I want to add myself to the list of gold subscribers that would pay more to retain live radar data. I would also find it impossible to know which model is working best for an area without being able to compare radar to prediction. All the models have bad days and my use case is choosing travel arrangements based on likelihood of rain in the next few hours. So I will likely be one of those that must move on if it disappears.
Either way, thank you for one of the most useful all in one weather apps Iāve found so far.
Thank you for the excellent work of providing this app. I have been a user for many years, before your features were added. I only use basic forecasts, but especially the rain forecast. In my area of the desert itās difficult to find reliable weather. The rain modeling has been my go-to for what to expect. I will be sorry to lose this feature and perhaps usage of this app. To express my appreciation I added my subscription. Best wishes - Randy
Notice it has pricing. If a user viewed radar at 8pm for 15 days out of 30 days in a month. There might be 4 tiles required to cover the map view. With 10 minute time steps, that will be 6 frames per hour. Therefore, 12 months * 15 days * 20 hours * 6 time steps/hour * 4 frames * $0.2 / 1000 = $17 / year. This is conservative.
if you tap the 3dots upper right select edit place then choose 1 to 3 days past then tap the plus sign bottom right scroll down to radar section choose what you want then you tap radar icon scroll back on time line radar info will show if any rain/snow took place
ok thanks, I see the Radar speaks to reflectivity, I have no idea what reflectivity is, reflectivity relates to reflection(s) no idea what weather aspect reflectivity is showingā¦ so we will still be able to see precipitation etc.? right?
Sad to learn that rainviewer data will vanish. Personally I like the rainviewer addition in FLOWX quite a lot.
As it shows the mismatch between the last (HIres) model run and actual observation it gives some insight in the accuracy of the model.
On Jul 26 Duane wrote in the discussien that followed the announcement that rainviewer will stop its API to provide data:
āYes. The job of sourcing this data from many different sites in different formats at different time intervals, converting them to a common format, cleaning them, stitching them together, tiling them and then serving them is not a simple job. And then managing this on top of sites falling over or changing their format is not simpleā
I agree fully with Duane that this is not a simple job.
However a least for the (Western)European domain this job has been carried out already for some decades by Eumetnet.
Within Eumetnet the OPERA workinggroup focuses on use of OPErational RAdar data and one of its duties is providing an operational datacentre run by its member NMSes that provides a trans European reflectivity composite taking in account the latest correction and calibration schemes to provide a composite with an homegenous quality.
Key:
The production is well maintained and well documented.
Distribution of data is using an HDF based data model.
Resolution is on a 1km2 grid with a 5minutes update cycle.
Licencing will apply but an email to the Programme manager: Dr. Annakaisa von Lerber (Annakaisa.von.Lerber@fmi.fi) of OPERA in order to discuss possibilities of delivery to FLOWX wonāt harm.
It may not surprise you that I was involved in this OPERA working group prior to my (2020)retirement.
I didnāt know this composite source existed. NOAA provides a composite source for the USA that I considered using to replace RainViewer, especially given 50%+ of Flowx users are from the USA. Although, this would be relatively easy, I expect users from other countries saying āWhat about us??ā. Actually I expect 1-star reviews berating the developer about only focusing on the US. I got this 1-star review yesterday:
Donāt subscribe, features will be cut in January. On an app that has āWeather Map Forecastā in the title, the developer chose to stop showing radar data by Jan 2026. What is the point of an app that is designed to show the map with no radar data?
Iāve noticed an odd phenomena over the years of developing Flowx. If the feature doesnāt exist, users politely ask for it. Once you add the feature, users want more and you can get bad reviews for missing parts of the feature. And when you remove the feature, you can get a bit of hate.
So I didnāt mention this in terms of the effort required to process and add radar myself, but if I donāt do it completely (i.e., for everyone), I will get hate. Itās a slippery slope I really donāt want to be on.
If you read through this thread, most of the comment are from the usersā particular wants in the isolation of the rest of Flowx. Flowx is about presenting weather simulation data. Radar, sun/moon, hurricane tracks are extras Iāve tacked on - they require different code. Radar commands a disproportionate amount to development, maintenance and support (and memory!!!).
I would like to thanks and highly commend @Hans_Beekhuis for this post because it is positive and proactive with a good suggestion. I have added it to my list of future data sources.
I see the whole picture and understand what it would take and what it means to add radar. I feel like I spend too much of my time trying to justify my decisions. I am getting tired.
So Sad How Keyboards Warriors Have to Try and Ruin Things for others Iāve been using Flowx Since before Rainviewer, I will be a Devoted User Tell The Day the Good Lord Takes Me. Flowx Will Forever Be the Greatest Most Informative Weather App Ever. Iāve Been a Skywarn Weather Spotter Since 2006 Flowx is and Always Will be My #1 Goto App. Thanks @duane & @sally for All Your Hard Work and Dedication
Morning man, ive been using your gold subscription for a few years here in NZ, the rain radar is crucial for our sheep & beef farming business and yours is/has been the best available.
What would be the next best paid wether app which shows rain, wind, barometric pressure & temperature over a 10-day period? I also pay for the davis wether link app as we have a electronic station on farm.
There is no ānext bestā - just joking but I donāt really know. I donāt use any other weather app.
The most similar apps to Flowx are Windy and Ventusky. On the rare occasion Iāve used them to check data, they have been annoying to use.
This RainViewer thing has been a real wake up call. Itās triggered use to really think about whatās important. Iāve come to the realisation that Iāve been trying to satisfy too many people. I just told a user this morning Iām not going to dedicate time to sun/moon or re-implement the eclipse feature.
So everything is off the table except Flowxās core capability which is weather simulation data.
Sally and I discussed this yesterday, we are going to seriously look at what market to focus on next. Itāll either be the aviation market with weather data at altitude or farming market with seasonal data.
Not Actually losing rain radar if you select 1 to 3 days in the past is where Rainviewer shows data Flowx will still show rain/snow etc. seems everyone thinks Flowx will no longer show this information. please correct me if Iām wrong. People saying I want a refund, Iām switching apps etc.
Confusing.
I use Flowx to see rain predictions, including the movement of the rain fronts & rainfall amount predictions. Is this all going away?
If so Iād be forced to look at other apps which have this capability.
