{"slug": "dark-sky", "name": "Dark Sky", "category": "other", "category_name": "Other software", "description": "Hyperlocal weather forecasting app and API, acquired by Apple and since discontinued.", "recommenders": 6, "commenters": 6, "warners": 0, "score": 5.229, "rising": -0.64, "first": "2026-01-10", "latest": "2026-09-08", "why": "Remembered for reliable, hyperlocal rain forecasts and an interface that made complex weather data easy to read at a glance.", "why_is_quote": false, "has_verdict": true, "sentiment": {"recommend": 6, "neutral": 0, "compare": 0, "warn": 0}, "spark": [0, 0, 2, 2, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0, 0, 1, 0], "listed": true, "loved": ["Rain accuracy", "Interface design"], "caveat": "Discontinued", "short_quote": "I used to be able to go on walks without an umbrella because of how reliable it was at predicting when rain was going to restart.", "icon": false, "domain": null, "github_repo": null, "official_url": "", "pricing": "paid", "aliases": ["Dark Sky"], "verdict": [{"text": "Remembered for reliable, hyperlocal rain forecasts", "cites": [{"id": 793785761, "item_id": 49611610, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49611610", "by": "celsoazevedo", "date": "2026-09-08", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I used to be able to go on walks without an umbrella because of how reliable it was at predicting when rain was going to restart.", "excerpt": "Something changed because Apple Weather has never been as accurate as Dark Sky for me, especially for rain forecast. I used to be able to go on walks without an umbrella because of how reliable it was at predicting when rain was going to restart. If I do that with Apple Weather, I get home wet.", "context": "", "use_case": "rain forecasts", "switched_from": "", "story": "WeatherNext 3"}, {"id": 745056641, "item_id": 46566040, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46566040", "by": "chrisweekly", "date": "2026-01-10", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I miss Dark Sky for its impressive \"local weather at a glance\" accuracy and UX", "excerpt": "I miss Dark Sky for its impressive \"local weather at a glance\" accuracy and UX -- but Windy.app is pretty great too, with more details than DS ever had. They're maybe slightly complementary, given Windy.app is more like \"prosumer\" weather forecasting for nautical purposes, but I highly recommend it.", "context": "", "use_case": "weather", "switched_from": "", "story": "A Eulogy for Dark Sky, a Data Visualization Masterpiece (2023)"}]}, {"text": " and an interface that made complex weather data easy to read at a glance.", "cites": [{"id": 753610464, "item_id": 47100654, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47100654", "by": "bichiliad", "date": "2026-02-21", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I feel like Dark Sky was a textbook example.", "excerpt": "I have always had a ton of respect for the Dark Sky devs. I love the work that goes into designing interfaces that make sense of complex datasets intuitively, and I feel like Dark Sky was a textbook example. I\u2019m genuinely really excited to try this out.", "context": "", "use_case": "weather interface", "switched_from": "", "story": "Acme Weather"}, {"id": 745056641, "item_id": 46566040, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46566040", "by": "chrisweekly", "date": "2026-01-10", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I miss Dark Sky for its impressive \"local weather at a glance\" accuracy and UX", "excerpt": "I miss Dark Sky for its impressive \"local weather at a glance\" accuracy and UX -- but Windy.app is pretty great too, with more details than DS ever had. They're maybe slightly complementary, given Windy.app is more like \"prosumer\" weather forecasting for nautical purposes, but I highly recommend it.", "context": "", "use_case": "weather", "switched_from": "", "story": "A Eulogy for Dark Sky, a Data Visualization Masterpiece (2023)"}]}, {"text": " The most common caveat is that it no longer exists after Apple bought it,", "cites": [{"id": 753586512, "item_id": 47099157, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47099157", "by": "Aldipower", "date": "2026-02-21", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "DarkSky was great for that until they were bought by Apple.", "excerpt": "I used to use DarkSky for the \"history data\" for my platform. Querying weather for certain points in the past at certain locations. DarkSky was great for that until they were bought by Apple. Now I am using VisualCrossing for historical data. Hope Acme plans to do historical data too. But if it is