Gone are the days of staring at a weatherman awkwardly point to a green screen to tell us what the weather looks like for the next week. Now, you can use one online weather sites to see updated temperatures, daily breakdowns, future predictions, and more.
We're going to look at the best free weather websites online, so you can cut through the inaccurate reports of sub-standard weather providers.
1. National Weather Service
It doesn't get more accurate than a website created by the US government National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The app uses a combination of official weather stations, orbiting satellites, and other resources to churn out precise weather readings.
You won't get more up-to-date data with any other site online. You can find the weather in any part of the country. Other information such as wind speeds, maps, and even wildfire, droughts, and heat indices warnings.
If you're looking for a reliable weather provider, the National Weather Service is the most official site of them all.
2. Weather Underground
Weather Underground is a popular and innovative site that was born out of the University of Michigan's weather database. The Weather Channel purchased the site because it was so popular, and now it uses the database of over 100,000 members to compile updates from around the world.
Many meteorologists are attracted to this site which offers not only real-time updates on global climates but many other interesting services including the customizable Wundermap. It allows you to toggle layers to find local data.
3. The Weather Channel
The Weather Channel, not unlike the National Weather Service, is one of the most respected and reliable weather providers. Its strong presence in communities has led to safe evacuations from bad conditions due to its up-to-date weather reports.
You have access to five-day, ten-day, and monthly forecasts, as well as top stories from around the world. The radar shows live weather conditions and predictions up to 24 hours in advance. The Weather Channel can cover everything you need in one place.
4. AccuWeather
AccuWeather has made a big name for itself alongside bigger competitors such as The Weather Channel and the National Weather Service. It provides accurate and trustworthy weather reports and helpful features.
The site's simple layout makes it easy to find what you're looking for, although it contains many ads that make the experience less than ideal. AccuWeather's news section is up-to-date, so you can get the latest stories from around the world.
5. DarkSky
Simplistic in nature, DarkSky is perfect for anyone to use, even if you don't have any experience reading weather maps. You can see weather predictions for the week, view different map types, and full daily weather breakdowns by the hour.
There's even a humorous time machine option, that allows you to check the weather for future or past dates. The site offers specific technical information like visibility index and dew point, even though it remains simple to use.
6. WeatherBug
WeatherBug got its big break when it was included in Windows, and has created a cult following ever since. The cute ladybug logo combined with the easy-to-use experience makes it a favorite among those who want their weather to be immediately understandable.
The site made some significant changes throughout the years, so you can enjoy updates on allergies, pollen, fire, traffic cameras, air quality, and more. The news area is packed with articles and videos about recent events and weather updates.
What may have started as a small and simple weather app has turned into a full-blown weather service provider.
7. Weatherspark
Weatherspark works a little differently than the others on this list. It focuses on pulling your city or location first, and then providing you with information about the environments in that area. Then, you can visit an interactive map to view the weather in real-time.
You can check average weather predictions for the month, day, or hour and read up on information like cloud movements, humidity, wind, growing season, and more.
The site is a perfect place to learn more about an area you are visiting for vacation, or going to move to.
8. World Weather Online
World Weather Online attempts to give you the most information possible about any location you want to check out. It doesn't have any interactive maps providing real-time data, but it does have just about everything else.
You can check moon cycles, daily weather breakdowns, weekly summaries, and an entire travel guide. It will tell you about the local attractions, food, language, and best times to visit.
If you're researching a specific location, there is no other better site than World Weather Online
9. Windy
Take one look at Windy's interface and try not to be impressed by how detailed and beautiful it is. The map fills up the entire screen and shows the wind direction of the entire world. Zoom in on the map, and you can find your specific location.
If you click on a specific location, you can then view the weekly weather forecast. The only problem with Windy is all the specificity makes it a little hard to understand for the casual weather watcher. But make no mistake about it, the map interface is unmatched in weather service providers.
10. Ventusky
Similar to Windy, Ventusky has a beautiful looking interactive map, which is easy to use for casual weather checkers. You can click on a city to get a full weather forecast, or just look at your area and use the different elements to check precipitation, clouds, wind speeds, and more.
The app can be a bit clunky at times, as some text falls over itself, or the zoom feature moves a bit slow. But otherwise, it's got everything you need. You can view any date in the future for estimated weather predictions, or just look at a few hours in advance.
The Best Free Weather Service Sites
Any weather service provider should be able to tell you accurate predictions about the temperature outside, but the best ones can do a lot more. Wind conditions, hourly breakdowns, wildfire tracking, and highly interactive maps are just a few of the ways these sites make your weather reports more comprehensive than they've ever been.
Sometimes you want to view the weather on the go and don't have time to visit your browser. When that's the case, download one of the best free weather apps for your phone.