compare precipitation across rain-snow transitions. Meanwhile, the legend label shows the expected snow accumulation in inches (or cm).

Slushy snow is much denser than powdery snow, so forecasted snow amounts and meltwater amounts don't always move in lock-step. For example, as the snow transitions from slushy to powdery, the rate of snow accumulation could increase even as the meltwater equivalent decreases.

Minute-by-minute rain and snow

When there is a chance of rain, Weather Strip shows a dark blue minute-by-minute graph of the expected precipitation intensity over the next hour.

This forecast is also summarized as text above the timeline. For example: "Light rain in 18 minutes".

Unlike the hourly forecast, the minute-by-minute forecast is derived from real-time radar data. This means that the two forecast methods don't necessarily agree with each other. If the minute-by-minute forecast predicts no precipitation, the app displays "No rain for the hour" even if the longer-term forecast shows a significant chance of rain.

You can change the data source for these short term forecasts by going to the app settings screen > Forecast provider > Next-hour rain & snow.

Wind indicators

Windsock graphics are normally shown on the timeline during any period where wind gusts are expected to reach at least 20 mph (32 km/h).

On lock screen widgets where space is most limited, windsocks are shown when gusts are above 45 mph (72 km/h).

Wind direction arrows are also available. When selected from the app settings screen, they show both the wind speed and direction and are displayed on the main timeline every 3 hours at all wind strengths.

They also appear at regular intervals on all widget types.

Options available in the app settings screen:

• The arrow points towards where the wind is going. This is the method used by many modern apps.
• The arrow points towards where the wind is coming from. This is the traditional method that matches the wind name ("NW", "ENE"). It's like a wind vane or glider that points into the oncoming wind.

The size of the arrow and its height above the baseline are both roughly proportional to the wind speed.

Colors used for all wind graphics:

• White: winds up to 30 mph (48 km/h) and gusts up to 45 mph (72 km/h).
• Orange: sustained winds above 30 mph (48 km/h) or gusts above 45 mph (72 km/h).
• Red: sustained winds above 39 mph (63 km/h) or gusts above 57 mph (92 km/h). Government warnings are also usually issued when winds are this strong.

Choose your wind speed unit (mph, km/h, m/s, knots, or Beaufort scale) in the app settings screen > Units > Wind speed.

Display both the sustained and gust speed as a range (“4 - 9 mph”) by tapping the wind readout in the upper right and selecting "Wind & gust".

“Feels Like” temperature

“Feels Like” estimates the effects of humidity, wind, and direct sun on human skin and clothing. It is shown as a shaded area above or below the standard temperature line.

If the difference from the regular air temperature is at least 3 degrees Fahrenheit (~1.5 °C), then the “feels like” temperature is shown in the legend.

You can make “feels like” the primary metric across the app and widgets. To do so, tap the main temperature readout near the top of the screen and select “Feels Like”. A symbol of an outlined person next to the readout indicates that the temperature values in the readout and timeline now represent “feels like”.

You can optionally customize the “feels like” calculation to match your exposure outdoors. To see all of the options, go to the app settings screen > “Feels Like”.

• By default, the app uses a combination of wind chill and heat index to estimate the effect of wind and humidity in the shade (no direct sun).
• You can represent your expected level of protection outdoors by adjusting the extent to which wind and direct sun in the forecast are factored in. (For example, you might reduce the sliders for a forest hike; or increase the sliders to represent a beach with no shade.)
• Alternatively, you can choose to bypass the sliders and use the “feels like” values calculated by the forecast provider.

Humidity and Dew Point

Tap the middle readout at the top of the screen to view metrics related to humidity.

• Humidity level: A description such as "dry", "mild", "humid", or "very humid". These are primarily derived from the dew point but are easier to understand.
• Dew Point: The temperature at which the water vapor in the air would condense and form dew. The higher the dew point, the more moisture is in the air and the more humid it feels. (Read more...)
• Relative humidity: The amount of water vapor in the air as a percentage of the maximum possible at the current temperature. This is only loosely related to how humid it feels, because it hides the effects of temperature. (Read more...)

Enable Visual dew point in the app settings screen to see the dew point drawn along the timeline as a dotted line.

