I get asked frequently about the best weather stuff – apps,
home stations, websites.
I’m not an expert on this, but I’ve been a proud “weather
geek” since I was a kid, and I have some strong preferences.
These are my choices for the Rippeology Weather Media
Awards. Tell me your faves in the
comments!
Mobile Apps:
Best free Summer Radar app: RadarScope
Best paid Summer Radar app: RadarScope Pro (You might need a
lesson in how to use this, but at $9.99 a year, it’s life-saving stuff)
 |
| Sample RadarScope storm radar. |
Best local forecast app: Dark Sky (simple, accurate)
 |
| Dark Sky |
Best free Winter weather app: MyRadar (captures winter weather very well)
Best paid Winter weather app: (Nope. Don’t bother.)
Best severe weather app: (tie) RadarScope Pro and Storm
Shield
Local (ish)
Meteorologists:
Best TV meteorologist in south-central Wisconsin: Max
Tsaparis, WKOW
Best south-central Wisconsin Twitter account: Bob
Lesh, WISC: part goofball, part really good meteorologist
Best meteorologist on planet earth: Tom Skilling
 |
| Tom Skilling, my original weather crush |
Best long-range meteorologist: Sally
Severson (WISN Milwaukee) – only because Jeremy Nelson ditched us for
warmer climes.
Best local TV station for severe weather: WKOW
If I was going to get a meteorology degree, and I could
choose my own teacher: Jeremy
Nelson (dude is onto something with the BSR and LRC stuff, and owns a lot
of colored pencils)
Social Media Follows:
Best Twitter account that will get you pumped about chasing
storms: Reed Timmer
Best Instagram account by a meteorologist: Jeremy Nelson
 |
| From Jeremy Nelson's Instagram account |
Most Entertaining Weather Amateur Besides Me: Frankie MacDonald on YouTube
(“People of Wisconsin…!”)
Best local weather photographer (Twitter): Tom Purdy
 |
| This guys does amazing work! |
Best way to keep up on aurora forecasts: Aurora Alerts
Weather Geeks Only:
Best user interface for weather models: www.wxcharts.eu
Top 5 essential weather websites for true weather geeks: www.wxcharts.eu;
www.goes.noaa.gov; www.meteo.psu.edu; www.organicforecasting.com; www.ventusky.com
 |
| WXCHARTS |
Never Ever Look at this Website: www.accuweather.com
Most reliable future radar, summer: HRRR, available at Pivotal
Weather
Most reliable future radar, winter: NAM 3k, available at Tropical
Tidbits
Home Weather:
Best home weather station value: AcuRite
(get the smartHUB so you can link your station on weather underground!)
 |
| The home weather station I have. |
Best home weather station if price is no object: Davis Vantage Pro
Those are my picks! What are yours?
~Scott