US only then it is a no-go anyway.", "context": "runs a platform needing historical weather data", "use_case": "historical weather data", "switched_from": "", "story": "Acme Weather"}, {"id": 769545728, "item_id": 48096608, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48096608", "by": "baggachipz", "date": "2026-05-11", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I really miss Dark Sky.", "excerpt": "Lots of these items were just moved from the app store into the os. How is that killed? That said, I really miss Dark Sky. Acme weather is good but not quite there yet.", "context": "", "use_case": "weather", "switched_from": "", "story": "Killed by Apple"}, {"id": 745086384, "item_id": 46567899, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46567899", "by": "chrneu", "date": "2026-01-10", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I very much miss Dark Sky on android.", "excerpt": "Dark Sky almost always over predicted rain for my area. I think that was kind of their strategy. That said, I very much miss Dark Sky on android. Also I really like a tool called Forecast Advisor. https://www.forecastadvisor.com/ . It shows you the accuracy of various forecasting services for your area. I use it whenever I travel. I don't stick with one forecast site because depending on the terrain/location their ac", "context": "", "use_case": "weather forecasts", "switched_from": "", "story": "A Eulogy for Dark Sky, a Data Visualization Masterpiece (2023)"}]}, {"text": " and commenters say replacements such as Apple Weather have not matched it.", "cites": [{"id": 793785761, "item_id": 49611610, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49611610", "by": "celsoazevedo", "date": "2026-09-08", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I used to be able to go on walks without an umbrella because of how reliable it was at predicting when rain was going to restart.", "excerpt": "Something changed because Apple Weather has never been as accurate as Dark Sky for me, especially for rain forecast. I used to be able to go on walks without an umbrella because of how reliable it was at predicting when rain was going to restart. If I do that with Apple Weather, I get home wet.", "context": "", "use_case": "rain forecasts", "switched_from": "", "story": "WeatherNext 3"}, {"id": 769545728, "item_id": 48096608, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48096608", "by": "baggachipz", "date": "2026-05-11", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I really miss Dark Sky.", "excerpt": "Lots of these items were just moved from the app store into the os. How is that killed? That said, I really miss Dark Sky. Acme weather is good but not quite there yet.", "context": "", "use_case": "weather", "switched_from": "", "story": "Killed by Apple"}]}], "praise": [{"label": "Rain accuracy", "summary": "Commenters relied on its short-term rain predictions and local accuracy.", "quotes": [{"id": 793785761, "item_id": 49611610, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49611610", "by": "celsoazevedo", "date": "2026-09-08", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I used to be able to go on walks without an umbrella because of how reliable it was at predicting when rain was going to restart.", "excerpt": "Something changed because Apple Weather has never been as accurate as Dark Sky for me, especially for rain forecast. I used to be able to go on walks without an umbrella because of how reliable it was at predicting when rain was going to restart. If I do that with Apple Weather, I get home wet.", "context": "", "use_case": "rain forecasts", "switched_from": "", "story": "WeatherNext 3"}, {"id": 745056641, "item_id": 46566040, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46566040", "by": "chrisweekly", "date": "2026-01-10", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I miss Dark Sky for its impressive \"local weather at a glance\" accuracy and UX", "excerpt": "I miss Dark Sky for its impressive \"local weather at a glance\" accuracy and UX -- but Windy.app is pretty great too, with more details than DS ever had. They're maybe slightly complementary, given Windy.app is more like \"prosumer\" weather forecasting for nautical purposes, but I highly recommend it.", "context": "", "use_case": "weather", "switched_from": "", "story": "A Eulogy for Dark Sky, a Data Visualization Masterpiece (2023)"}]}, {"label": "Interface design", "summary": "Praised as a textbook example of presenting complex weather data intuitively.", "quotes": [{"id": 753610464, "item_id": 47100654, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47100654", "by": "bichiliad", "date": "2026-02-21", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I