Atmosphere is a strikingly Modern weather app for Windows Phone

By Daniel Rubino
last updated

Weather apps. Windows Phone has no shortage of them, possibly due to their frequency of use as well as the ability to work with specific data. Regardless, I am always excited to see new ones join the flock, especially if they embrace the Modern design language from Microsoft.

Atmosphere is a wonderfully designed weather app for Windows Phone 8 that has enough features to keep most forecast fans content. The design of Atmosphere is probably its main feature, as it is bold, clean and easy to read. Likewise with the Live Tile, which has one of the better layouts I have seen.

In terms of features, Atmosphere doesn't disappoint:

  • Beautiful Live Tile
  • Simple interface with advanced features
  • Weather graphs such as the sunrise and sunset indicators.
  • Multiple locations
  • Themes
  • HD Lockscreen Support
  • Quick loading
  • Down to the percent precipitation chances
  • 7-Day weekly forecast, 7-hour hourly forecast
  • Location services
  • Minute-by-minute forecast during storms

Everything about Atmosphere in terms of design is well thought out and easy to navigate. Switching between dark and Accent color gives users much desired choice. Same goes with the Live Tile, which thankfully can be the Accent color or transparent (for Windows Phone 8.1 users), depending on user preference. The Lockscreen support is decent, with all the significant information presented to the user without the need to squint. The images themselves do not change as often as I'd like, and it would be nice to either set my own or grab from another source, and at least on my Lumia 1520, there is a colored bar at the bottom, which looks like a graphics artifact.

Atmosphere can operate internationally and have multiple locations, but currently, the radar is only US based. The app uses data from Forecast.io for those who have preferences about weather sources.

Overall, in a Store crammed with excellent forecasting apps, Atmosphere still manages to impress. Personally speaking, I rarely use the same weather app for more than six weeks. Instead, I prefer to rotate through my favorites or try whatever is new. Atmosphere fits well into my collection, and I enjoy it.

Atmosphere runs for 99 cents on the Store though there is a free trial to take it for a test run. If you try it, let us know what you think. Moreover, head into our forums where the developer has his own support thread for feedback and feature requests!

Daniel Rubino
Daniel Rubino
Editor-in-chief

Daniel Rubino is the Editor-in-chief of Windows Central, head reviewer, podcast co-host, and analyst. He has been covering Microsoft since 2007 when this site was called WMExperts (and later Windows Phone Central). His interests include Windows, laptops, next-gen computing, and for some reason, watches. Before all this tech stuff, he worked on a Ph.D. in linguistics, watched people sleep (for medical purposes!), and ran the projectors at movie theaters because it was fun.

