Forecast maps

Watch the next 18 hours move across the map.

Forecast Bar's weather maps show temperature, feels like, dew point and wind as one smooth picture you can play or drag through, so you can watch the cold air reach your town instead of working it out from a list of numbers.

Download on theApp Store Download on theMac App Store

Free to download; live weather requires a subscription. On iPhone and iPad, every subscription includes a 7-day free trial for new subscribers; Mac plans do not. Mac and iOS plans are separate; Apple TV is included with Forecast Bar Gold on iOS.

18 hoursAhead, at most
12 hoursBack, to see the trend
HourlyIn the US, Canada and Europe
Flow linesAnimated wind on the map
The Temperature map of the central United States at 10 PM, shading from cool blue and teal across the north to warm orange along the Gulf Coast, with the timeline below The Wind Speed map of the central United States, with fine white flow lines curling around a storm over Minnesota and a Surface height chip above the timeline The Temperature Change layer for 7 AM Thursday, blue from the Great Lakes down the Mississippi Valley and red across Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas

New in Forecast Bar 11.9.

The maps on this page arrive with version 11.9, which is on its way to the App Store.

Forecast maps in Forecast Bar, in short

Layers
Forecast Bar's weather maps include Temperature, Feels Like, Dew Point, Wind Speed and Temperature Change.
Time range
Temperature, Feels Like, Dew Point and Wind Speed play from 12 hours ago to as much as 18 hours ahead.
Temperature Change
Temperature Change compares each hour with the same hour a day earlier, red where it's warmer and blue where it's colder, starting close to now.
Playback
Every map layer glides from frame to frame. On iPhone, iPad and Mac you can drag the timeline to any hour.
Models
The maps use HRRR in the US, HRDPS in Canada, ICON-EU in Europe and ECMWF everywhere else.
Frame spacing
Frames are hourly where a regional model covers your location, and every 3 hours under ECMWF.
Platforms
The forecast maps are on iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple TV.
Plan
Forecast maps are part of Gold on iPhone, iPad and Apple TV, and Pro on the Mac.
The Temperature map of the central United States at 10 PM, shading from cool blue and teal across the north to warm orange along the Gulf Coast, with the timeline below
Temperature

See how far the cold air gets by morning.

A forecast high tells you about one place. The map shows the whole front, how fast it's moving and which side of it you'll wake up on. Let it play or drag to any hour, and the colors glide from one hour to the next.

  • Temperature, Feels Like and Dew Point, each with its own map
  • 12 hours back to as much as 18 hours ahead
  • Choose any of them as your Default Layer and the radar opens on it
  • On iPhone and iPad, View on Map in Details opens the layer for that reading
The Wind Speed map of the central United States, with fine white flow lines curling around a storm over Minnesota and a Surface height chip above the timeline
Wind

Wind you can see moving.

Wind Speed draws fine lines that flow with the wind, over colors that stay calm until it really blows. A storm's curl shows up right away. For hourly gusts, alerts and Apple Watch, see the wind forecast page.

  • Animated flow lines over the wind colors
  • The chip above the timeline picks the height
  • Surface, then 5,000, 10,000, 18,000, 30,000 and 34,000 ft
The Temperature Change layer for 7 AM Thursday, blue from the Great Lakes down the Mississippi Valley and red across Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas
Temperature Change

Is it colder than yesterday?

It's what most of us want to know before picking a jacket. Temperature Change compares each hour with the same hour the day before, so a front shows up as a clear edge between red and blue.

  • Red is warmer than 24 hours earlier, blue is colder
  • Starts close to now and runs as much as 18 hours ahead
  • Uses the same regional models as the other maps

An honest note: detail depends on where you are.

HRRR, HRDPS and ICON-EU are regional models, so the US, Canada and most of Europe get hourly frames and the finest detail. Everywhere else uses ECMWF, a global model, with frames every 3 hours. Forecast Bar picks the model from your location, and past a regional model's edge the map fades into the global one.

The timeline is built from the latest model run, so in the US it often ends a couple of hours short of 18 hours ahead. These are forecasts, and the far end of the timeline is less certain than the near end.

FAQ

Questions about forecast maps

Does Forecast Bar have temperature and wind maps?
Yes. Forecast Bar 11.9 has forecast maps for Temperature, Feels Like, Dew Point, Wind Speed and Temperature Change, and each one glides from frame to frame as it plays.
How far ahead do the weather maps go?
As much as 18 hours ahead, and Temperature, Feels Like, Dew Point and Wind Speed also go back 12 hours. Temperature Change starts close to now. The rain and snow totals on the winter page run further, up to three days ahead.
Which forecast model do the maps use?
HRRR in the US, HRDPS in Canada, ICON-EU in Europe and ECMWF everywhere else. There's no model picker: Forecast Bar chooses the model from your location.
How are forecast maps different from radar?
Radar shows precipitation, including where it's forecast to go. Forecast maps show things radar can't see, like temperature and wind. See the weather radar page for more on radar.
Can I use the maps on Mac and Apple TV?
Yes. The same maps are on the Mac with Pro and on Apple TV with Gold. On Apple TV you press, hold or swipe on the remote to glide through time.
Is there a UV map?
No. Forecast Bar 11.9 retired the UV map layer. The UV forecast stays in Details.
How much does Forecast Bar cost?
Forecast Bar is free to download, and live weather requires a subscription. On iPhone and iPad, every subscription starts with a 7-day free trial for new subscribers, so you can try everything your plan includes before you're charged. Mac plans do not include a trial. In the US App Store, iPhone and iPad are $11.49 a year for Silver and $19.99 a year for Gold, and Mac is $9.99 a year for Plus or $19.99 a year for Pro. Prices vary by region, so the App Store shows what you will actually pay. Mac and iOS plans are separate; Apple TV is included with Forecast Bar Gold on iOS. See Compare Plans for what each tier includes.
Forecast Bar app icon

See tomorrow morning on the map.

Try forecast maps free for 7 days with a new Gold subscription on iPhone or iPad.

Download on theApp Store Download on theMac App Store

Free to download; live weather requires a subscription. On iPhone and iPad, every subscription includes a 7-day free trial for new subscribers; Mac plans do not. Mac and iOS plans are separate; Apple TV is included with Forecast Bar Gold on iOS.

Keep exploring

More from Forecast Bar

Weather radar for iPhone & iPad

Animated radar with future radar, live lightning, satellite, and warning polygons on the map.

Wind forecast

Wind speed, gusts and direction by the hour, an animated wind map, gust alerts and a Wind screen on Apple Watch.

Satellite weather

Forecast Bar's own GOES imagery, with clouds that drift smoothly, visible light by day and a Storm Tops style.

See every Forecast Bar feature →