Dark Sky
Hyperlocal weather forecasting app and API, acquired by Apple and since discontinued.
Remembered for reliable, hyperlocal rain forecasts12 and an interface that made complex weather data easy to read at a glance.34 The most common caveat is that it no longer exists after Apple bought it,567 and commenters say replacements such as Apple Weather have not matched it.89
Why people recommend it
Rain accuracy · 2
Commenters relied on its short-term rain predictions and local accuracy.
“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.”
“I miss Dark Sky for its impressive "local weather at a glance" accuracy and UX”
Interface design · 2
Praised as a textbook example of presenting complex weather data intuitively.
“I miss Dark Sky for its impressive "local weather at a glance" accuracy and UX”
Missed by users · 3
Several commenters say they still miss it, including on Android.
“I very much miss Dark Sky on android.”
Show 1 more
“I miss Dark Sky for its impressive "local weather at a glance" accuracy and UX”
Historical data · 1
One commenter used its API to query past weather at specific locations for their platform.
“DarkSky was great for that until they were bought by Apple.”
Caveats and dissent
Discontinued · 3
Commenters say it stopped being an option after Apple acquired it.
“DarkSky was great for that until they were bought by Apple.”
Show 1 more
“I very much miss Dark Sky on android.”
Over-predicted rain · 1
One commenter found it almost always over-predicted rain in their area.
“I very much miss Dark Sky on android.”
Weak replacements · 2
Commenters say Apple Weather and alternatives are not as accurate yet.
“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.”
Who recommends it in their own words
Threads where it came up
- Acme Weather 2 mentions
- A Eulogy for Dark Sky, a Data Visualization Masterpiece (2023) 2 mentions
- WeatherNext 3 1 mention
- Killed by Apple 1 mention
Data: dark-sky.json. Quotes are verbatim; the verdict and theme labels are written by a model from these comments, and every clause links to its sources.
All comments 6
“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.”
“I really miss Dark Sky.”
“I feel like Dark Sky was a textbook example.”
“DarkSky was great for that until they were bought by Apple.”
“I very much miss Dark Sky on android.”
“I miss Dark Sky for its impressive "local weather at a glance" accuracy and UX”