Your best Google weather app alternatives (and what I recommend instead)
Source: ZDNet
ZDNET’s key takeaways
- The Google Weather app now points to search results.
- Pixel Weather (the app exclusive to Pixel phones) isn’t changing.
- Local news station apps are your best bet for accurate forecasts.
If you’ve used the Google weather widget on your home screen, you may have noticed that it now opens Google Search results for “weather” instead of showing a dedicated forecast view. The change has been rolling out for a while and was recently confirmed by 9to5Google.
Google hasn’t offered an official explanation, but it appears the company prefers to consolidate its weather experience into a single search‑based interface. The exclusive Pixel Weather app (available on Pixel 6 and later) remains unchanged.
Also: The best Google phones: How does the Pixel 10 Pro Fold stack up?
The new search results still feature “Froggy,” the unofficial weather mascot, though Pixel users don’t see him.
If you’re disappointed with the change, it may be a good time to explore alternatives. What’s your best weather app now?
What are the best weather apps for Android?
Local news station apps
For the most accurate forecasts, use an app from your local NBC, ABC, or CBS affiliate. These apps typically include a weather tab powered by local meteorologists and can send severe‑weather alerts. Human forecasters provide context that pure model‑based apps often lack.
Also: Forget your weather app: 15 reliable meteorologists and other sources for accurate ice‑storm updates
Everything Weather
Everything Weather pulls data directly from the National Weather Service (NWS) and presents it in a clean, user‑friendly format. It’s free and ideal if you want information straight from the source.
Windy
Windy is popular on Reddit and caters to outdoor enthusiasts, but it’s also a solid general‑purpose weather app. A premium tier is available for additional features.
Weather Underground
Weather Underground offers hyper‑local data from over 250,000 personal weather stations worldwide. It’s free and lets you view current conditions and forecasts based on crowd‑sourced observations.