A unique new weather app for iPhone gives you two forecasts in case the first one is wrong
The Acme Weather app gives you a likely forecast and an alternative in case the likely one is wrong.
The Acme Weather app assumes that iit won't always be right. | Image by Image by Acme Weather
A new weather app is available for the iPhone via the App Store. But this is not like any other weather app available. First of all, it has a rich heritage, or you might call it a storied lineage. The people behind this new weather app, Adam Grossman, Josh Reyes, and Dan Abrutyn, hit a grand slam with the Dark Sky weather app. The hyperlocal weather app was acquired in 2020 by Apple. Some of the core Dark Sky features ended up integrated in the native Apple Weather app.
The Dark Sky team say that they enjoyed their time at Apple, but they felt unsatisfied with the current crop of iOS weather apps as did friends and family members. The former Dark Sky team also missed the days when they were a "small scrappy shop." So the team started all over again with a new premise: no weather forecast will be 100% accurate, and forecasts are often wrong.
Former Dark Sky team member Adam Grossman says Acme embraces the idea that their forecast might be wrong
In a new blog post, former Dark Sky team member Grossman said that most weather apps will give you their single best guess. But as he noted, "You can’t plan your day if you don’t know how much you can trust the forecast, or know what other possibilities might arise," their new app, Acme Weather, "embraces the idea that [their] forecast might be wrong. Acme supplements its forecast by including alternate predictions that include a wide range of possible outcomes.
When the alternate prediction is close to the main forecast, that improves the chances that the original forecast will be correct. If there is a wide gap between the forecast and the alternative, the forecast might have to be changed during the day. Grossman writes that you build up a sense of how much you can trust the forecast. He adds, "After using this for the past six months, I never want to go back to a single forecast again!"
Main firec ast on left, alternate forecast on the right. | Image by Acme Weather
The alternate forecast also shows users what else might happen. You can see a time range when a storm might show up. Will the snow arrive early, or will it be late and turn mostly to rain? Grossman adds, "When the weather is changing rapidly, predictions can become less reliable. We’ll show you different possible futures, so you can be better informed."
Acme Weather will show you crowdsourced forecasts from your community
Acme Weather will also feature community reports which show you the weather as reported by nearby users. You can add your current weather conditions to the crowdsourced data. The app also has plenty of maps including radar, a temperatures map, and one that shows precipitation totals. And since most people don't want to check their weather app every so often, Acme Weather will send notifications often.
Crowdsourced forecasts are also part of the Acme Weather app. | Image by Acme Weather
These notifications will give you up-to-the-minute rain warnings, government issued severe weather alerts, lightening warnings, and a notification telling you whether a rainbow can be seen outside your house.
One famous entertainer might be interested in a weather app from Acme
We know of at least one famous entertainer that might be interested in the Acme Weather app. Warner Brothers animated star Wile E. Coyote has been known to spend money on Acme traps designed to catch Road Runners. While the app can be downloaded for free from the App Store (simply tap on this link), following a free two-week trial, the app will cost you $25 per year.
Considering that you can easily find free weather apps for both iOS and Android, Grossman and his team must feel very confident in Acme to charge for the service. If you're looking for something off the beaten oath when it comes to a weather app, you might want to give Acme Weather a shot. You can check it out over the two-week free trial and see weather whether it is worth the cost.
If you have an Android device, don't be green. A version of the Acme Weather app for Android is being "actively built."
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