Radar

Radar that shows you where it's going, not just where it is.

Animated precipitation radar with future radar, live lightning strikes, satellite imagery, and warning polygons on the same map — on iPhone, iPad, and as a widget on your Home Screen.

Download on theApp Store Download on theMac App Store

Free 24-hour access, then optional subscription with 7-day trial. Mac and iOS plans are separate; Apple TV is included with Forecast Bar Gold on iOS.

FutureRadar, not just past frames
LightningLive strike locations
WarningsPolygons drawn on the map
WidgetRadar on your Home Screen

Radar in Forecast Bar, in short

Animation
Smooth animated playback of recent radar frames, with future radar showing where the precipitation is forecast to go.
Layers
Precipitation, satellite, live lightning strikes, and active weather warnings — layerable on one map.
Warnings
Active NWS and Environment Canada warnings are drawn as polygons, so you can see whether one covers you.
Widgets
Radar can live in a Home Screen widget, and as a mini radar map on the main screen.
Platforms
iPhone, iPad, Mac (in a standalone window), and Apple TV.
Plan
Animated radar is in Silver and above; extended radar, advanced layers, and radar widgets are Gold.
Animated radar on iPhone showing snow, mix and rain moving over the Great Lakes
The next hour, not the last one

Future radar answers the question you're actually asking.

Looking at where rain has been is a proxy for the thing you want to know: whether it's going to hit you. Future radar shows the forecast position of the precipitation, so you can see whether the band clips you or misses.

  • Smooth animated playback of recent frames
  • Future radar showing forecast movement
  • Scrub through the timeline at your own pace
  • Zoom to street level or out to the whole system
Forecast Bar radar on iPad showing precipitation with map layers
More than 'is it raining'

Lightning, satellite, and warnings on the same map.

Precipitation radar tells you about rain. It doesn't tell you whether that cell is electrically active, whether the cloud deck is breaking up, or whether the county you're driving into is under a warning. Layers do.

  • Live lightning strike locations
  • Satellite imagery for cloud structure
  • Active warning polygons from the NWS and Environment Canada
  • Advanced layers for the kind of day that needs them
Home screen covered in Forecast Bar widgets of every size, shown on iPad
Without opening anything

Radar as a Home Screen widget.

The fastest radar check is the one that doesn't involve launching an app. Forecast Bar's radar widgets put a live map on your Home Screen, and a mini radar map sits on the main screen for the glance in between.

  • Home Screen radar widgets
  • Mini radar map on the main screen
  • On Mac, a standalone radar window that stays on your desktop
  • On Apple TV, radar on the biggest screen in the house

An honest note: radar coverage isn't uniform worldwide.

Radar networks are national infrastructure, and their density varies. Coverage is excellent across the United States and good across much of Europe; in parts of the world there is little ground radar at all, and what you see leans on satellite-derived data instead.

Warning polygons are the more clearly bounded case: those come from the US National Weather Service and Environment and Climate Change Canada, so they appear for the US and Canada only.

FAQ

Questions about weather radar

Does Forecast Bar have animated weather radar?
Yes. Forecast Bar includes animated precipitation radar with smooth playback on iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple TV, plus future radar showing where the precipitation is forecast to move.
What is future radar?
Future radar shows the forecast position of precipitation over the coming period, rather than only replaying where it has already been. It's the difference between seeing that a storm exists and seeing whether it will hit you.
Can Forecast Bar show lightning strikes?
Yes. Live lightning strike locations can be layered onto the radar map alongside precipitation and satellite imagery.
Are weather warnings shown on the radar map?
Yes. Active National Weather Service and Environment Canada warnings are drawn as polygons on the map, so you can see whether a warning actually covers your location or the far side of the county.
Is there a radar widget for the Home Screen?
Yes. Home Screen radar widgets are available, and a mini radar map appears on the app's main screen. Radar widgets are part of Forecast Bar Gold.
Does the radar work outside the United States?
Yes, though coverage depends on national radar infrastructure — it's excellent in the US, good across much of Europe, and sparser elsewhere. Warning polygons are US and Canada only.
How much does Forecast Bar cost?
You get free 24-hour access to everything — no card, no account. After that there is an optional subscription with a 7-day trial, and current pricing is shown in the App Store. 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 where the storm is going.

Try animated radar, future radar and lightning free for 24 hours.

Download on theApp Store Download on theMac App Store

Free 24-hour access, then optional subscription with 7-day trial. 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 Mac

A standalone radar window with future radar, live lightning, satellite, and warnings on the map.

Severe weather alerts

NWS and Environment Canada warnings at the moment of issue, with critical alerts that break through Do Not Disturb.

Rain alerts & precipitation nowcasts

Know before it starts, and watch it minute by minute on your Lock Screen once it does.

See every Forecast Bar feature →