If you’re stuck working at a Mac all day, it’s difficult to know what the conditions are outdoors. But there’s no need to guess when you have the right tools.
We’re highlighting some of the best weather apps for Mac that will tell you exactly what’s happening outside.
1. Carrot Weather
Carrot Weather stands out from the run-of-the-mill weather apps, which is definitely a positive. It takes everything you want in a full-featured weather app and adds a huge dose of snark from the namesake AI.
Each time you open the app, depending on the weather, Carrot’s chat and the scenery will change in some hysterical ways. Along with a look at hourly weather, you can also view the long-term forecast.
Even when the app isn’t open, you can view notifications for almost anything, including the start of precipitation, a severe weather alert, and the daily forecast. Important weather information is also accessible in the menu bar version of the app. For instance, the current temperature for your location is always visible.
There are several subscriptions available to unlock additional data sources and more features. The great news is that buying these also carries over to the iOS version of the app.
Download: Carrot Weather ($ 14.99, subscription available)
2. Living Earth
Living Earth is a weather app from a different perspective. Accessible directly on your Mac’s menu bar, the app combines both a world clock and the ability to view the weather conditions and forecast. It’s available at your location as well as many cities around the world. Using information from Weather Underground, you can see both two-hour and 10-day forecasts.
The standout feature of the app is the 3D view of Earth, with near-live cloud cover maps so you can view weather patterns, hurricanes, and tropical storms moving around the world.
As a great touch, the app also provides a live wallpaper and screensaver for your Mac. This is a great way to visualize the world on a high-resolution Mac display.
Download: Living Earth ($ 6.99)
3. Weather Bar
If you’re looking for a simple weather app, Weather Bar should be near the top of your list. As you might have guessed from the name, you interact with the app on the Mac menu bar.
Click on the icon to see the current conditions at a chosen location including temperature, humidity, dewpoint, and wind speed. A pull-down menu will show a short-term forecast for the next 12 hours.
Download: Weather Bar ($ 1.99)
4. Swackett
Swackett wants to make often-complex weather data easily understandable by everyone. The headlining feature of the app is different people symbols. These “peeps” will always be appropriately dressed for the weather at your location.
So for example, if the day is forecast as hot and sunny, the peep will be wearing shorts and sunglasses. Head to the personalization center to better customize the app and the clothing recommendations for your taste.
You can view the visual forecast for the next hour, today, tomorrow, and the following day to get a better idea of how the weather is shaping up. There are also non-visual forecasts for the next seven days. The app provides radar imagery to view any precipitation in the area.
The app also supports the MacBook Pro Touch Bar for quick access to weather information. Speaking of this, make sure to take a look at these other great apps that put the MacBook Pro Touch Bar to good use.
Download: Swackett ($ 4.99)
5. WeatherBug
A completely free option, WeatherBug allows you to see weather at your current location and set favorites from around the world. The network features forecasts for 2.6 million locations, so you should easily find information for even the most out-of-the-way place.
On the Mac menu bar, it’s easy to access see all of your saved locations, plus view an hourly forecast and live radar. When there’s a severe weather alert at any location, you’ll see an alert on the menu bar.
The app will also give you quick access to WeatherBug’s network of weather and traffic cameras from around the world.
Download: WeatherBug (Free)
6. Clear Day
Instead of just reading the weather conditions, Clear Day wants to show you what’s happening outside. The app offers beautiful videos showing the weather conditions like rain, snow, and clouds.
Another great feature of the app is that it provides an animated NOAA radar widget in the Today View so you can see any precipitation even without having the app open. You can find more information in the Mac menu bar to see current weather conditions and alerts.
For each city you select, it’s easy to set a customizable temperature notification if the weather goes above or below or specific temperature. The cities you save sync via iCloud so you can access the same information on the iOS version of the app.
Past the weather, the app also shows detailed moon phase information—including sunrise and sunset—and even an on-screen world clock that shows the time in every city selected.
Download: Clear Day ($ 4.99)
7. RadarScope
RadarScope isn’t for everyone. But if you’re a weather enthusiast or even a professional meteorologist, the app has a host of great features. It’s easily the best weather radar app for Mac, as you can view NEXRAD Level 3 and high-resolution radar, predicted storm tracks, and severe weather warnings.
You can select from 289 radar across the United States, Canada, Australia, and other locations. The information automatically updates every two to 10 minutes depending on the site selected. The app’s sidebar will show the list of active warnings. Just select one to view the details and zoom in on the area. Zoom in and out using a mouse or multi-finger gestures on a trackpad.
For even more data, there are two different subscription tiers to select from. Pro Tier 1 offers features including lighting and radar information, while Pro Tier 2 offers everything from Tier 1 along with a 30-day radar archive and more. Those tiers are also accessible on the iOS version of the app.
Download: RadarScope ($ 29.99, subscription available)
Mac Weather Apps to Know the Temperature and More
With these great weather apps for Mac, you’ll never be surprised what’s happening outside—rain or shine.
If you’d rather use your smartphone to check what’s happening outside, make sure to look at the best weather apps for iPhone too.
Read the full article: The 7 Best Mac Weather Apps
