Best Weather Forecast App - Offline ?

[vtomanov]

Any suggestions for good Weather Forecast App for IPhone/IPad/Android that can work offline - e.g. when there si no internet connection ?

[maitai]

qtVlm for android or iOS is a free grib viewer (assuming you downloaded grib files before losing internet connection). Make sure you also set the maps to offline mode.

[ErikFinn]

Originally Posted by vtomanov

Any suggestions for good Weather Forecast App for IPhone/IPad/Android that can work offline - e.g. when there si no internet connection ?

I didn't even know such stuff exists.. Basically I thought the only options were sat phone data (expensive) and weather fax with ssb and pactor modem, or just listen to audio forecasts on your radio.. And I recall in US you can sub to wx on your plotter (some), but again, these actually do connect to internet.. I believe..
So how can an app get a FOREcast if there is no internet connection? Sure can display old downloaded ones but how about new fresh ones?
Keen to learn more..

[em_ko]

There's an app that shows forecasts by comparing the clouds (and wind) amongst other things :
Weather Navigator

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by em_ko

There's an app that shows forecasts by comparing the clouds (and wind) amongst other things :
Weather Navigator

I just downloaded it. (US$2.50).
Its 25 photos of clouds and a write up of each.

I don't think the developer will become a millionair from it.

[Navigation Mac]

Weather4D PRO and Weather4D 2.0 allow to get GRIB files for offshore use :
- From internet before cast off (all forecast models GFS WRF NAM WW3, etc)
- From SailDocs with satphone (GFS)
- Direct download with Iridium GO! (W4D 2.0 only, all forecast models)

[Kenomac]

PredictWind. I've tried them all and this one's the best.

Before I subscribed to PredictWind, my first choice was Weather4D Pro.

[Sam8989]

No, all the weather apps will need either a data connection of Wifi connection to work. My favourite weather site is Accuweather which I've been using for a long time. I rely on the alerts for severe weather alerts

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

PredictWind. I've tried them all and this one's the best.

Before I subscribed to PredictWind, my first choice was Weather4D Pro.

PredictWind has been both terrible and outrageously expensive, so I quit using it right after I wrote the above post.

Weather4D has improved to be my go to weather app, its remarkable how accurate its been over the past three years above all the others.

[Yellow bird]

Originally Posted by vtomanov

Any suggestions for good Weather Forecast App for IPhone/IPad/Android that can work offline - e.g. when there si no internet connection ?

For Weather Forecast without any internet connection, you have only two solutions.

The cheapest:


The most expensive:


Better if both

[barnakiel]

If there is no Internet connection, how do you get wx data into that forecast App? Eh?



Apps download data and present it. Unless you name an app something like a laptop based radiofax plotter software (jvcomm, etc.) or a similar solution.


Or do you mean download now, then review later on board? This can be done sure, except that you are now looking at data that is somewhat (or very) old.


However, since you asked:


In our own boat (a small boat, by all standards) we have:


- vhf to listen to shore station forecasts,


- ssb receiver to listen to wx forecasts and collect radiofax offshore,



- sat message unit - to collect/view gribbed data via satellite network.


Each of the above is nice and I could do without the sat thing. (If not than now the thing is our EPIRB too).


Have fun watching the weather on your Apps and on the water!


barnakiel

[RGN]

I agree 100% with the barometer! However it does take some learning to understand how to interpret the readings and trends. It is not like an App in that it does not scream at you in flashing red "Hurricane Coming!"


But it can be very useful, especially in detecting localized weather the Apps cannot possibly show.


It is also fun to watch and see how it changes.


Plus they look so Damned cool on the bulkhead.

[barnakiel]

Baro is great but mostly of use in mid latitudes (perhaps also higher up but I have not sailed there so can't tell).


In the tropics baro is less of help. Not nil, just limited.



The closest to meaningful we got is to time trop waves approaching in the West Indies. Much as I can tell the wave coming tomorrow from the weather today, without any instruments (but my eyes).


Then you have the hygro meter and the thermo meter. Both bring something to the table.



And do not forget the thermo meter in your paddlewheel too!



b.

[Montanan]

Use a weather stick.
Reference article:

https://www.farmersalmanac.com/how-d...cks-work-21769

Reference time lapse video of a weather stick gauge.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmJ7SRaEqQE

[Don C L]

Lately, local to southern Cal anyway, I've had really good luck with Windy and Weather Map, to the point where Windy was accurate to within one knot of wind speed and within an hour of when that would show up.... now if I could just get an app that showed how many boats are in the anchorage I'm headed for and just where they are anchored, that'd be cool...