158 Comments
  • yay for weather apps :D
  • I wish Cortana could use a default one rather than just Bing weather
  • Try to submit it a the Cortana UserVoice page, I would certainly drop 3 votes :)
  • In the app settings it says the whiter UI uses up more of your battery compared to the black theme, isn't this only true for AMOLED displays?
  • It's a very minor difference, but generally darker colors use less light on the screen and are known to be less power-intensive. AMOLED displays are most affected by this, I'd assume. - Dev
  • What Ive read its not that minor. There was a comparison I saw done with 2 Samsung Android devices.
  • The difference in black vs white backgrounds, does it also apply to performance? I've noticed the black theme Twitter works faster than the whiter one on my Lumia 520 but it could be placebo. :/
  • I think it is, I didn't program anything into the app that could possibly cause such an effect.
  • @Loco That was in referance to the battery life effect, not the displays. Unless you have the app open all day, I doubt it will do all that much.
  • Weatherflow is still king for me
  • Another day, another weather app & not a free one!! What is it with app designers & weather app? How about something useful like Google Plus or a Twitter app that's excellent & not just crap or OK? God in heaven stop with the weather apps!!!
  • Not many people use Google+ and Twitter has their own app, if you want you could send a tweet to the respective companies to update their apps. -.-
  • How do you know how many people use Google Plus? My account has been seen by over half a million people. That's just one account. I don't agree with you. If your talking about your own country then fine, but you can't talk about the whole world.
  • I also don't use Google+ though I think I have automatic account because of my gmail. But not one of my 234 friends use it too.
  • You want find many new Twitter apps. Twitter took the incentive away with the app-token system. All the big named ones have ceased operations because they hit limits. It sucks for them, it sucks for customers who lose support. So if you wonder why we don't cover new Twitter apps, there you go. Blame Twitter.
  • I've just paid for Mehdoh which is so much better than anything else on WP that I paid up happily. As to tokens, yeah, your correct, but Twitter Inc should reintroduce the Beta app for 8.1 including all the new stuff. But now I've got Mehdoh I don't care about Twitter Inc they can go spin. I've got Falcon Pro on Android & the token thing killed it. To the devs credit he has carried it as a sideline. It'll never have mute but I don't care about that. & no ads either in timeline!!
  • I've recently found 2: CyberCrow and BirdTiles. CC is making big strides toward being really good. BT has some issues but potential is there.
  • These are Twitter apps? Btw have you heard of Turtle Blog? WPC don't seem to have mentioned it? It's an Instagram client. It's epic lol. All that anyone could want. Not free though.. But worth it.
  • Yea they're twitter apps. Check em out. Think I "tipped" em on CyberCrow, but I guess it didn't make the cut. I'll have a look at Turtle Blog..
  • I will thank you! I never heard of them so it's nice to checkout apps from the community. I would like to add, I'm nothing to do with Turtle Blog. Not a great name for an Instagram app maybe. So much better than that awful Beta app, from the company. Did you know there's a Disqus app? Just been updated & going to get a WP8.1 remake. Oh & a WordPress app too...
  • Tumblr not Instagram sorry going app mad!!
  • Just tried cyber crow last night because of your comment and I really like it! Emailed the developer to tell him that and give feedback and he said he wants to improve it but doesn't have a lot of time right now. But thanks for the tip.
  • Uh, that's a tumblr client, not instagram
  • Oh yeah Tumblr lol I get those two mixed up lol but the app is still a great app! Even if you have to pay.
  • It's not a instagram client but a tumblr client
  • Why are you trying to stop weather apps from entering the eco system? if u dont like this app then plain and simple dont use it. And its not like u r contributing anything to the market place so why condem other who are actually doing a good job ???? This app is actually damn good
  • I'm not stopping, I've got no real control of the WP ecosystem, I'm just saying we're not short on bloody weather apps. But do need other apps.
  • Actually i disagree. More than half the weather app in the marketplace do not posses all the features, some have certain feature, some don't and many other apps overlap in features and this developer is actually making an effort to improve his app and gathering feedback and if im not mistaken has already started working on the next update to fix it.  So why are you pissing all over this guys hard work?. the very least you could do is NOTHING. instaed of condeming him and his app.
  • Isn't that a successful argument for the apps that are already out in the wild being made BETTER than just the kings new clothes being released? I think we agree about those apps, I, like you I'm sure, have downloaded most of them!! Thanks for your interesting point of view.
  • If you hate weather apps so much, why do you feel the need to click on the link to open up the story?   It's fairly easy to scroll on by.
