Snowflake Weather

A mixed outlook

$4.99 (IAPs) From Bjango, bjango.com/ios/snowflake/

Made for iPhone, iPad, iPod touch and Apple Watch Needs iOS 11.0 or later; watchOS 5.0 or later

Do we need another weather app? That was our first question when setting eyes on Snowflake Weather. But since it’s by Bjango, creators of Mac|Life favorite iStat Menus, we were determined to give it a shot. Our second question was perhaps more important: how does the app differentiate itself from the Carrots and Dark Skies that are already a permanent fixture on millions of iPhones?

For the most part, the answer is “information density”. Much like iStat Menus, you get the feeling Snowflake’s creators really love data — and this app is determined to give you a whole lot of it. Whether you’re in the Home tab or the details view, loads of figures are hurled your way. Fortunately, Snowflake largely succeeds in making everything meaningful and digestible.

A huge icon and number sit at the top of the Home tab screen, so you can take in the current conditions and temperature at a glance. Below that, a graph outlines what’s coming over the next few days, and an extended forecast underneath that lets you plan further ahead. Need more details? Tap a day to delve into an explosion of facts, or tap the

second tab to dig deeper into the current day’s weather, including precipitation chances, sun and moon information, pressure and UV outlooks, and more.

To access the third tab, which houses maps and radars, you’ll have to subscribe for a buck a month. You can then switch between a range of settings (such as radar, wind speeds, and temperature), assuming they’re covered for your chosen location (radar coverage is patchy).

This IAP also opens up another of the app’s main draws: customization. You get four themes and six icons, and can decide what’s shown in the current conditions area, the app’s Today view widget, and on Apple Watch.

It’s broadly impressive stuff — and the app has a distinct personality of its own. But there are concerns. The first is that Snowflake does in some areas feel a bit version 1.0. On iPad, the design whiffs too much of “blown up” iPhone app, and it’s terrible at switching between multiple locations, forcing you to delve into a menu within its settings. Also, it sometimes feels a touch unfinished. For example, the wiggly graph that shows sun and moon positions takes up half the screen on iPhone, and yet neglects to add hour indicators across its width.

The second issue is whether Snowflake does enough to stick around. It lacks Dark Sky’s refinement and imminent rainfall graph, and Carrot’s sense of fun. On the plus side, it does deal with info–heavy forecasting in a more pleasing way than, say, WeatherPro. If you feel your current weather app is a bit lightweight, then Snowflake is worth` a look; but if you’re happy with Carrot or Dark Sky, it’s unlikely this newcomer will convert you.

THE BOTTOM LINE. There’s plenty to like here, especially if you’re keen on weather apps that serve up lots of data

Want to know what the sun and moon are going to do today? There’s a tab for that!

Above left: The main view is packed full of figures, but nonetheless remains readable. Above right: Snowflake’s map has many layers, but access requires you to pay a monthly subscription.