Which weather app is the best?

Introduction

Accurate weather forecasts are crucial for planning in weather-sensitive activities like farming, outdoor events, and travel. In the UK – especially in regions like South West England, where microclimates can make conditions vary mile by mile – choosing a reliable weather app can mean the difference between a productive day and a washout. We ask the questions you want answers to.

This report examines which iOS weather apps have proven most accurate over the past 12 months, with a focus on hour-by-hour forecasting performance in South West England. Both free and paid apps are evaluated using recent performance data, expert reviews, user feedback (particularly from the South West), and third-party comparisons. Short paragraphs, clear headings, and a comparison table are provided for easy scanning of key points.

Why is accurate weather forecasting so important in South West England?

The UK’s weather is notoriously changeable, and nowhere is this more evident than in the South West. Coastal geography and Atlantic weather systems create fast-moving showers and micro-scale rain patterns – it’s not uncommon in Cornwall or Devon to see rain on one side of a hill and sunshine on the otherreddit.comreddit.com. For farmers timing their harvest or spraying, or anyone planning outdoor work, hour-by-hour accuracy is critical. An app that nails the timing of a two-hour dry window can save a farmer’s crop or a construction crew’s schedule. Conversely, an app that misjudges a sudden “mizzle” (fine drizzle) can lead to missed opportunities or waterlogged plans. In this context, forecast nowcasting (very near-term predictions) and precise local modeling are as important as long-range outlooks. South West users often supplement apps with real-time radar and local knowledgereddit.comreddit.com, underscoring that not all weather apps handle the region’s quirks equally well.

Which weather app was most accurate in the UK in the past 12 months?

Over the last year, several independent tests and studies have compared popular UK weather apps:

• Which?/University of Reading Study (Late 2024): Consumer group Which? teamed with meteorologists at University of Reading to measure forecast accuracy of top apps over a two-week period. They penalized apps for each incorrect weather symbol and each degree of temperature errorwhich.co.uk. The results were striking: the app with the most accurate forecasts overall was The Weather Channel, especially for hour-by-hour “nowcasts” and same-day predictionswhich.co.uk. In contrast, BBC Weather ranked worst in overall accuracy in that testwhich.co.uk. The final ranking (from most to least accurate) was: 1) The Weather Channel, 2) AccuWeather, 3) Met Office, 4) Apple Weather, 5) BBC Weatherwhich.co.uk. Notably, The Weather Channel excelled at predicting weather a few hours ahead and later in the day, whereas the BBC app struggled, often overestimating rain that never materializedwhich.co.uk.

• University of Reading “BBC vs Met Office” Analysis (Oct–Dec 2024): A separate academic study focused on the UK’s two most popular apps – BBC Weather and Met Office – logging their forecasts every hour and comparing to actual observations in Readingtelegraph.co.uk. It found both apps were fairly reliable overall, correctly predicting temperature within 2°C up to 3 days out in ~70% of casestelegraph.co.uktelegraph.co.uk. However, each had different strengths:

  • Temperature: Met Office was better on temperature accuracy, getting temperatures right more often (about 5.4% more frequently than BBC in the sample)telegraph.co.uk. When the two apps’ temperature predictions disagreed, Met Office turned out correct more often – for 3-day forecasts, Met Office was right 60% more of the time than BBCtelegraph.co.uk.

  • Precipitation: BBC Weather showed an edge in immediate rain forecasting. For forecasts “within the hour,” BBC had a more accurate read on rain risk 18.7% of the time versus 8.7% for Met Officetelegraph.co.uk. In other words, for on-the-day pop-up showers, the BBC app slightly outdid Met Office in this study. Both apps, however, tended to over-predict rain – they indicated rain was likely 17% of the time when in reality it rained only 10–12% of the timetelegraph.co.uk. The BBC was especially “pessimistic” about rain on days further out, often erring on the side of forecasting rain that never cametelegraph.co.uktelegraph.co.uk.

