by Scott Shaddox

Created on: July 31, 2010   Last Updated: August 02, 2010

One constant in our daily life is the influence of weather. Outdoor activities like weddings, sporting events, family reunions and picnics can be dramatically affected by weather conditions. When it comes to weather information there is no better place to look than The Weather Channel. Since 1982, The Weather Channel has been a staple of cable and satellite television and is known as a leader in the field of weather forecasting and information. Continuing their tradition of excellence and innovation,  the network has made available an application for the iPhone and iPod Touch designed to deliver important weather information to the iPhone and iPod Touch.

When The Weather Channel app is first opened and your zip code entered, you are shown a screen which displays current conditions for your area. This information proves most useful in those times when a television or radio is not available and you need weather data quickly. Along the bottom row of the initial page are options which include hourly, 36 hour, and 10 day forecasts. The hourly forecast includes a graphical summary of expected temperature, humidity, and wind speeds for the following 12 hours.  The 36 hour forecast is more descriptive, text based format and provides forecast trends for the next day and a half. The 10 day forecast looks deeper into the future and gives a general prediction based on current weather patterns.  

Running along the very bottom of the application window is another set of “buttons”  which provide additional weather information. These choices include: weather, map, severe, video, in-season, road cams, and settings. When “map” is chosen, a map of your specific location will be displayed. This feature is highly customizable, and can be set to display layers such as radar, clouds, radar and clouds, temperature, "feels like" temperature, 24-hour rain and snowfall, and UV index. Neighborhood points including cities, schools, airports, parks, golf courses and lakes may be set for display as well. The map may be zoomed in for a more narrow view or out for a wider perspective. To see the general movement of storm systems, a looping feature can be implemented by the user.

The “severe” option functions as you might expect.  It displays active weather alerts for your location. The selection of “road cams” displays road cameras available in your area, while “in-season” provides tree, grass, and weed pollen information for the next 36 hours. The “video” option streams a video forecast to your iPhone or iPod Touch providing current conditions and forecast information similar to the “local on the 8's” forecasts that are found on the regular broadcast channel. The video also includes a short summary for your area given by a Channel meteorologist.

There is little doubt the weather has a tremendous affect on our lives. While impossible to change, knowing what the weather has in store for you enables you to dress more appropriately or even alter your plans for a better day. Weather Channel app for the iPhone and iPod Touch will keep you informed so that you will never be caught off guard by Mother Nature again.

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