  • Oh God I don't hate them, I'm saying enough for a while, lets have something new, weather apps aren't that interesting for most of the world away from extreme weather areas, if all else fails we can just look out the window! Most of them don't even work properly, we're just dished up the same stuff in a different dressing.
  • I agree. And I actually use Cortana weather information so weather apps have limited utilization and I don't live in a hurricane area. And Tumblr WP is like the 2011 Android app. I'd rather see official apps get updated like Yelp.
  • Looks great but not in Dutch, i will pass.
  • From the screenshots the app looks amazing but crashes at start up on my Lumia 520, but developer is looking into it, so there is hope. :)
  • Can you give me some information? Language, location, OS version, commas or periods for seperating numbers, etc. I can't fix a bug unless I can reproduce it.
  • Hey. Can I help you translate your app for Brazilian Portuguese?? I already helped some developers with this. Adding BR support will make your app receive more reviews in the store.
  • Send me an email at thekevinsmith@live.com that says this in order for me to be able to communicate with you. I have multiple translations pending but I need to implement support for multiple languages first.
  • I can try and help with Portuguese from Portugal, if you need. BTW does the live tile really need the info on when it last updated? Seems an unnecessary bit of info for the tile (though it's good to have in app along with an option to set intervals). It's a very solid app though, liking it a lot!
  • No, refresh time is useful, if the time is like within 15 minutes - there no need to launch the app at all, livetile provides info we need. Lockscreen could use more info like hourly forecast *(for the next 5 hours or so) on it and speaking of hourly forecast, make it more than just 7 hours, 24hr on hourly forecast app screen would be great. And with radar maps. You could allow selecting a layer or maybe use OpenWeatherMap that known to be better for international locations, like nortern Europe and the rest of eurasian continent. These are my few suggestions.  I adore your work, keep on keeping.  
  • Nokia Lumia 1020, OS 8.10.12397.895, English UK.  Crashes on launch. Looks really nice though :)
  • Update submitted that may fix this. For now, try a reinstall.
  • Update available now fixing these problems
  • I gotta say. Nice name. Hats of for the developer :)
  • Lol. He actually had a thread in the forums before he published it to help with a name. So hats off to the guy that helped him out.
  • Crashes on Lumia 920 dvl 8.1
  • I'll look into it. Where are you located, and do you use commas or periods to seperate numbers (Ex, 0.0, 0,0)?
  • I don't understand the need to disable features in a trial. The radar and themes were what I was most interested in testing, yet you can't see them unless you buy. My current app is good enough so I'm not inclined to pay for another in the hopes that it will be great.
  • I'm using the trial, says I can choose metric which I do..... but still displays in Fahrenheit :P
  • Close app after you switch to metric, relaunch and only then set lockscreen. If you hacve already set livetile before setting to metric - unpin it and pin again after switching to metric. I assume livetile and lockscreen just takes some time, that's why you don't see instant change.  
  • Obsessed much with weather apps!?
  • Radar is the one thing I wanted to try in the app and it's not available in the trial. ):|
  • This is beautiful. If the dev is reading the comments, please add the ability to make the temperature one of the 5 lock screen quick status icons. It's quite wonderful to have the temp on your glance screen.
  • Possible, but I have quite a few planned features right now.
  • Is anyone having problems with bing weather? The live tile and the lock screen aren't updating at all on my 620 after the latest update.
  • i also have problems with it :/ HTC 8S
  • Same problem here on my Ativ S Neo. Been noticing the same problem for about a month so I'm looking for a new app until we hear something about it being fixed.
  • Yes! Bing Weather hasn't worked since I updated 8.1 beta I think.
  • Is there any way how to send message to the author of the app? I couldn't found any...
  • Just message me on WPC, or email at thekevinsmith@live.com
  • Does your app provide severe storm / tornado watches / warnings the minute they are issued?
  • Hate to nitpick, but metric wind speed should be indicated as "m/s", not "MPS". SI units are case sensitive and independent of language. :)
  • Already fixed in my unreleased version, coming soon to the store.
  • Awesome! Thanks for replying, I look forward to the update!
  • I think that Stephen Elop was sent to "kill" Nokia and make the stocks "easy target" for Microsoft. Stocks fell 40% in one year under his leadership - completely crazy! The whole thing seems very orchestrated. Anyway, just my thoughts ... But there is a trend when big American corporations by foreign companies, they are stripped for any valuable content and all capital moved to USA. Other examples are Volvo under Ford and Saab under GM. 
  • If you happen to be someone who lives in a place where weather happens then you should download Atmosphere now. Killer forecast.io integration, a pan and zoom capable radar map, and the best UI I've seen in a king while make Atmosphere the weather app I've been waiting for! I'm seriously, guys.
  • Does the live tile flip?
  • No, it does not. 
  • It will flip in the future?