  Implication: The Met Office app’s strength in temperature (especially for multi-day forecasts) reflects its world-class modeling, while BBC’s rain-nowcast skill might come from its data sources and conservative approach to icons. Users are “in good hands with both apps,” the researchers noted, but they advised checking multiple sources and planning for the worst-case when making decisions based on the forecasttelegraph.co.uk.

• ForecastWatch Global Performance (2024): ForecastWatch, an independent forecast accuracy auditor, analyzed 600+ million forecasts from 25 providers worldwide for 2024. Their latest report crowned IBM’s The Weather Company (which powers The Weather Channel app) as the world’s most accurate forecaster for the eighth year runningweather.com. The Weather Company ranked #1 in overall accuracy across metrics like precipitation, temperature, wind, and cloud coverweather.com. It was nearly four times more likely to be the most accurate than the next-best provider in overall resultsweather.com. This aligns with the Which? test above, suggesting that the Weather Channel app’s forecasts are extremely dependable by global and UK standards. (For context, ForecastWatch’s analysis showed other top-tier providers globally included Foreca and AccuWeather, while the UK Met Office’s forecasts, though very strong locally, did not top the global ranks in 2024’s 1–5 day forecast evaluationepressi.comepressi.com.)

• World Meteorological Organization (WMO) App Awards: The UK Met Office app itself has earned accolades. It won “most accurate forecast” in the WMO’s international weather app awards (2020)theguardian.com. The Met Office’s approach combines a supercomputer-driven model (assimilating 215 billion observations daily) with meteorologists fine-tuning the outputtheguardian.com. This blend of cutting-edge modeling and human expertise appears to pay off – the Met Office app remains a benchmark for UK forecast quality.

In summary, if one were to identify the single “most accurate” app of the past year for UK forecasts, The Weather Channel comes out on top by multiple measureswhich.co.ukweather.com. AccuWeather and the Met Office apps are close contenders, each excelling in different areaswhich.co.uktheguardian.com. BBC Weather – despite its popularity – has lagged in measured accuracywhich.co.uk (though it still provides useful information). Apple’s default Weather app (which absorbed Dark Sky’s technology in 2023) has improved hyperlocal features, but it has faced criticism and mixed user experiences regarding its reliability in the UKwhynow.co.uk. The following sections delve into these apps’ profiles, including their features, costs, and specific feedback from experts and users in the South West.

Which weather app works best in South West England?

No formal study exclusively compared apps in the South West last year, but local users’ experiences and reviews provide valuable insight:

• Met Office App – Trusted but Sometimes Delayed: Many in the South West rely on the official Met Office app for its local expertise. A Cornwall resident noted “I use the Met Office app. It’s good, but Cornwall is tough because it’s almost an island and the wind is predominantly SW.” This user found the Met Office’s timing can be “a couple of hours out” for Cornwall’s fast-changing weatherreddit.comreddit.com – not perfect, but still a go-to source. Overall, the sentiment is that the Met Office’s high-resolution UK model (UKV) captures local patterns well, even if small timing errors occur with passing showers.

• BBC Weather – Cautious Forecasts, Mixed Feedback: The BBC Weather app is very popular nationwide (over 1.2 million App Store ratings, averaging 4.6★)apps.apple.com. It presents an appealing, easy interface and now uses ECMWF model data via MeteoGroup/DTNtheguardian.com. However, South West users often observe that BBC’s forecasts can underestimate localized rain. One Falmouth user quipped “Every single day BBC Weather says no rain. [Yet local forecasters say] there will be showers… and they’re always right.”reddit.com. This aligns with the BBC’s known practice of using the “most pessimistic” symbol for the day’s forecasttheguardian.com – ironically, in trying not to miss any rain, the app sometimes shows a rain-cloud icon where only a brief shower occurs, causing some to ignore it. User reviews echo these issues: “the app often gets the current weather wrong… I have photos of it showing sun when it’s actually 100% cloud and rain!”apps.apple.com complained one UK user, while another said the forecast can swing wildly within 12–24 hours, undermining trust for planningapps.apple.com. In the South West’s microclimates, this can be frustrating; many locals treat BBC Weather as a baseline but double-check with other sources if plans are weather-criticalreddit.comreddit.com.