feel like Dark Sky was a textbook example.", "excerpt": "I have always had a ton of respect for the Dark Sky devs. I love the work that goes into designing interfaces that make sense of complex datasets intuitively, and I feel like Dark Sky was a textbook example. I\u2019m genuinely really excited to try this out.", "context": "", "use_case": "weather interface", "switched_from": "", "story": "Acme Weather"}, {"id": 745056641, "item_id": 46566040, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46566040", "by": "chrisweekly", "date": "2026-01-10", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I miss Dark Sky for its impressive \"local weather at a glance\" accuracy and UX", "excerpt": "I miss Dark Sky for its impressive \"local weather at a glance\" accuracy and UX -- but Windy.app is pretty great too, with more details than DS ever had. They're maybe slightly complementary, given Windy.app is more like \"prosumer\" weather forecasting for nautical purposes, but I highly recommend it.", "context": "", "use_case": "weather", "switched_from": "", "story": "A Eulogy for Dark Sky, a Data Visualization Masterpiece (2023)"}]}, {"label": "Missed by users", "summary": "Several commenters say they still miss it, including on Android.", "quotes": [{"id": 769545728, "item_id": 48096608, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48096608", "by": "baggachipz", "date": "2026-05-11", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I really miss Dark Sky.", "excerpt": "Lots of these items were just moved from the app store into the os. How is that killed? That said, I really miss Dark Sky. Acme weather is good but not quite there yet.", "context": "", "use_case": "weather", "switched_from": "", "story": "Killed by Apple"}, {"id": 745086384, "item_id": 46567899, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46567899", "by": "chrneu", "date": "2026-01-10", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I very much miss Dark Sky on android.", "excerpt": "Dark Sky almost always over predicted rain for my area. I think that was kind of their strategy. That said, I very much miss Dark Sky on android. Also I really like a tool called Forecast Advisor. https://www.forecastadvisor.com/ . It shows you the accuracy of various forecasting services for your area. I use it whenever I travel. I don't stick with one forecast site because depending on the terrain/location their ac", "context": "", "use_case": "weather forecasts", "switched_from": "", "story": "A Eulogy for Dark Sky, a Data Visualization Masterpiece (2023)"}, {"id": 745056641, "item_id": 46566040, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46566040", "by": "chrisweekly", "date": "2026-01-10", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I miss Dark Sky for its impressive \"local weather at a glance\" accuracy and UX", "excerpt": "I miss Dark Sky for its impressive \"local weather at a glance\" accuracy and UX -- but Windy.app is pretty great too, with more details than DS ever had. They're maybe slightly complementary, given Windy.app is more like \"prosumer\" weather forecasting for nautical purposes, but I highly recommend it.", "context": "", "use_case": "weather", "switched_from": "", "story": "A Eulogy for Dark Sky, a Data Visualization Masterpiece (2023)"}]}, {"label": "Historical data", "summary": "One commenter used its API to query past weather at specific locations for their platform.", "quotes": [{"id": 753586512, "item_id": 47099157, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47099157", "by": "Aldipower", "date": "2026-02-21", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "DarkSky was great for that until they were bought by Apple.", "excerpt": "I used to use DarkSky for the \"history data\" for my platform. Querying weather for certain points in the past at certain locations. DarkSky was great for that until they were bought by Apple. Now I am using VisualCrossing for historical data. Hope Acme plans to do historical data too. But if it is US only then it is a no-go anyway.", "context": "runs a platform needing historical weather data", "use_case": "historical weather data", "switched_from": "", "story": "Acme Weather"}]}], "caveats": [{"label": "Discontinued", "summary": "Commenters say it stopped being an option after Apple acquired it.", "quotes": [{"id": 753586512, "item_id": 47099157, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47099157", "by": "Aldipower", "date": "2026-02-21", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "DarkSky was great for that until they were bought by Apple.", "excerpt": "I used