The Best Weather Apps in Australia for 2023

There’s nothing worse than being caught out in the rain without an umbrella. If only it could be avoided! Oh wait, it can. Weather apps have been around for as long as apps have been around, with the weather a water-cooler topic of conversation for years, making it a no-brainer for app designers to get amongst. But, like the weather itself, some of these apps can be unpredictable, with the market raining cats and dogs in terms of options to choose from. But which apps can help you stay one step ahead of the weather, and which ones are as useless as an inside-out umbrella? Find out which weather apps are the best with this Canstar Blue guide.

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Best weather apps

With so many weather apps available, which one should you look to download and install? Check out some of the best weather apps available in Australia below:

• BOM Weather
• Windy.com
• The Weather Channel
• AccuWeather
• Weatherzone
• PredictWind
• Carrot Weather
• What the Forecast
• WillyWeather
• My Lightning Tracker & Alerts
• SunSmart
• Australia Snow Map & Webcams

BOM Weather

Likely already your go-to when it comes to checking the weather, BOM Weather is the official app of the Bureau of Meteorology (otherwise known as BOM), and gives you weather warnings, seven-day forecasts and radar images for rainfall. It also gives you information on temperature ranges, what the ‘feels like’ temperature is, the chance of rain, wind speed and direction, humidity, hourly forecasts for rainfall and temperature, sunrise and sunset times, UV ratings as well as wave height and direction for those closer to the coasts. You can also save you favourite locations to check weather conditions in your hometown or places you frequent, allowing you to plan ahead if you’re heading away for a holiday.

• The BOM Weather app is free to download and use on both mobile and tablet devices, and is available for both iOS and Android devices.

Windy.com

Marketed as something that will appeal to those who need to know the wind forecast – such as pilots, skydivers, surfers, boaters, storm chasers and even paragliders – Windy.com, otherwise known as Windyty, offers forecasting models from around the globe, including the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), Global Forecast System (GFS) and other local systems. The app shows local weather temperatures and forecasts, rainfall and surf swell, with the ability to check out locations around the globe, with readings available in metric or imperial units. There’s also a Premium version available, which includes more precise data, a 3D globe display, no ads and premium support, with a yearly subscription available.

• The Windy.com app is free to download and use on both iOS and Android operating systems.

The Weather Channel

The go-to TV channel if you want the latest weather updates, The Weather Channel also offers an app, allowing you to check hourly rainfall, a 6-hour future radar, ‘feels like’ temperature, sunrise and sunset times, pollen forecasts for those prone to allergies and severe weather updates, with even snow radars and trackers included. There’s also a Premium version, which gives you access to ad-free content, a 15-minutre forecast and advanced radar, with a monthly or yearly subscription available.

• The Weather Channel app is free to download and use on both iOS and Android operating systems.

AccuWeather: Weather Radar

AccuWeather offers live weather forecasts, severe weather alerts, temperature, precipitation and allergy outlooks for the day, in addition to UV index, air quality, cloud coverage, rain probability as well as storm and snow tracking. AccuWeather claims to use over 170 forecasting models, and use over 100 expert meteorologists on staff, and offers weather forecasting up to 45 days ahead of time, with live minute-by-minute weather forecasting for those who need to know in advance and urgently. AccuWeather also offers a Premium version, with a monthly or yearly subscription available.

• AccuWeather is free to download and use on both iOS and Android operating systems.

Weatherzone

One of the more popular options available, Weatherzone offers weather observations for your location, including temperature range and ‘feels like’ temperature, as well as air quality, humidity, wind gusts and rainfall, in addition to a 10-day forecast, and real-time changes in weather. You’ll also receive real-time severe weather warnings and alerts, with the free version of the app also offering sunrise and sunset times. The paid version also includes an ad-free experience, along with storm tracking, hourly wind gusts and cloud coverage and local lightning maps to keep track of.

• Weatherzone is free to download and use on both iOS and Android operating systems.

PredictWind – Marine Forecasts

PredictWind aims to deliver the most accurate forecast data possible, and uses multiple global and regional forecasting models – including ECMWF, GFS and NAM – as well as using information from over 20,000 live stations from around the globe. The app features weather routing, rainfall, rain and wave predictors, alongside daily forecasts for your local areas, PredictWind additionally aims to help sailors with wind and wave information for those close to the shore and those out in open waters. There’s also a tiered payment system for those who are after additional features such as forecast alerts and real time live observations.