• AccuWeather – Praised for Short-Term Rain Timing: AccuWeather’s MinuteCast (minute-by-minute rain forecast) has earned fans in the UK. A user on Cornwall’s north coast (St. Agnes) reported that “AccuWeather is pretty good” at predicting showers in that areareddit.com. This aligns with AccuWeather’s reputation for nowcasting – its algorithms ingest radar to give hyper-local rain start/stop times. For farmers looking out for the next rain-free hour, this feature is highly valued. The app’s overall accuracy was rated second only to The Weather Channel by Which?’s testwhich.co.uk, and it aggregates 190+ models (including the Met Office’s) to inform its forecaststheguardian.com. That said, some users note AccuWeather can err on longer-range forecasts or in remote rural spots, but for immediate weather it’s often on point.

• The Weather Channel – High Precision, Though Less “Local” Perception: The Weather Channel (TWC) app isn’t as ubiquitously used in the UK as BBC/Met Office, but those who do use it report strong accuracy. Its parent company’s IBM GRAF model provides a globally high-resolution forecast (3 km grid, updated hourly)weather.com, which helps in places like Devon and Cornwall for pinpointing thunderstorms or downpours. In fact, the TWC app was found to have the best short-range accuracy of all apps tested over the past yearwhich.co.uk. A hurdle is that some UK users simply default to BBC/Met Office out of habit, so TWC’s strengths might be underknown among the general public. Nonetheless, farmers who use apps like Farmers Weather Network or third-party services often indirectly get data from The Weather Company, which is telling of its quality. And with a 4.6★ App Store rating globally, TWC has a solid user reputation (the app is free with optional subscription for premium features like 15-minute forecast updates)tomsguide.com.

• Apple Weather – Improved Interface, Questionable Forecasts: Apple’s built-in Weather app underwent a major upgrade in 2023 after Apple acquired Dark Sky. It now offers next-hour precipitation charts, real-time radar, and beautiful graphics. However, UK users are divided on its accuracy. Some report that Apple Weather “has lulled me into a false sense of security, leaving me wet and betrayed after a run,” as one Atlantic columnist put itwhynow.co.uk. The app has a reputation for being off-target in the UK – often defaulting to a rain icon where a nuanced forecast is neededwhynow.co.ukwhynow.co.uk. A British writer humorously noted “I gave up on the Apple weather app, which is as reliable as a piece of seaweed” and switched to the BBC (which at least uses local data)apps.apple.com. While perhaps an exaggeration, it highlights that Apple’s forecasting algorithms may not yet “understand” British weather intricacies as well as the home-grown services do. On the positive side, Apple Weather’s design and notifications (e.g. “rain starting in 15 minutes”) are appreciated, and its accuracy may vary by region. In mainland Europe, users have found it around “90% accurate” for themreddit.com, but for South West England’s fickle patterns, caution is advised. In short: great UI, decent data, but not the top performer for precision.

• Other Notables (FlowX, Yr, Carrot, etc.): Advanced users in the South West sometimes turn to apps like FlowX or Windy to compare raw model outputs (e.g. Met Office UKVs ECMWF, NOAA) and make their own calltheguardian.com. Yr.no, the Norwegian Meteorological Institute’s app, is surprisingly popular among UK outdoors enthusiasts; it provides hourly ECMWF-based forecasts and a sleek interface, and some report it to be very accurate in coastal UK. In fact, the Guardian noted that Yr gives “precision forecasts based on your coordinates” and is well-suited for “off-grid” use where micro-location matterstheguardian.com. Carrot Weather, a paid app (known for humorous dialogues), doesn’t generate its own forecasts but aggregates data from sources like Apple, Foreca, Met Office, and others. Users in forums have found that by selecting the right data source within Carrot (e.g. setting it to Met Office or Dark Sky’s successor), they can get excellent accuracy with a single, customizable interface. Carrot was even picked as “App of the Year” by Apple and lauded by reviewers for its design and flexibilitytomsguide.comtomsguide.com. For the purposes of accuracy, Carrot’s benefit is you can choose whichever provider you trust most (like Met Office for UK or MeteoGroup, etc.) and even view multiple at once if you pay for higher-tier subscriptionstomsguide.com. However, this power-user approach may be overkill for some. Finally, local community-driven resources deserve mention: XCWeather (a free web app) is favored by Cornwall’s highway teams for short-term forecasts and wind datareddit.com, and Facebook groups like “South West Storm Chasers” or “Kernow Weather Team” often outperform generic apps in hyper-local nowcastingreddit.comreddit.com – a reminder that for critical outdoor decisions, a combination of official forecasts and real-time observation (radar, satellite, community updates) yields the best results.

