The 8 Best Storm Tracker Apps of 2020

Whether you’re looking to live out your dreams of being a storm chaser vicariously through others, or you simply need to know if there’s going to be a major flood in the next few hours, there's a storm tracker app for you.

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For the Casual Storm Tracker: The Weather Channel

What We Like

Easy to use.
Quick snapshot of general weather information.
Free to download on both iOS and Android platforms.

What We Don't Like

Can be too general and not as accurate for certain regions.
Radar features aren't nearly as robust as many other storm-tracking apps.
Not designed specifically for storm tracking.

If you're just casually interested in tracking storms, or you just need a quick glance at upcoming weather, the Weather Channel app is hard to beat. It offers a user-friendly interface with all the general weather information you need, whether locally or nationwide.

The Weather Channel app can also detect when you're in a severe weather zone and will automatically send notifications when there's a severe storm warning. You can also view past and future radars anywhere on the map, giving you accurate, detailed information on what's happening with severe weather.

Download The Weather Channel

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For When You Really Need to Know if it’s Going to Rain: Dark Sky

What We Like

Beautiful, easy-to-use design.
Extremely accurate.
Provides hyperlocal storm data.

What We Don't Like

Not a general weather app, so not ideal for checking things like daily temperature.
Only looks at weather in the short-term, doesn't provide longer weather outlooks.

Most storm tracking apps simply give you a percentage of possible precipitation over a general time period. Dark Sky drills down, hour by hour, minute by minute, so you know exactly when severe weather is going to hit. Dark Sky can even tell you how long it will rain, if there will be a break, and how long the break will be. It also offers a beautiful, user-friendly design and offers you as much or as little information as you're looking for.

Download Dark Sky

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For Novice Radar Junkies: Storm

What We Like

Focus on severe weather.
High-resolution radar animations and imaging.
Customizable radius for storm alerts.

What We Don't Like

Can feel like too much data for novice storm trackers.
iOS only app.

Storm, the severe weather tracking app produced by Weather Underground, provides realtime, vivid radar data displayed in what the developers say is the highest-resolution radar animation available. You can even customize your radius for receiving storm alerts via the app, or check out what's happening anywhere in the country. Storm also provides data around all types of severe weather, so you won't have to look elsewhere to find what you need.

Download Storm

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For Thrillseekers: Live Storm Chasing

What We Like

One of the few apps featuring real, live storm chasing video.
Crowdsources storm chasing video from legitimate storm chasers.

What We Don't Like

Not always live video to watch if a storm chaser isn't currently streaming.

Some storm chasers are in it for the science, while others are in it for the thrill. If you're looking to get a taste of what it's like to be in the latter's shoes, Live Storm Chasing offers an app where legitimate storm chasers can live stream video from the road. It's one of the only live-video platforms created specifically for storm chasers to share their live video feeds.

Download Live Storm Chasing

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For Wannabe Storm Chasers: RadarScope

What We Like

Extremely accurate radar data.
Realtime updates that professional storm chasers use.

What We Don't Like

It's only about radar, you won't find much else here.
At a $9.99 price point, only for those getting serious about storm tracking.

If you're ready to start chasing down storms yourself, or you just want to take your storm tracking to the next level, RadarScope is the storm weather app for you.

Used by professionals in the field, RadarScope lives up to its name with an intense focus on all things radar. Utilizing over 233 individual radar sites, RadarScope gathers all the storm tracking data you'll ever need and packages them into a customizable dashboard you can tweak to your liking. In addition to iOS and Android apps, RadarScope also offers apps for smartwatches and desktop.

Download RadarScope

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For Realtime Data: NOAA Weather Radar Live

What We Like

Provides international storm tracking data.
Utilizes highly accurate data sources.
Excellent radar overlays.

What We Don't Like

Can be too general and not as accurate locally.
Reserves some of the best features for a subscription fee.

When it comes to raw weather data, you're not going to beat the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). NOAA Weather Radar Live visualizes NOAA and National Weather Service (NWS) data into radar overlays and satellite imagery that gives you a precise look at what storms are doing across the country or internationally. If you want to track a hurricane in Denmark, for example, this is the app for you.

Download NOAA Weather Radar Live

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For More Than Radar: Weatherbug

What We Like

Very accurate.
Provides data besides just radar that storm trackers will find important.

What We Don't Like

It's still a general app, not a severe-weather app, so you may not get everything you want here.
Reserves some features for a subscription version.
As a general weather app, isn't that distinguishable from other weather apps.

Radar is going to drive your storm tracking app experience, but sometimes you want more. In fact, when you're tracking storms, you need to track more than just radar—you also need to understand what's happening with windchill, pressure, UV index, and more. This is where Weatherbug has storm trackers covered. Follow Doppler radar or check out realtime updates on lightning strikes, all from a single app.

Download Weatherbug

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For Hyperlocal Storm Info: Weather Underground

What We Like

Very accurate for local weather.
Utilizes a massive network of weather stations and is constantly growing.

What We Don't Like

Less focus on severe weather, meaning less features for storm tracking in some cases.
Not always as accurate for tracking storms outside of your local region.

Whether you're chasing a storm or trying to avoid one, it's really hard to beat Weather Underground for accurate, up-to-date, hyperlocal weather forecasting. This is for when you really need to know what's going on nearby, or perhaps when you're hot on the heels of a local storm.

With data compiled from over 250,000 weather stations, Weather Underground takes the approach that the future of weather forecasting is in building a platform you can personalize. For storm trackers, this is a must-have app.

Download Weather Underground