The random review for Big Sky said it best: “I encourage the developer to prepare for the rainy days ahead when there is more competition in the weather skill arena.” Nailing functionality on a weather skill seem difficult, but if it is done properly, there is a large audience.
Most of the weather skills use open databases for their data, so this category has tons of potential for someone to find and develop a skill for an unused database!
Big Sky by Philosophical Creations – 4.5 out of 5, 4324 ratings, 892 reviews
Big Sky uses the Dark Sky API, to give hyper-local for hour-by hour forecasts tied to your actual street address, and locations around the world.
Random review: I just read through paragraph after paragraph about the additional functionalities the premium subscription offers. But, nowhere does the developer provide pricing for the premium service on its Amazon page. Imagine any other Amazon product page that says everything and anything about a product but leaves out the cost! I eventually did some online searching and found that if I went to FAQ’s one of the questions was, “How much does premium cost?” It’s crazy to make customers go on such a wild goose chase for this information. Does the developer think that by not providing pricing information it will encourage more folks to sign-up for the premium service? Not this customer! Speaking of the premium experience, I was disappointed that “Snow” was not one of the offered notifications. Considering how few quality weather skills are available for Alexa (a glaring weakness in the platform), Big Sky will probably continue to thrive. But, I encourage the developer to prepare for the rainy days ahead when there is more competition in the weather skill arena. Be upfront about your product. Don’t make customers search for the cost of your services. (5 out of 5)
TideGuide by Argusware – 4 out of 5, 740 ratings, 74 reviews
This skill will give the tide report for most locations with a NOAA station along with some popular beaches.
Random review: Kind of quirky to use. Also doesn’t seem to recognize the reporting station I would normally use. Based on other reviews I will have to check if it’s remembering my default location. The tides it reports are reasonable but I haven’t compared them to printed tide charts. (3 out of 5)
MyRadar NOAA Weather Radar by ACME AtronOmatic, LLC – 4.1 out of 5, 551 ratings, 60 reviews
MyRadar can show you the current weather radar on your Amazon Echo Show.
Random review: I have this app on my phone & its pretty good so I was thrilled to see a skill available for my Show.Thats where the excitement ends—the ‘local radar’ shows the entire lower 1/4 of the US including Cuba & the Yucatan Peninsula.That’s a lot of detail to fit onto a small screen without being able to zoom in. I want to see the radar in my area, not 100,000 square miles. (1 out of 5)
Hurricane Center by Drawrz.com – 4.1 out of 5, 513 ratings, 38 reviews
This skill provides the latest storm information about tropical storms and hurricanes from both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.It also gives useful information about prior years storms, including names, strength, and if they made landfall. This includes details for annual seasons for storms for ever year back to 1991.
Random review: Hurricane Harvey was a Category 4 when it began hammering the Texas Gulf coast and came ashore last night, Friday, August 25th. It’s noon Saturday and Alexa told me Harvey “is currently active in the Atlantic Ocean…. At 11am CDT a tropical storm warning has been issued for the Gulf coast of Texas.” (1 out of 5)
Zyrtec – Your Daily AllergyCast by Johnson & Johnson – 4 out of 5, 286 ratings, 46 reviews
Take on allergy season with real-feel forecast contains weather, pollen count and predominant allergens for your area. Most importantly, it contains your Allergy Impact score, letting you know how that day’s allergens may make you feel! Track how you feel over time and learn what’s making you sneeze.
Random review: Helped me to figure out what I’m allergic to by telling me which pollens were high on days I felt bad (5 out of 5)
EarthCam by EarthCam – 4.7 out of 5, ratings, 108 reviews
EarthCam is the world’s favorite webcam network and has been connecting people with unique and interesting locations through live camera technology since 1996.
Random review: Really amazing skill!The only disappointment I had, which was a large one, is that I cannot choose a camera location.You are just stuck with whatever Alexa chooses for you.Enhance the skill to allow you to choose the camera location & this skill is golden! (3 out of 5)
My AcuRite by Primex Inc – 4.2 out of 5, 278 ratings, 31 reviews
Your AcuRite weather station and compatible devices now work together with Amazon Alexa to help you stay up-to-date on the current conditions of the places you care about most.
Random review: I’ve waited a while for this skill, unfortunately it’s not ready for roll out if you have multiple sensors and have multiple accounts. I use AcuRite everywhere, my summer house, my home and my elderly parents house. We are definitely power users with almost every kind of sensor they sell being used.
That said, it is annoying to have to scroll through all devices to get to the one you want to hear conditions for. The senors are labeled, we should be able to ask for a specific one. Would also love to be able to switch between the 3 different accounts I have with AcuRite through Alexa. I currently follow all 3 accounts so they should at least allow us to monitor all accounts from our dashboard. Also do not like the fact it limits us to 7 devices. We have more than 7 with the ones outside and in multiple rooms just in our home base. Yes, we are using the old hub that handles more, as well as the new hub with the 7 device limit. They should recognize there are still people out there using the old hub.
If you are using a wifi monitoring system like AcuRite, you probably set it up because you need something more than a regular thermometer. The Alexa skill should reflect the needs of your users and this just doesn’t – hopefully yet. (2 out of 5)
Aviation Weather by F2M2, Inc. – 4.1 out of 5, 102 ratings, 31 reviews
Want to know the current weather information or flight rules for a particular airport?Just ask Aviation Weather!You’ll get the airports’ current detailed METAR weather observation.
Random review: I wish I could set my home airport. Also, the text is much too small on the Echo Show. (2 out of 5)
Just The Temperature by Ryan Haack – 4.2 out of 5, 104 ratings, 26 reviews
This skill gives you the current temperature without any of the other information you usually get from Alexa when you ask for the temperature.
Random review: I was willing to remember the specific and wordy invocation in return for a concise “JUST the temperature” response, but this thing follows up with a verbose ad for some other skill. Uninstalling it now, (1 out of 5)
Feels Like by The Stranded Starfish – 4.3 out of 5, 135 ratings, 13 reviews
This skill does only one thing and does it fast – tell you what it really feels like outside. It will give you the wind chill temperature when temperatures are below 50 degrees or the heat-index temperature when it is higher. Responses only take 6 seconds.
Random review: This skill is wrong a lot. Almost always says no wind or humidity but there is.Skill is not worth it, easier just to go outside also. (2 out of 5)