  • Hopefully a flip tile is on the horizon. I have been looking for a replacement for Amazing Weather, I don't know why, but I have been. Blue Skies is close, but it does not have the daily rain percentage on the live tile for the next five days. Also BS does not show the current day's high low in the live tile I like. If a flip tile was added that showed the next five days, with their high/low and chance of rain percentage, it would be golden.
    Thanks.
  • Planned. I need to fix those crash issues (Any kind of crash-related problem is an automatic top priority, one-star reviews kill the app), i'll work on it for the first feature update.
  • Purchased
  • Ney. Nothing in radar map throughout european continent. I don't believe its not raining throughout europe now. Lockscreen is not updating as I change the settings from imperial to metric for instance. What's the update schedule by the way? I know its an app testing but I thing you still got work to do. What I like about this app is simplicity and easy to access data. Everything is placed handy and lovely layout. You've done better job with layout than 4castr that claims to be the new way to access weather.   Lockscreen pictures are beautiful.  
  • As the video and article says, no radar outside of US. Fixes for those two bugs coming.
  • Still prefer Bing Weather. Something about native apps appeals to me. No offense to the developer, looks like a gorgeous app.
  • I used to use Bing for weather also but in the last months the current weather was always wrong with temperatures completely wrong and so I changed back to Weather Flow.
  • The only issue I have with Bing Weather is that it always thinks I'm at a local ski resort when in fact I am not. That's problematic because it gives me different information than I would receive if I was in a town. Thing is, the resort isn't THAT local. It's like a 20-30 minute drive, so it shouldn't think I'm there. Bing Weather on my Surface tracks me correctly.
  • Bing weather did something similar to me a while back. I fixed it by deleting the favorited town that was "near" the ski resort, resetting my home location, and other similar tricks through trial & error. Eventually got it straightened out.
  • I suggested the name of it to the dev :D
  • I would had transitions to the app and it would be perfect
  • So look, what would make the perfect Weather app on WP 8.1? Transparent tile? Radar? What else?
  • Update 1.1.0.1 submitted fixing the infinate loading issue (This means location services are disabled) and metric issues. Hopefully, this will fix crash issues also. Should be live soon. Also fixed 1080p issues.
  • The question is??????? Is it reliable????.... So many times I've purchased windows phone weather apps but they have had issues updating correctly or on time... There are some that function but a lot do not.....in my experience Posted via the WPC App for Android!
  • We have had a beta so all known bugs with the tile are fixed. I've had a few crashing problems but working on them as we speak.
  • Awesome looking weather app.  I may have to purchase it to show support for the developer...
  • Pretty nice, but Blue Skies is still my fave
  • With the real estate of the 1520, I pinned both blue sky and atmosphere because they both offer, together, a complete picture on the live tiles. I have Myradarmap also pinned do I can see. No need to open the apps much now. Myradarmap is too sensitive though, shows really light blue showers on map when its not raining. I've learned to overlook it. Probably moisture way up high that never makes it to ground.
  • Are we able to pin different locations to start screen?
  • Not at the moment. They just autosave in the locations menu.
  • Is it in the plans? I like to have my current location pinned but have many locations within the app I track weather for.
  • I listen Atmosphere :)
  • It's ok. I like the scroll down to the radar and, for the most part, the design. But, we're on Win Phone 8.1, a single-sided Live Tile is just not acceptable in a weather app.
  • "Simply" Nice! It kinda reminds me of my current weather-app fav, Blue Skies.
  • Doesn't work on my HTC 8X running 8.1. Crashes on launch.
  • Need more information to fix it: Location, units, language...
  • I'm in the US. English. It hasn't opened at all.
  • Ok. Wait for 1.1001 to come out and try it. May fix the issue. Also, a reinstall could help.
  • Okay, thanks!
  • I will not keep paying for weather apps¬_¬;
  • I can't run atmosphere without charging for it. To provide accurate data, I have to pay for an API. If it wasn't paid, advertisments would be there.
  • Oh ok I understand, thanks for replying:)
  • which you'd think given just about the only thing windows phone matches android and iOS on is weather apps, MSFT would let the weather app developers access the bing weather api for free.
  • Would be nice to integrate weather apps as default into Windows Phone OS and Cortana
  • Loving this app. Looks gorgeous and works brilliantly so far.
  • Ah, excellent. I was beginning to worry about the severe weather app shortage.
  • I like how the Dev designed this app. I bought it. Thinking yes I'll support the work. Jezz. Glad I did the app is even better in full mode. Every aspect of the app simply flows together. Good job on this app.
  • Who provides the weather data?
  • Forcast.io
  • Wow it does look really nice. I wish you could set defaults for weather app though so clicking weather in Cortana opens this instead of Bing Weather
  • Only blue skies for me
