Meteorologists are urging the public to prioritise human expertise over smartphone weather apps when confronting dangerous, multi-faceted winter storms. This advice comes as a severe system sweeps across the United States, bringing a perilous mix of heavy snowfall, treacherous ice, and sub-zero temperatures.
Experts interviewed by The Associated Press highlighted that rapidly changing data and subtle geographical differences determining snow, sleet or freezing rain are beyond the scope of simple app summaries. Marshall Shepherd, a meteorology professor at the University of Georgia, said: “Weather apps are really bad at storms that have multiple types of precipitation and it really makes messaging hard.”
University of Oklahoma meteorology professor Jason Furtado noted that many apps use AI methods to interpolate forecasts from larger grids to specific locations, introducing potential for significant errors. “For extreme weather events, it is especially important to know there are human forecasters interpreting the data and making the best localized forecasts for your area,” he said.
However, some apps can be useful, particularly those pairing National Weather Service data with meteorologists' expertise. The Weather Channel app, experiencing booming traffic this week, uses numerous models, data sources, and staff, said James Belanger, vice president of its parent company. “It’s an all-hands-on-deck kind of approach that we take,” he said, adding that “not all weather apps are created equal.”
Northern Illinois University meteorology professor Victor Gensini warned that many apps “oversimplify uncertainty and present highly precise-looking numbers that imply more confidence than actually exists.” This type of storm is where apps are weakest because they do not capture nuances, he said. Steven DiMartino of NY NJ PA Weather added: “The problem with the weather app is that it just provides data, but not explanation.”
National Weather Service meteorologist Cory Mottice, who developed the app EverythingWeather, said the strength of his app is that information comes from professional meteorologists at over 125 weather service offices. Many apps use raw computer modelling data with no human oversight, “which can really lead to some very misleading numbers or graphics,” he said.
