Popular iOS and Android weather app Dark Sky has updated with "one of the biggest overhauls" to date, according to a new blog post that the company shared online today.

The update introduces a new visual look and the home screen now has a "unified timeline," which combines various aspects of your local forecast onto one page instead of separating them into multiple areas. Now, you can view the current conditions, next hour rain, next 24 hours, and next week forecasts in one scrollable tab.

dark sky new update
At the top of the Forecast tab Dark Sky now has a precipitation map below the current temperature and next-hour graph. This should "provide more context" to forecasts when quickly launching the app, according to the developers.

For the next 24 hours forecast, you can tap between the temperature, "feels-like" temperature, precipitation, wind, wind gust, humidity, dew point, UV index, and cloud cover by scrolling through the red text under the graph. This updates the graph with the relevant information, and is also available to look at for days in the upcoming week.

At the bottom of this tab is a "Time Machine" feature that shows the weather going back decades, and can also provide seasonal average weather for days beyond the next week. Grossman points out that this can be useful for planning trips and vacations.

dark sky 820 update

The previous Dark Sky (left) compared to the new (right)

The next major addition is a saved locations feature, which is a standard addition to many weather apps that Dark Sky has lacked over the years. Now, you can save multiple locations in the app to check the weather in different cities by swiping the forecast left or right.

Notifications have been improved, with custom notifications that let you create your own weather alerts for the conditions you care about. Instead of alerts solely tied to precipitation, now you can create push notifications that warn you about high UV indexes and more. To do this, you will have to set location access to "always" for Dark Sky in the iOS settings app and allow notifications.

There are also new updates to the app's iconography and completely rewritten internals:

We're incredibly grateful to The Iconfactory for redesigning our set of weather icons. Gone are the stark black-and-white glyphs, having been replaced with more easily recognizable — and colorful — icons and buttons.

This update isn't just a visual refresh: On iOS, we've completely rewritten the internals of the app from scratch. It is, effectively, an entirely new app. This means it should be far more stable and responsive, it loads faster, and it sets us up to much more easily incorporate new features and enhancements in the future.

Dark Sky has been a popular third-party alternative to Apple's own Weather iOS app for a few years now, particularly for its ability to warn you about impending bad weather. Apple has highlighted the Dark Sky app and its useful features in the past, particularly in a short Apple Watch commercial titled "Rain" from 2016.

Grossman says that with the launch of the new update, users can expect to see "more frequent" updates as well from now on, with new features already in the works. Dark Sky users on iOS and Android can get the new update for free starting today, and those who haven't downloaded the app yet can do so for $3.99.

Related Stories

Apple Updates AirPods Pro Firmware to Version 4A402 and AirPods 3 Firmware to 4B66

Tuesday November 16, 2021 11:34 am PST by Juli Clover

Apple today released a new 4A402 firmware update for the AirPods Pro, which is up from the prior 4A400 firmware that was released back in October. Apple has also updated the AirPods 3 firmware to 4B66, up from the 4B61 that was previously available. Apple does not offer information on what's included in refreshed firmware updates for the AirPods‌, so we don't know what improvements or bug ...

Apple Releases iOS 15.1.1 With Call Improvements for iPhone 12 and 13 Models

Wednesday November 17, 2021 10:20 am PST by Juli Clover

Apple today released iOS 15.1.1, a minor update that comes almost a month after the launch of iOS 15.1. The iOS 15.1.1 update can be downloaded for free and the software is available on all eligible devices over-the-air in the Settings app. To access the new software, go to Settings > General > Software Update. According to Apple's release notes, iOS 15.1.1 improves call drop performance...

Apple Announces Self Service Repair Program, Starting With iPhone 12 and 13

Apple today announced the "Self Service Repair" program, allowing users to complete their own repairs via a new online store dedicated to parts and tools. The Self Service Repair program will give customers who are comfortable with the idea of completing their own repairs access to Apple genuine parts, tools, and manuals, starting with the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 lineups. The scheme will be...

Everything New in iOS 15.2 Beta 3: Macro Mode Updates, iCloud Private Relay Tweaks and More

Tuesday November 16, 2021 12:21 pm PST by Juli Clover

Apple today released the third beta of an upcoming iOS 15.2 update to developers for testing purposes, and the Cupertino company is continuing to refine features ahead of the software's release. Beta 3 doesn't add as many new features as prior betas, but there are some notable changes. Playlist Search in Music App Apple has added a long-awaited feature that allows Apple Music users to...

HYPER Debuts 15-Port Dock That Supports 3 4K Displays

Monday November 15, 2021 10:02 am PST by Juli Clover

HYPER today announced the launch of its latest dock, a 15-port version that is designed for the 13, 14, 15 and 16-inch MacBook Pro models. The HyperDrive 4K Multi-Display Docking Station supports up to three 4K displays on larger Mac machines. There are three HDMI ports and three DisplayPorts, all of which support 4K displays at up to 60Hz, along with a Gigabit Ethernet port, a 100W USB-C PD ...

iFixit Lauds Apple's New Self Service Repair Program, Calls It a 'Remarkable Concession'

Wednesday November 17, 2021 12:04 pm PST by Juli Clover

Apple this morning surprised the world with an unexpected "Self Service Repair" program, which is designed to allow customers access to genuine Apple parts, tools, and manuals for making their own device repairs. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Giving customers this kind of unprecedented access to repair guidelines and hardware is a major win for Right to Repair...

Deals: Save Up to $149 on Apple's 2020 M1 Mac Mini, Starting at $599.99 for 256GB

Amazon is offering a match of previous record low prices on Apple's 2020 M1 Mac mini, for both the 256GB and 512GB storage options. For both models, you won't see the sale price until you reach the checkout screen and receive an automatic coupon on your order. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which...

Apple AR Headset 'Approaching Liftoff' as Development Mirrors Period Before Apple Watch Launch

Apple's development of its rumored augmented reality (AR) headset is beginning to mirror the period before the launch of the Apple Watch, according to Morgan Stanley analysts. In a note to investors, seen by Investor's Business Daily, Morgan Stanley analysts explained that after years of building expertise and a number of setbacks, Apple's long-awaited AR headset is "approaching liftoff."...