Dark Sky – Weather Radar, Hyperlocal Forecasts, and Storm Alerts – Review
App Type: Uncategorized
Our rating: 
By: Jackadam
Version #: 2.0.2
Date Released: 2012-08-22
Developer: Jackadam
Price: 3.99
User Rating:
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While, for many iPhone users, the built in weather app is a sufficient tool for gauging what to expect when you venture into the great outdoors. iPad users are at a disadvantage here , but there has been many app that have sprung up to fill the void. Dark Sky isn’t a weather replacement app so much as it augments your usual app with hyper-local and precipitation specific data.
Dark Sky is a Kickstarter project that aims to give you a better understanding of what might be falling out of the sky during the day in your area. The starting screen has a graph at the top that wiggles and jiggles as the precipitation level rises and falls. Below that is a large display that shows the temperature and rain conditions right now, and even more importantly in the next hour.
The app has several drawer-like tabs that reveal more details. The top tab gives you a sliding Doppler radar of your location which is more aesthetics and reminiscent of the local weather report than useful. In comparison, the lower tab on the main screen gives you a further look at the weather with the next three hours, this evening, and overnight. While Dark Sky defaults to your location, you can tap on the address at the bottom to select a favorite location, type one in manually. One nice feature for demoing the app is when your location is dry it gives a suggestion of showing you a place in the US that does have precipitation.
If these features seem pedestrian to you then perhaps you will like one of the keystone of what sets Dark Sky apart. You can tell Dark Sky to keep track of your location and if it sees rain, snow, storms, etc coming to your area, it will give you a push notification so that you don’t get caught in a bad spot without an umbrella or jacket. Imagine you are heading out of the office for lunch when you phone sudden buzzes and says rain coming in the next hour. Good thing you have an umbrella with you.
Dark Sky is a niche app that does one thing very well. It wont give you the weekly forecast, or the dew point, but it does an excellent job of providing local up to the minute temperature and precipitation. This one has definitely found a place next to the regular weather app.
Quick Take
Value:High.
Would I Buy Again:Yes.
Learning Curve:Easy.
Who Is It For:Anyone who needs to know if it is going to rain.
What I Like:Easy to read information, and push notification.
What I Don't Like:Doesn't include forecast longer than one day.
Final Statement:Never be caught out in the storm with Dark Sky.
forecasts YOUR WEATHER, DOWN TO THE MINUTE
Using GPS, Dark Sky is able to create forecasts for your precise location. And because Dark Sky focuses on the next hour, we are able to give you minute-to-minute predictions.
STUNNING RADAR ANIMATIONS
The same technology that powers Dark Sky’s predictions also allows us to make the world’s first perfectly smooth radar animation. Other apps show you a chunky slideshow that makes it nearly impossible to tell how storms are moving. But Dark Sky’s beautiful radar animation lets you see the actual path of the storm: how it moved in the past, and where it’s going in the future.
PUSH NOTIFICATIONS
Dark Sky can send you an alert before it starts raining at your exact location. Even if you haven't opened the app in days, Dark Sky will know when you're in the path of a storm.
NOTE: Dark Sky currently supports the United States, including Hawaii, Alaska, and Puerto Rico.
Screenshots
Article By Nathan Kline
Nathan has been an avid Apple user and advocate since the days of the Apple ][. He has always sought to find new ways to make use of technology to assist his daily life. As a paramedic in southern California Nathan brings his familiarity with technology to the field, and at whatsoniphone.com he brings his critical thinking to he analysis of apps and news. You has also written app reviews for the mobile app site Smokinapps.com.
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