Wind App for Android phone?

[scgilligan]

Does anyone have an app that lets you set a location and find the wind speed currently and forcasted? Maybe something with barometer readings also..Other than a basic weather app..Thanks.

[belizesailor]

Do you mean something using a physical sensor for local wind or just reported local wind data?

WindGuru is good for forecasts and local reports.

There are a few apps that use mic noise to approximate wind speed. Have not tried them so dont know how accurate.

And a few that interface with anemometes/weather station hardware for local sensors.

[pickpaul]

Predictwind

Sent from my SM-G925T using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[er9]

Windfinder / Windfinder Pro are pretty good. Me and my nerd sailing friend love this app. easy to read, nicely laid out. seems to be pretty accurate in the couple months we have been using it. also has forecast out a couple days and barometric pressure, tide, wave height etc...

[Cormorant]

I was using WindFinder this summer, and I like its easy to read interface.

But on at least one occasion its predictions differed significantly from the local NOAA forecast. It was one of those approaching stormy days where you keep tracking the predictions to figure out where to anchor and when to travel etc. Windfinder predicted winds of 30 knots gusting to 40, or something like that. NOAA predicted winds 15-20. Turned out NOAA was correct. It made me wonder what model Windfinder uses and how their prediction process differs from NOAA, or from any other wind prediction app. I always assumed they all drew from the same well of data.

[scgilligan]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

Do you mean something using a physical sensor for local wind or just reported local wind data?

WindGuru is good for forecasts and local reports.

There are a few apps that use mic noise to approximate wind speed. Have not tried them so dont know how accurate.

And a few that interface with anemometes/weather station hardware for local sensors.

No, not looking for something to tell me what the wind is where I am..just something I could check for a certain area before going out, etc. So, if I were going to drive a couple of hours for a sail I would know that the winds are expected to be XX knots throughout the day. The regular weather on my phone just tells me temp and precip. I know I can get that from weather stations, was just looking at a quick reference for my phone.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by scgilligan

No, not looking for something to tell me what the wind is where I am..just something I could check for a certain area before going out, etc. So, if I were going to drive a couple of hours for a sail I would know that the winds are expected to be XX knots throughout the day. The regular weather on my phone just tells me temp and precip. I know I can get that from weather stations, was just looking at a quick reference for my phone.

Ok, then any of the above recommendations are good. Install them all from Google Play and see which you prefer.

[er9]

Originally Posted by Cormorant

I was using WindFinder this summer, and I like its easy to read interface.

But on at least one occasion its predictions differed significantly from the local NOAA forecast. It was one of those approaching stormy days where you keep tracking the predictions to figure out where to anchor and when to travel etc. Windfinder predicted winds of 30 knots gusting to 40, or something like that. NOAA predicted winds 15-20. Turned out NOAA was correct. It made me wonder what model Windfinder uses and how their prediction process differs from NOAA, or from any other wind prediction app. I always assumed they all drew from the same well of data.

interesting i will have to start double checking against noaa more often see how it does long term.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by er9

interesting i will have to start double checking against noaa more often see how it does long term.

NOAA's GFS model, which is the most commonly used, often under estimates higher wind speeds. So, some data presentation services tweak the data. WindGuru for example, allows you to set your own correction factors.

For a dramatic example, look at GFS forecast wind speeds around a hurricane.

[Cormorant]

I just downloaded Wind Guru (free version) to my phone.

I wanted to add a couple of "Custom Spots" but when I click on "Custom Spots" I just get a blank screen with no way to input coordinates. Is that just a feature of the paid version, or am I missing something?

I'm impressed by the wealth of data, all the different wind/wave models this app presents.