What are the best weather apps in the UK right now?

Below is a comparison of popular iOS weather apps that UK users (especially in the South West) might consider. It highlights their accuracy (as indicated by recent tests or rankings), pricing model, notable features, and user rating/reception:

Weather App	Accuracy Highlights (2024–25)	Price (iOS)	Key Features	User Ratings & Notes
The Weather Channel (IBM)	Ranked #1 in overall accuracy by independent analysisweather.com. Excelled in hour-by-hour and same-day forecasts in UK testswhich.co.uk.	Free (ad-supported); Premium £4.99/month for no ads, 15-min forecaststomsguide.com.	Hourly forecasts; 10-day outlook; live radar; hyperlocal nowcasts (uses IBM GRAF model); severe weather alerts.	4.6★ (App Store UK). Highly trusted globally for forecast skill. South West users report solid short-term predictions, though not as widely used as UK-specific apps.
Met Office Weather (UK)	Consistently high accuracy for UK, especially on temperaturetelegraph.co.uk. Won WMO “most accurate forecast” awardtheguardian.com. In one study, outperformed BBC on temp in 5-day forecaststelegraph.co.uk.	Free (ad-supported); £2.99 one-time to remove adsapps.apple.com.	UK-specific forecasts (1-hour to 7-day) using Met Office models; interactive rain radar & satellite; National severe weather warnings with push alerts; hourly and daily data; a month-ahead outlook.	4.7★ (iOS, 1.5k+ ratings)apps.apple.comapps.apple.com. Widely used in UK. Users praise its local reliability and warning system. Some find UI clunky and note slight timing misses for showers in SWreddit.com. Overall very trusted for UK weather.
AccuWeather	Top-tier accuracy: #2 in Which? testwhich.co.uk; among top global forecasters (75%+ 1–5 day accuracy)epressi.com. Particularly strong in short-range rain predictions (MinuteCast).	Free (ad-supported); Premium plans from £8.99/year for ad-free, extended forecasts, etc.	MinuteCast minute-by-minute rain forecasts; hourly and 15-day forecasts; “RealFeel” temperature accounting for humidity/windtheguardian.com; rich metrics (air quality, cloud ceiling, etc.); radar & maps.	4.5★ (iOS, 400k+ ratings). Many UK users laud its detailed data and rain timing. Interface is busy with info. South West feedback: generally reliable for next-hour rain, though long-range can be hit-or-miss.
BBC Weather	Mixed accuracy. Ranked lowest of five in recent accuracy testwhich.co.uk, due to symbol/weather mismatches and overestimated rain. However, did better than Met Office for immediate rain-nowcasts in one studytelegraph.co.uk.	Free. (No ads in app.)	Simple, clean UI; hour-by-hour forecasts up to 14 daysapps.apple.com; uses ECMWF model via DTN/MeteoGrouptheguardian.com; includes Met Office weather warnings integrationapps.apple.com; home screen widgets.	4.6★ (iOS, 1.2M ratings)apps.apple.com. Extremely popular. Pros: easy to use, familiar, “pessimistic” icons so you’re rarely caught off-guardtheguardian.com. Cons: Some users report inaccurate conditions (e.g. app says sunny when it’s raining)apps.apple.com. South West: known to sometimes underestimate localized showersreddit.com – many locals cross-check it with other sources.
