Important note: Weathercaster is a supplemental weather awareness tool. It does not replace official aviation weather briefings, METARs, TAFs, PIREPs, or other FAA-approved weather products. Always obtain a proper weather briefing through official channels before any flight.
Why pilots benefit from chart-based forecasts
Pilots make decisions based on the timing of weather events. Will the ceiling lift by 10 AM? When does the wind shift? Is that afternoon thunderstorm expected at 2 PM or 4 PM? Standard weather apps give you a single cloud icon and a temperature, which tells you very little about the hour-by-hour evolution of conditions at your airport.
Weathercaster shows cloud cover, precipitation, temperature, and lightning risk on a continuous timeline, with wind speed and direction in a dedicated chart. If a storm is forecast to pass overnight, you can see the expected rain window and whether skies clear the next morning instead of relying on rain icons for both days. Use that view to spot questions for your official aviation briefing; the chart does not show ceiling or visibility minima.
Features relevant to flight planning
Cloud cover visualization
The hourly temperature points are colored by cloud cover: gray for fully cloudy, yellow for fully sunny, and a continuous gradient between. This shows when clouds are forecast to build or clear while you read the temperature trend.
Point color is not a ceiling altitude forecast and cannot establish IFR or VFR conditions. Use it as a cloud-cover trend alongside your official briefing and TAF.
Wind speed and direction chart
Enable the secondary wind chart to compare sustained wind with gust speed; direction vectors show shifts through the day. The chart can help you spot a changing wind window, but use official aviation products to assess conditions at a runway.
Lightning probability icons
Lightning-risk icons appear on the forecast timeline. If they cluster in a time period, note that window for closer review with official aviation forecasts and briefings. The icons do not establish when convective hazards will begin or end along a flight path.
Multiple location tracking for route planning
Weathercaster Pro supports unlimited locations, which is useful for tracking weather along a cross-country route. Add your departure airport, destination, alternates, and any en-route checkpoints. Swipe between locations to compare conditions. If your destination is showing persistent overcast while your alternate is clearing, you can see that pattern on the charts without switching between multiple weather sources.
You can also use the map pin adjustment to place locations precisely on smaller airfields or grass strips that may not appear in standard searches.
Forecast event timing
The chart places forecast changes along an hourly timeline. Instead of seeing a rain icon over a broad time block, you can inspect when precipitation is expected to begin, intensify, and taper off. This level of detail can help you identify timing questions to investigate with official aviation forecasts and briefings.
CSV export for flight logs
Weathercaster Pro can export forecast data as CSV files. This is useful for documenting weather conditions in flight logs, building preflight weather records, or comparing forecast data against actual conditions after a flight. The export includes all chart data: temperature, wind speed and direction, precipitation, and cloud cover on an hourly basis.
Landscape 10-day view
Turn your iPhone sideways to see the full 10-day forecast chart. This can help you see broad weather patterns and identify days worth examining more closely through aviation-specific weather products.
Free vs. Pro for pilots
The free version of Weathercaster includes two locations with the full chart experience, including cloud cover visualization, wind charts, and lightning icons. This works well for pilots who primarily fly from one home airport. Pro adds unlimited locations for route planning, map pin adjustment for precise airfield placement, model-run overlays to compare forecast changes, CSV export for flight logs, and hurricane tracking.
How pilots can use Weathercaster
- Add your airports. Set up your home airport, regular destinations, and preferred alternates. Use map pin adjustment for smaller airfields.
- Check cloud cover trends. Look at the temperature points' gray-to-yellow gradient for forecast clearing. Note the timing alongside your TAF.
- Read the wind chart. Check wind speed and directional arrows for your departure and arrival windows. Look for shifts that change the active runway.
- Scan for lightning icons. Note periods of forecast lightning risk to investigate with official aviation weather products.
- Compare locations along your route. Swipe between departure, en-route, and destination to see how conditions vary along your planned flight path.
- Export for your records. Pull CSV data to document preflight weather in your flight log.
Data source and privacy
Weathercaster gets its forecast data from Apple Weather through WeatherKit, which uses multiple weather models and providers. The chart helps you compare the timing of precipitation, clouds, and temperature before checking official aviation forecasts and briefings. Learn more about the forecast source. Weathercaster does not require an account or use third-party analytics and trackers; it checks your current location only when you ask it to.