When the dew point approaches the air temperature, the relative humidity approaches 100%, and dew or precipitation is likely to form.

UV Index

UV indices measure the amount of harmful ultraviolet radiation from the sun that is expected to reach the earth's surface. The US EPA has an overview of how to interpret UV Index levels from low (1) to extreme (11+).

UV index values are displayed as a colored line along the top of the hourly weather strip. An absence of color means the UV index is 0. Low UV (1-2) is shown as very light orange. Moderate to extreme UV is drawn using international standard colors of orange, red, and purple.

Severe weather warnings

When available, Weather Strip displays warnings from the local weather service as colored banners across the corresponding time period. The color indicates if the warning is severe (red), moderate (orange), or less serious (gray).

Tap the warning to see full details; then tap anywhere to dismiss the detail panel.

On weekly timelines and most widgets, warnings are shown as dashed lines along the top of the strip. Labeled weather such as thunderstorms and fog are also shown this way (in gray).

Air quality

The Air Quality Index (AQI) measures the concentration of air pollutants (such as smoke and smog) that can cause health issues. The US EPA has more information on how to interpret air quality metrics.

Tap the air quality readout to see more details and to view a map with all nearby monitoring stations. Air quality accuracy depends on how close the monitoring stations are to you, relative to sources of pollution such as wildfires, highways, and factories.

Weather Strip's settings screen includes an option to show the air quality description ("Good", "Moderate", "Unhealthy", etc.); the raw AQI number (0 – 500); or to not show any air quality information at all.

Data sources:

• World Air Quality Index Project provides a current estimate from nearby monitoring stations, and daily forecasts for the next 5 days.
• Foreca provides a nowcast and hourly forecast for the next 3 days. (Premium subscription only.)

Rainbows

Weather Strip displays a rainbow across any time period where our proprietary algorithm determines there is a reasonably high chance that rainbows may be visible in the sky. 🌈

Choose forecast locations

Tap the map marker button at the bottom of the main screen to go to the locations view.

Tap the search button to find locations by name. You can search for cities, addresses, or points of interest like parks, lakes, and trails.

Long-press anywhere on the map to select a location geographically. Tap the GO button to view the forecast.

Save locations for easier switching

In most cases, locations are saved automatically when you view a forecast.

You can also manually add or remove a location by tapping the plus button on the map callout or search result list.

Forecast providers

• Foreca provides premium weather forecasts worldwide. It is consistently ranked as one of the most accurate weather forecasters. (Included with free trials and all Premium subscriptions.)
• Apple Weather provides premium weather forecasts worldwide and is the data source for the system weather app on Apple devices. The predicted chance of precipitation is often lower than other providers. (Included with free trials and all Premium subscriptions.)
• NOAA's US National Weather Service provides forecasts and weather warnings for the United States. (Included in all subscription plans for US customers only.)

Forecast update frequency

Weather Strip uses the most recent available forecast to predict the current weather conditions and the full week ahead. The app checks regularly for updates.

The current forecast age is displayed in the lower left corner (or a "✓" when the forecast is less than 5 hours old). Tap the label to see the full details and loading status.

The age of your forecast depends on when it was last updated by the provider. Foreca and Apple Weather update forecasts at least once per hour. In the US, NOAA usually issues new forecasts every 3 to 12 hours, depending on location and weather variability.

Family sharing

If you have a Family Premium subscription, use Apple's "family sharing" feature to manage access. If you don't have a family set up yet, follow Apple's instructions for setting up Family Sharing.

To access the subscription on a device in your family, open Weather Strip on that device and go to app settings (gear button in the lower-right of the main screen). Tap "Subscription", then tap the "Restore Purchases" link.

For this to work, the device must be signed in to an Apple Account that is part of your Apple Family Sharing group. (You can see the Apple Account at the top of the system Settings app.)

Using subscriptions from multiple devices

To access a purchase or upgrade you made on a different device, open Weather Strip on your new device and go to app settings (gear button in the lower-right of the main screen). Tap "Subscription", then tap the "Restore Purchases" link.

Make sure that the device is signed in to the same Apple Account you made the purchase with. (You can see the Apple Account at the top of the system Settings app.)

