Utilities · iOS
Weather ۬
by Impala Studios
Launched in 2018 and carrying 272,000 ratings at a 4.54 average, Weather by Impala Studios has earned real-world trust at scale. The free tier delivers hourly and 10-day forecasts, UV index, visibility, pressure, and a live precipitation radar covering rain, snow, drizzle, and hail. A premium subscription unlocks the hurricane tracker and extended radar lookahead. The 289 MB install is substantial, but the feature breadth gives that size some justification.
Comprehensive forecasts without paid barriers
At its core, Weather serves up a well-rounded forecast package without asking for a credit card. Free users get humidity, pressure, visibility, wind direction and speed, feels-like temperature, UV index, and sunrise and sunset times, a lineup that matches or exceeds what many paid apps offer at entry level. The live precipitation radar distinguishes between rain, snow, drizzle, and hail, which is more granular than typical free-tier radar layers. Unlimited saved locations is a genuine differentiator; competing free apps routinely cap saves at three to five. The premium tier adds a storm tracker covering hurricanes, cyclones, tornadoes, and typhoons, plus an extended radar lookahead window. That split works fine for most users and becomes a real limitation only for those in high-risk coastal or severe-weather regions.
High user satisfaction despite storage demands
With 272,000 ratings averaging 4.54, the app clearly satisfies the vast majority of its users in everyday conditions. A 289 MB install is on the heavier side for a weather utility, suggesting rich map assets and radar imagery rather than a lean data-fetch architecture, so users on older or storage-constrained devices should factor that in. Update recency is a positive signal: a May 2026 release on a codebase dating to 2018 indicates the developer is actively resolving issues rather than coasting. Ads on the free tier are a known trade-off, but weather apps are often opened quickly during stressful or time-sensitive moments, and interstitial ad placements can feel more disruptive here than in leisure categories.
Free tier serves most users adequately
The free tier is legitimately useful rather than a stripped demo designed to push upgrades. Most users checking daily conditions, planning a week ahead, or monitoring a commute route will never need to pay. The premium subscription unlocks the storm tracker and extended radar, features that matter enormously in hurricane or tornado country but are irrelevant to users in calmer climates. Subscription pricing is not disclosed in the store listing data available to us, so prospective buyers should check the in-app purchase screen before committing. For the majority of casual users, the ad-supported free experience delivers solid value with no financial outlay.
Location data practices require verification
Weather apps as a category typically request location access (often always-on), and some request notification permissions for severe-weather alerts. We cannot independently verify what data Weather collects or shares without reviewing Apple's App Store privacy nutrition label for this specific listing. We recommend opening the App Store page, scrolling to the Privacy section, and reviewing the declared data types before installing. Pay particular attention to whether location data is linked to your identity or shared with third-party advertising networks, since the app is ad-supported on the free tier. The content rating of 4+ suggests no objectionable content, but that label does not address data practices.
iPad support and dark mode confirmed
Support for Split View indicates the developer has invested in iPad-class layout work, which is not universal among free utility apps. Dark Mode support is present, reducing eye strain during nighttime checks. Beyond those confirmed features, we cannot make specific claims about Dynamic Type scaling, VoiceOver compatibility, or color-contrast ratios without hands-on testing. Users who rely on assistive technologies should test the app during any free trial or initial free-tier period before committing to a subscription. The app's high rating volume and long retention since 2018 suggest the interface is broadly intuitive, even if formal accessibility certification is unknown.
Eight years of active development
A May 2026 update on an app first released in March 2018 is a strong maintenance signal. Eight years of continuous development with recent activity suggests the developer is responding to iOS version changes, new device form factors, and user feedback rather than abandoning the product. Version 2.0.17 implies a steady cadence of incremental releases rather than sporadic large drops. The 272,000 rating count also indicates a large enough user base to surface bugs quickly, giving the developer both the incentive and the feedback loop to keep the app stable. For a free utility, that combination of longevity and recent upkeep is reassuring.
Pros
- Unlimited saved locations on the free tier, outpacing many competing apps that cap at three to five
- Live precipitation radar distinguishes rain, snow, drizzle, and hail at no cost
- Comprehensive free forecast data including UV index, visibility, pressure, and wind metrics
- Actively maintained with a May 2026 update on an eight-year-old codebase
Cons
- Hurricane and severe storm tracker is locked behind a subscription, a significant gap for coastal and storm-prone users
- 289 MB install size is heavy for a weather utility and may strain older or low-storage devices
- Ad-supported free tier can disrupt the quick, time-sensitive check-ins that weather apps typically demand
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