Move Over Groundhog…Weather Apps for Your Groundhog Day

To see or not to see?

That’s the question we ask about the most notorious groundhog. Today, Punxsutawney Phil will come out of his burrow and make a prediction based on his shadow – an early spring or 6 more weeks of winter. According to the Storm fax, Phil is only accurate about 39% of the time. (He predicts more winter about 85% of the time.)

While it’s fun to get weather advice from an animal, the accuracy is lacking! Want to know humidity? Do you need hourly updates? How about a nice animated landscape to look at? Here are 5 apps for precise weather predictions:

• Yahoo! Weather is a free app  compatible with Android and iOS. It lets you view 5-day forecasts, interactive heat and satellite maps. This app will also show an image near your current location, such as the Empire State Building, with real-time weather conditions.

• For Android users, YoWindow is a free weather app with easy hourly updates as you swipe left and right. YoWindow will also give you precipitation levels, humidity and wind speed.

• The Weather Channel app comes free with an extended 10-day forecast for Android, iOS and Windows Phone. You’ll get severe weather alerts, along with hourly meteorological data such as temperature, wind and visibility.

• Dark Sky for iOS is $3.99 and delivers hyper-local forecasting, including radar maps and 24-hour updates. Get a detailed report on your exact location.

• Weather Underground is free and compatible with both Android and iOS. The app provides in-depth weather data for locations across the world. Its network includes over 180,000 neighborhood weather stations.

These are just a few of the many weather apps available on your mobile device. So, next time you’re contemplating leaving your jacket at home, don’t rely on Punxsutawney Phil. Remember you have an accurate forecast in the palm of your hand. Happy Groundhog Day!