Changing your subscription

You can change your subscription at any time from app settings (tap the button in the lower-right of the main screen, then tap "Subscription").

If you upgrade to a higher-priced subscription, it will start immediately and you will get a refund for any remaining time on your previous subscription. If you downgrade, it will take effect when your previous subscription expires.

Cancellations and Refunds

All purchases are managed by Apple. To stop your subscription from auto-renewing in the future, follow Apple's instructions for cancelling your subscription. If you regret your purchase and want to lose access to your subscription immediately, follow Apple's instructions for requesting a refund.

Subscription troubleshooting

If you purchased a subscription but it is not shown on the subscription screen, or you see a subscription-related error when you load a forecast, first try restarting your device to unblock the app store purchasing system.

Then, if necessary, open Weather Strip again and go to app settings (gear button in the lower-right of the main screen). Tap "Subscription", then tap the "Restore Purchases" link.

Widget basics

See Apple's guide for adding and editing widgets. Weather Strip includes many widget styles that you can use on the Home Screen, Lock Screen, Today view, StandBy, and macOS desktop.

• Hourly: Shows the most detailed forecast for as many hours as will fit.
• Full Day: Shows the forecast from now until 11pm today or 11pm tomorrow (depending on how late in the day it currently is).
• 3-day or Week: Shows the most compact forecast, spanning about 3 or 7 days depending on size.
• Combination: Shows both the hourly and week-long forecasts, similar to the main app.

Be aware that adding widgets to a home screen changes its layout and takes time to undo. It's helpful to experiment first on an empty home screen page.

Widget troubleshooting

If a widget is blank or not updating consistently, try restarting your device to unblock the system. This fixes most widget problems.

Widget "Requires premium subscription"

Widgets require a premium subscription to help cover the cost of extra data usage. If the widget displays a "Requires premium subscription" message, it means you are subscribed to the basic (US only) plan. To upgrade, tap to open the main app, tap the settings button in the lower right, then tap Subscription.

If you already have a free trial or Premium subscription activated and the widget is still not updating, you may just need to restart your device to unblock the system.

Widget "Location not found"

If the widget displays a message starting with "Location not found", it means that the widget's configured forecast location is no longer in the list of saved locations in the main app. To fix this, follow the steps below to change the widget's forecast location. (Select "My current location" to avoid this error in the future.)

Widget forecast location

To change the geographic location for a widget's forecasts, you'll need to edit the widget.

• To edit a home screen widget:
  1. Long-press the widget
  2. Tap the Edit Widget option
• To edit a lock screen widget:
  1. While viewing the lock screen, tap an empty area to make sure the lock screen is active.
  2. Long-press on an empty area of the lock screen to enter lock screen customization mode.
  3. Tap the "Customize" button.
  4. Tap the Lock Screen (on the left).
  5. Tap the widget to select the widget row.
  6. Tap the widget again until the edit screen opens.

When you see the widget editing screen, use the Location field to choose a different geographic location.

• If you want the widget to always reflect your current location, choose "My current location". Note that this requires the app and widget to have location access permission. To check if you have granted permission, go to the system Settings app > Weather Strip > Location and make sure "While Using the App Or Widgets" is selected.
• If the location you want is not listed in the Location menu, you need to add it using the main app. Open Weather Strip, choose a new location, and load that location in the app to add it to your list. The next time you go to the widget editing screen, this new location should be included in the Location menu.

Show/hide the legend

Tap the left side of the main timeline (where the legends appear) to switch between expanded and minimized legends.

Quickly return to "now"

To quickly scroll back to the beginning of the forecast (representing the present moment in time), you can:

• Tap the top of the screen.
• Tap the date/time readout.
• Tap the left end of the strip below the main timeline.

Reloading the forecast

Weather Strip automatically reloads the forecast any time an updated forecast is expected. If an error occurs (such as no internet connection), you can manually reload the forecast by tapping the "!" in the lower left corner and then tapping "Reload".

Notifications

Weather Strip itself doesn't push any notifications, but Siri might suggest the app to you if you use it regularly. See Apple's guide for configuring Siri suggestions.