Apple Weather (Default on iPhone)	Improved interface and Dark Sky-derived nowcasts, but anecdotal accuracy issues. Not formally ranked by Which?/ForecastWatch; critics note frequent errors in UK conditionswhynow.co.uk. Often displays worst-case icon (rain) which can misleadwhynow.co.uk.	Free (built-in on iOS).	Polished graphics with hourly precipitation charts; next-hour rain alerts; 10-day forecast; maps for radar, temperature, air quality; Siri integrations.	3.7★ (UK App Store – many recent low reviews). Users like the design but have low trust in its data for UK. Known bugs with radar and inconsistent forecasts reportedwhynow.co.uk. In changeable climates (like SW England), users have been “left wet and betrayed” by following Apple’s forecastwhynow.co.uk. Best used alongside another app until reliability improves.
CARROT Weather	(Aggregated data) – Accuracy depends on chosen source (options include Met Office, Dark Sky (Apple), AccuWeather, Foreca, etc.). Often as accurate as best source available – e.g. can match Met Office if configured. Chosen as “Best for forecasting” by Tom’s Guide 2025tomsguide.com.	£4.99 one-time app purchase; Premium subscriptions from ~£20/year to unlock all data sources, smart alerts, widgetstomsguide.com.	Highly customizable; multiple data sources; hourly/daily forecasts with humorous twist; radar and maps; smart alerts for rain, lightning, etc.; widgets and Apple Watch support.	4.6★ (iOS). Won Apple’s App of the Year. Loved for its snarky personality and flexibility. Power users in the UK use it to get Met Office or ECMWF forecasts in Carrot’s slick interface. General users enjoy the fun approach. Expensive if full features are needed, but for weather geeks it’s unparalleled.
Yr.no (Norway Met)	Very accurate globally (uses ECMWF model for world). In ForecastWatch global precipitation accuracy, Yr.no was ~69% (within top 10)epressi.com. Many UK users find it reliable for coastal/weather front predictions.	Free. No ads.	Minimalist design with 48-hour graph view of weather elements; hourly forecasts up to 48h (3-hourly beyond); uses GPS for pinpoint locale forecaststheguardian.com; radar maps (in some versions).	4.5★ (iOS). Praised for clean look and “at a glance” accuracy. Guardian called it “most pleasing app” with precise coordinate-based forecaststheguardian.com. Limited features (no long-range beyond 10 days, no fancy maps), but very straightforward and often surprisingly spot-on even for UK, given ECMWF’s strength.
FlowX / Windy	(Model viewers) – Accuracy as good as the models you check. FlowX lets comparison of multiple models (ECMWF, GFS, etc.)theguardian.com; Windy similarly offers ECMWF, ICON, UK Met Global, etc. Expert users can get high accuracy by interpreting these.	Free (basic); Pro subscription for more models/higher resolution (FlowX ~**£1.49/mo; Windy ~£**18/year optional).	Visual weather maps (rain, cloud, wind, waves) with time slider; no proprietary forecast – user examines model outputs; great for pilots, surfers, farmers needing detail.	Niche but highly rated (FlowX 4.7★, Windy 4.8★ iOS). Users say these are excellent for understanding weather systems. Require some meteorological savvy. In SW England, one can see e.g. convective showers popping up on Windy’s ECMWF map – helpful for DIY nowcasting. Not a traditional “daily use” app for everyone, but very powerful for those who need granular data.

Sources: Independent testing resultswhich.co.uktelegraph.co.uk, expert reviewstheguardian.comtheguardian.com, and app store information were used to compile this table. User rating statistics are from the Apple App Store as of mid-2025. “Accuracy highlights” reflect the past 12 months of data where available.

Which weather app should you trust for outdoor activities in the UK?