to use DarkSky for the \"history data\" for my platform. Querying weather for certain points in the past at certain locations. DarkSky was great for that until they were bought by Apple. Now I am using VisualCrossing for historical data. Hope Acme plans to do historical data too. But if it is US only then it is a no-go anyway.", "context": "runs a platform needing historical weather data", "use_case": "historical weather data", "switched_from": "", "story": "Acme Weather"}, {"id": 769545728, "item_id": 48096608, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48096608", "by": "baggachipz", "date": "2026-05-11", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I really miss Dark Sky.", "excerpt": "Lots of these items were just moved from the app store into the os. How is that killed? That said, I really miss Dark Sky. Acme weather is good but not quite there yet.", "context": "", "use_case": "weather", "switched_from": "", "story": "Killed by Apple"}, {"id": 745086384, "item_id": 46567899, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46567899", "by": "chrneu", "date": "2026-01-10", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I very much miss Dark Sky on android.", "excerpt": "Dark Sky almost always over predicted rain for my area. I think that was kind of their strategy. That said, I very much miss Dark Sky on android. Also I really like a tool called Forecast Advisor. https://www.forecastadvisor.com/ . It shows you the accuracy of various forecasting services for your area. I use it whenever I travel. I don't stick with one forecast site because depending on the terrain/location their ac", "context": "", "use_case": "weather forecasts", "switched_from": "", "story": "A Eulogy for Dark Sky, a Data Visualization Masterpiece (2023)"}]}, {"label": "Over-predicted rain", "summary": "One commenter found it almost always over-predicted rain in their area.", "quotes": [{"id": 745086384, "item_id": 46567899, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46567899", "by": "chrneu", "date": "2026-01-10", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I very much miss Dark Sky on android.", "excerpt": "Dark Sky almost always over predicted rain for my area. I think that was kind of their strategy. That said, I very much miss Dark Sky on android. Also I really like a tool called Forecast Advisor. https://www.forecastadvisor.com/ . It shows you the accuracy of various forecasting services for your area. I use it whenever I travel. I don't stick with one forecast site because depending on the terrain/location their ac", "context": "", "use_case": "weather forecasts", "switched_from": "", "story": "A Eulogy for Dark Sky, a Data Visualization Masterpiece (2023)"}]}, {"label": "Weak replacements", "summary": "Commenters say Apple Weather and alternatives are not as accurate yet.", "quotes": [{"id": 793785761, "item_id": 49611610, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49611610", "by": "celsoazevedo", "date": "2026-09-08", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I used to be able to go on walks without an umbrella because of how reliable it was at predicting when rain was going to restart.", "excerpt": "Something changed because Apple Weather has never been as accurate as Dark Sky for me, especially for rain forecast. I used to be able to go on walks without an umbrella because of how reliable it was at predicting when rain was going to restart. If I do that with Apple Weather, I get home wet.", "context": "", "use_case": "rain forecasts", "switched_from": "", "story": "WeatherNext 3"}, {"id": 769545728, "item_id": 48096608, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48096608", "by": "baggachipz", "date": "2026-05-11", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I really miss Dark Sky.", "excerpt": "Lots of these items were just moved from the app store into the os. How is that killed? That said, I really miss Dark Sky. Acme weather is good but not quite there yet.", "context": "", "use_case": "weather", "switched_from": "", "story": "Killed by Apple"}]}], "who": [{"by": "Aldipower", "context": "runs a platform needing historical weather data", "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47099157", "date": "2026-02-21"}], "tags": ["for rain forecasts", "historical weather API"], "use_cases": ["weather", "rain forecasts", "weather interface", "historical weather data", "weather forecasts"], "compared": [], "makers": [], "threads": [{"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47098296", "title": "Acme Weather", "mentions": 2}, {"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46565132", "title": "A Eulogy for Dark Sky, a