James Roddie likes the stripped-back approach to reading the weather forecast on XCWeather app – but says it’s shouldn’t be used for mountain weather in silo.
The immediate appeal of the XCWeather app is the simplicity of the interface. Some weather apps can include an overwhelming amount of forecast information, but that is not the case here.
James Roddie’s verdict
This is a helpful app, particularly with regards to forecasting wind at sea level locations, but it must be used alongside a mountain-specific forecast for safe use when hillwalking.- free
- simple interface
- no weather radar map
- mountain forecasts commonly unreliable
| Quick specs |
|---|
| Cost: Free (available from the App Store) Platforms: iPhone, Android, Web browser Maps: none Features: Forecasts for 7 days. Customisable forecast readout. Offline? no xcweather.co.uk |
I really like that you can customise the forecast readout, and if preferred, you can strip things back to only display the wind direction and speed, temperature, rain amount and an overall condition icon. This can be a real advantage for people who only want the most basic forecasting information. This app has become a favourite amongst many people working on fishing boats and ferries, as it has developed a reputation for reliability for its wind forecasts.
While would agree that it largely does an excellent job for locations close to sea level, the same cannot be said with regards to wind speeds in the mountains. I have seen numerous occasions when the forecast for a UK hill has been wildly inaccurate, and bares no resemblance to reality. For example the forecast for Ben Nevis is regularly shown as being identical to that of Fort William, even during unsettled weather. This is a difference of over 1300m altitude, and as such there is commonly an extreme difference between the wind speeds in these two locations. This app is not specifically designed for forecasting mountain weather, and as such it cannot be recommended for this purpose.
I can find the location search feature a little frustrating. Some locations are automatically matched and auto-filled, whereas others are not, even though a forecast for that location exists. A simple map showing forecast locations would be a handy edition for a future update.
This is a helpful app, particularly with regards to forecasting wind at sea level locations, but it must be used alongside a mountain-specific forecast for safe use when hill walking and mountaineering.
How we tested
James tested these apps across the Scottish Highlands, Patagonia and the Balkans. Tests were performed on an iPhone with an up-to-date version of iOS. Weather forecasting apps were tested in both mountainous and lowland locations. You can compare this with other in our guide to the best hiking apps.
This review was first published in the July issue of The Great Outdoors.