In aggregate, the evidence points to a few standout apps for UK weather accuracy: The Weather Channel, AccuWeather, and the Met Office app form the top tier in recent performance data. The Weather Channel app, in particular, has demonstrated exceptional accuracy in both global and UK-specific evaluationswhich.co.ukweather.com – making it a strong choice for users who prioritize precision, including those in the South West. AccuWeather’s strength in minute-by-minute precipitation forecasts is also a major asset for outdoor planners in fickle climatestheguardian.com. The Met Office app, backed by local expertise and the UK’s own models, remains highly reliable and is tailored to the UK user’s needs (with UK-specific warnings and rainfall maps)apps.apple.comapps.apple.com. It’s telling that The Guardian’s tech reviewers crowned the Met Office as “Best for accuracy” in 2024, noting that its process “seems to work” given the app’s awards and popularitytheguardian.com.

That said, no app is perfect – especially in a region as challenging as South West England. Even the best forecasts have margins of error, and local convective quirks can confound models. Experts often suggest using multiple sources for critical decisionstelegraph.co.uk. Dr. Rob Thompson (University of Reading) recommends checking more than one app and, if you really need to be sure, “take the most pessimistic option” when, say, deciding whether to put up hay to dry or to cover your event venuetelegraph.co.uk. In practice, a farmer in Devon might consult the Met Office app for an official outlook, check AccuWeather or Apple Weather for hyperlocal rain alerts, and glance at Weather Channel (or a radar app) to confirm nothing is sneaking in – then make the call. This may sound tedious, but when stakes are high, the consensus of forecasts can be your friend.

User feedback from the South West supports this multi-pronged approach: Locals mention using the Met Office or BBC app plus looking at rain radar loops to judge what’s coming in off the Atlanticreddit.com. Some follow community forecasts (e.g. South West Storm Chasers) on social media for on-the-ground updates that apps might missreddit.com. Many have learned the hard way that an app might say “0% chance of rain” only for a rogue shower to appearapps.apple.com. By staying aware of these limitations, one can adjust accordingly.

What is the most accurate weather app for the UK in 2025?

If pressed to name the single most accurate weather app for the UK in the past year, based on available data, The Weather Channel app earns that title for its consistent performance in forecast accuracywhich.co.ukweather.com. It has demonstrated superior skill in both short-term and extended forecasts, which is a testament to its robust data backbone (IBM’s Weather Company). Close on its heels, AccuWeather and the Met Office app are excellent choices – AccuWeather for its nowcast precision, and Met Office for its deep local insights and trusted alerts. BBC Weather, while extremely user-friendly, appears to lag slightly in pure accuracy, and Apple Weather – despite improvements – has yet to convince skeptics in Britain’s capricious climate.

For users in South West England and other weather-sensitive niches (farming, outdoor events, aviation, etc.), it’s wise to leverage the strengths of multiple apps. For example, use Met Office or Weather Channel for an overall forecast, AccuWeather or Apple/DarkSky for minute-by-minute rain timing, and a community or radar app for real-time verification. Many experts and experienced users follow this layered strategy, which dramatically increases confidence in the forecast outcome.

In the end, the “best” weather app may be the one that best fits your specific needs and allows you to understand the forecast in context. Accuracy is not just about numerical precision, but also about communication – how well the app conveys uncertainty and nuance (a 20% chance of rain vs 80% sun). The past year’s data gives us clear front-runners in technical accuracy. Pairing those with a bit of savvy (and perhaps an umbrella in the boot just in case) will ensure you stay one step ahead of the famously unpredictable UK weather.

Sources: Recent studies on forecast accuracywhich.co.uktelegraph.co.uk, expert commentarytheguardian.comtheguardian.com, and user testimonials from South West Englandreddit.comreddit.com have been referenced throughout to support this analysis. All evidence indicates that while forecasting has improved greatly (today’s 4-day forecast is as accurate as a 1-day forecast was 30 years agowhich.co.uk), wise users will take advantage of the best apps and data available – and perhaps still keep an eye on the sky.