Data Visualization Masterpiece (2023)", "mentions": 2}, {"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49552299", "title": "WeatherNext 3", "mentions": 1}, {"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48095468", "title": "Killed by Apple", "mentions": 1}], "sentiment_by_month": {"2025-11": {}, "2025-12": {}, "2026-01": {"recommend": 2}, "2026-02": {"recommend": 2}, "2026-03": {}, "2026-04": {}, "2026-05": {"recommend": 1}, "2026-06": {}, "2026-07": {}, "2026-08": {}, "2026-09": {"recommend": 1}, "2026-10": {}}, "quotes": [{"id": 793785761, "item_id": 49611610, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49611610", "by": "celsoazevedo", "date": "2026-09-08", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I used to be able to go on walks without an umbrella because of how reliable it was at predicting when rain was going to restart.", "excerpt": "Something changed because Apple Weather has never been as accurate as Dark Sky for me, especially for rain forecast. I used to be able to go on walks without an umbrella because of how reliable it was at predicting when rain was going to restart. If I do that with Apple Weather, I get home wet.", "context": "", "use_case": "rain forecasts", "switched_from": "", "story": "WeatherNext 3"}, {"id": 769545728, "item_id": 48096608, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48096608", "by": "baggachipz", "date": "2026-05-11", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I really miss Dark Sky.", "excerpt": "Lots of these items were just moved from the app store into the os. How is that killed? That said, I really miss Dark Sky. Acme weather is good but not quite there yet.", "context": "", "use_case": "weather", "switched_from": "", "story": "Killed by Apple"}, {"id": 753610464, "item_id": 47100654, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47100654", "by": "bichiliad", "date": "2026-02-21", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I feel like Dark Sky was a textbook example.", "excerpt": "I have always had a ton of respect for the Dark Sky devs. I love the work that goes into designing interfaces that make sense of complex datasets intuitively, and I feel like Dark Sky was a textbook example. I\u2019m genuinely really excited to try this out.", "context": "", "use_case": "weather interface", "switched_from": "", "story": "Acme Weather"}, {"id": 753586512, "item_id": 47099157, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47099157", "by": "Aldipower", "date": "2026-02-21", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "DarkSky was great for that until they were bought by Apple.", "excerpt": "I used to use DarkSky for the \"history data\" for my platform. Querying weather for certain points in the past at certain locations. DarkSky was great for that until they were bought by Apple. Now I am using VisualCrossing for historical data. Hope Acme plans to do historical data too. But if it is US only then it is a no-go anyway.", "context": "runs a platform needing historical weather data", "use_case": "historical weather data", "switched_from": "", "story": "Acme Weather"}, {"id": 745086384, "item_id": 46567899, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46567899", "by": "chrneu", "date": "2026-01-10", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I very much miss Dark Sky on android.", "excerpt": "Dark Sky almost always over predicted rain for my area. I think that was kind of their strategy. That said, I very much miss Dark Sky on android. Also I really like a tool called Forecast Advisor. https://www.forecastadvisor.com/ . It shows you the accuracy of various forecasting services for your area. I use it whenever I travel. I don't stick with one forecast site because depending on the terrain/location their ac", "context": "", "use_case": "weather forecasts", "switched_from": "", "story": "A Eulogy for Dark Sky, a Data Visualization Masterpiece (2023)"}, {"id": 745056641, "item_id": 46566040, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46566040", "by": "chrisweekly", "date": "2026-01-10", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I miss Dark Sky for its impressive \"local weather at a glance\" accuracy and UX", "excerpt": "I miss Dark Sky for its impressive \"local weather at a glance\" accuracy and UX -- but Windy.app is pretty great too, with more details than DS ever had. They're maybe slightly complementary, given Windy.app is more like \"prosumer\" weather forecasting for nautical purposes, but I highly recommend it.", "context": "", "use_case": "weather", "switched_from": "", "story": "A Eulogy for Dark Sky, a Data Visualization Masterpiece (2023)"}]}