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My Weather Resources 2023

out of focus lights on rainy weather

It’s been a while since I posted about the weather apps I use but it’s time to update with the times. Some apps have disappeared, some were bastardized while others have become personally indispensable.

I’ve broken out my list between websites that are open for everyone and apps (some of which may require subscriptions).

Websites

Windy: Wind map & weather forecast

  • Free
  • Multiple forecast models
    • Including the European models
  • Interactive Forecast Map
  • Tons of layers
  • Can forecast a trip using GPX or KML files

National Weather Service

  • NOAA NWS
  • Source of multiple other weather providers

Ventusky – Wind, Rain and Temperature Maps

  • Multiple layers
  • Provides ground temperature

Fire and Smoke Map

  • Provides air quality station
  • Smoke alerts
  • Forecasting available

SunsetWx, LLC – Innovation Beyond the Horizon

  • Sunset/Sunrise forecasting
  • Vibrance forecasting for photography, etc.
  • Static maps

Weather Spark

  • Climate data for any location
  • Includes regional daylight
  • Historical data

Apps

Carrot Weather

  • Subscription
  • Multiple forecast providers
  • Custom Alerting
  • Integrated Forecast Map and Radar
  • Moon Data
  • Tide Data
  • AQI
  • Customizable interface

Radarscope

  • Subscripion
  • Direct radar incredible granular display
  • What storm chasers use
  • Multiple advanced radar views (rotation, radar tilt)

Windy

  • Free
  • Same capabilities as website

Lumy

  • Light Forecasting
  • Sunrise
  • Sunset
  • Twilight
  • Moon Phases
  • Sun Direction

Ventusky

  • Free
  • Same capabilities as website

Let me know if you know of any other resources you use in the comments.

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Further Down The Tetris Rabbit Hole

I recently bought a Tetris Chicken McNugget that I imported from China. You can read more about it here.

The officially licensed McDonalds Chicken McNugget Tetris experience.
The officially licensed McDonalds Chicken McNugget Tetris experience.
The officially licensed McDonalds Chicken McNugget Tetris experience.
The officially licensed McDonalds Chicken McNugget Tetris experience.

Should have I bought this? Probably not. But it’s a just a weird piece of memorabilia.

An outline of its best features:

  • 13×9 square playfield (instead of the standard 20×10)
  • the most tinny intro music of Korobeiniki ever produced1
  • it’s a chicken McNugget that plays Tetris

Next up on my most desired Tetris versions, Tetris 642 for the Nintendo 64 only produced in Japan. It used a bio sensor to measure the players heart rate.

  1. I’m pretty sure a McDonalds drive thru has better audio fidelity. ↩
  2. No, not Tetrisphere. ↩
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On Reddit

I just wanted to post real quick about what’s going on with Reddit. You can catchup here: API pricing protests caused Reddit to crash for 3 hours | Ars Technica

For all the faults of Reddit and there are quite a few1, Reddit was one of the first places I discovered where my weird brain wasn’t unique. It would go on to be a place I would read about weird encounters, stories behind the news, and where some app developers would use to cultivate a community.

One example that I will always remember is the subreddit “misreadsprites” (I’m not going to link you in support of the protest). It is a subreddit about pixel art in older games and how it basically was up to some level of interpretation by the viewer2 and could be misinterpreted. And there was one post in particular that I was like, wait… I’m not the only one out there. It’s was reassuring in the weirdest way I don’t think I can express.

Beyond this, I think Reddit is one of the places where anonymity worked for the most part depending on the community/subreddit.

I am disappointed that Reddit seems to be going the route of Twitter. Oddly enough I’ve paid for Reddit and I will be discontinuing my subscription if they disable third party apps. Apollo in particular made using that site much more palatable than any native app or website. I understand they need to be profitable, but I suppose the exodus of Twitter has prepared me for the inevitable. Interoperability and the open web are ideals to be sought after now because in a decade or so, they will probably be no longer a concept.

  1. Hate groups, misogyny, crypto bros… I can go on… ↩
  2. Hinting at future blog post idea. ↩