• PredictWind is free to download and use on both iOS and Android operating systems.

Carrot Weather

If you think the weather is a bit boring, then Carrot Weather might be able to make it a bit more interesting, with a tongue-in-cheek approach. You can choose a Personality, from the ‘Professional’ through to the ‘Overkill’ setting, which shows a different interface, with Carrot also offering 60 unlockable achievements, turning the weather into a game. The free version of the app also offers current, hourly and daily forecasts, rainfall forecasts, and the ability to alter the app with widgets to customise your experience. The Premium version gives you access more weather data sources, weather alerts and lightning strikes, and more customisation, with monthly and annual subscriptions available for purchase.

• Carrot Weather is free to download and use on both iOS and Android operating systems.

What the Forecast

Another app for those who like their weather forecast with a side of comedic punchlines, What the Forecast describes weather reports and forecasts in a multitude of ways, either in different voices or at different levels of profanity and remarks to liven up any potentially gloomy weather that’s forecasted. With over 9,000 phrases to describe weather conditions, daily forecasts for 10 days in advance and hourly forecasts for the next 48 hours, you can even share the weather reports on social media for others to enjoy. In-app purchases are also available if you wish to remove ads or purchase additional accents.

• What the Forecast is free to download and use on both iOS and Android operating systems.

WillyWeather

Including the specific coordinates of over 17,000 Australian locations, WillyWeather offers a seven-day forecast, temperature range, combined BOM radar images with Google Maps integration, information on wind readings, coastal conditions and UV ratings, as well as moon phases, rainfall, sunrise and sunset times and severe weather warnings to try and be the complete package for your weather needs. You can also pay to remove the ads to complete the experience.

• WillyWeather is free to download and use on both iOS and Android operating systems.

My Lightning Tracker & Alerts

If you’re a fan of storms, My Lightning Tracker might be worth downloading. Allowing you to see a history of lightning strikes and hotspots, as well as details when there’s a thunderstorm brewing, it won’t give you a full rundown of weather forecasts, but if you want to delve deeper into storms and lightning, it might be a bit of fun.

• My Lightning Tracker is free to download and use on both iOS and Android operating systems.

SunSmart

If you’re looking for a weather update and forecast but also need reminders to wear sunscreen, the SunSmart app might be the one to download. The SunSmart app comes from the SunSmart cancer prevention program established in Australia, and is focused on reminding Aussies to be UV safe while out and about, with the app offering UV ratings and ranges throughout the day, temperature forecasts, reminders to put sunscreen on if you’re spending a lot of time outside, as well as general sun smart tips.

• SunSmart is free to download and use on both iOS and Android operating systems.

Australia Snow Map & Webcams

If you’re a fan of hitting the slopes, the Australia Snow Map app might be just the ticket before you set off to shred the fresh powder. Offering 24-hour, three-day and seven-day snowfall totals, snow stats from all snow resorts in Australia, each resort’s snow history as well as the ability to access webcam feeds from each resort’s social media pages, you’ll be able to get eyes on the current conditions. You can also pay to remove the in-app advertisements, allowing you to focus purely on the snow.

• Australia Snow Map & Webcams is free to download and use on both iOS and Android operating systems.

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Free weather apps

There are a number of free weather apps available on both the App Store and Google Play, including:

• BOM Weather
• Windy.com
• The Weather Channel
• AccuWeather
• Weatherzone
• PredictWind
• Carrot Weather
• What the Forecast
• WillyWeather
• My Lightning Tracker & Alerts
• SunSmart
• Australia Snow Map & Webcams
• Samsung Weather
• Apple Weather

Are weather apps accurate?

The weather may ultimately be unpredictable, but weather apps have come a long way in recent years, with many of them using multiple forecasting and radar centres and resources to produce an end product. Most of us will only need an indication as to whether we need a jacket before we step out the door, but some of us will need something a bit more specific or detailed, such as the UV rating for the day, or what the surf conditions will be at a certain time. Thankfully, some apps are more focused on boating conditions or snow conditions, while others are just general weather apps to give you a forecast and temperature range of the following week. And if you really get overwhelmed, you can always just stick to the pre-installed weather apps on your phone. However, with many weather apps also free to download and use, there’s nothing stopping you from trying multiple ones to find the one you like the best!

Picture credit: Kaspars Grinvalds/shutterstock.com, OSORIOartist/shutterstock.com