  • Instant crash on 1520, US English, Sweden, 8.10.12397.895 and app 1.1.0.1. Got the update not more than 60 seconds after install xD
  • I think the crash has to do with location parsing, which could cause it to be what it is - intermittent, random, and affecting a small precentile of users. Looking into this.
  • Okey. Thanks for the quick response :D
  • Could it have anything to do with å, ä and ö being present in address and/or city? Know from experience that some apps doesn't seem to work as expected due to those three letters xD
  • Probably not as US users are also reporting crashes.
  • Looks beautiful really, the UI is great, but I still like Blue Skies, the Live Tile is perfect, the UI is simple & beautiful & it provides everything I need.
    This app looks beautiful too, might buy it in the future.
    Edit: Eh bought it :D Crashed as soon as I opened it, I did a soft reset & reinstalled the app, it seems to work. I like the app a lot, simple but beautiful design.
    Live Tile is tad sloppy though :/
    But yeah I know it'll get better with each update.
    Edit 2: Wow it crashes alot .-. Radar doesn't work either ;_;
  • When does it crash? Keep in mind this is a 1.0 and i'm still trying to fix these problems. Radar is US only as stated in app discription and WPC review.
  • While opening, yeah I know it's the initial version that's why I bought it.
  • I'll give it a try, though I already have one on my phone. I think the dashboard looks better than my existing. I just don't know the live tiles how it looks like.
  • I bought it too. I made a suggestion above, but i wanted to add that I like the current layout of the tile. I do wish (wide tile) that the time was smaller, and that there was a feels like temp. I love that it says what it is outside instead of a picture. How often does the tile update? I don't see where I can modify that? Also the rain percentage for today was at 100%, but the live tile shows 0%. Is the 0% for the rest of the day? Also, looking forward to a flip tile with high/lows and rain percentage for each day.
  • 0% is for the hour. Tile updates as scheduled by the OS, which typically is 30 minutes.
  • Something big (for me) I just noticed is that the live tile does not show the location. I like to at least see the city so I know the tile is updating to my current location.
    Looks great overall. I don't mean for my posts to come across negative. Just suggestions since you are actively responding. :-)
  • Why no animated radar? I live in east NC with a hurricane bearing down on us as we speak, but have to go back to Weatherbug to track it! Please add it so I can finally ditch WB...
  • Because I just can't build every feature into a 1.0 release. That doesn't mean it won't come, however.
  • Awesome! Thanks for the reply. I will still use this app as my primary unless threatening weather is imminent. Love the live tile! Good job so far.
  • Animated weather needs to be added in the future. Also, you need to add toast notification that incorporates Cortana voicing the alert. Within the app the weather alert needs to be posted with the ability to be read by the user or read aloud by Cortana. Then if you could add a color jpeg image of the weather next to the temperature in the blank area of the main screen it would really improve the look of the UI. You have certainly created a great looking weather app that I'm sure you will continue to improve. Keep up the great work!
  • Update pushed out that is assured to fix all crashes. Expect it soon.
  • This is cool. I'm changing my weatherapp to this. To the whiners, save yourself from stress. Just let this pass. Don't make yourself stressed by complaining to just about everything. At least choose something to complain about.
  • App crashes for me....actually it wont even load. 920, Windows Phone 8.1 with latest update.
  • Take a look at the post a few posts above yours.
  • WeatherFlow for me. Haven't seen anything else free or better yet. Bing weather doesn't yet offer Bing wallpaper for lock screen yet.
  • Bought this. Beautiful app.
  • But, I would like to compliment that author on a well written app and I will keep an eye on this. Provide Bing wallpaper to lock screen and I am in. Great job dude.
  • you know how I know windows phone has WAYS to catch up to android and iOS? because we feature weather apps.
  • I have just downloaded Atmosphere, and to say, it is one of the more beautiful Modern style apps. The UI is simple, well thought out and user-friendly. It doesnt require much tinkering about with, as your location is automatically deteremined. Text are clear and sharp, and the live tile is beautiful. However, I do not wish to fork out 1.99 for the app yet, as I would like the developer to update the app to not always require location to be turned on to use the app (ala Bing Weather, where you can manually deteremine which country you are in). Looking forward to future developments !   
  • Very possible future update. I could just make it that if your current location is turned off in settings it opens a location selection screen.
  • Nice simple weather app, but the temperature compare to my two weather up is 5 degrees off, like my "The weather channel" said 91, but atmoshphere said 86. Can you fix it please and I will buy your app.
  • That's a forecast.io issue. I can't do anything about it. 
  • You can use MSN weather. One of the app I use connect to MSN. Can you do that?
  • I'm not changing APIs. That's not an option at all.
  • It sure does have a stylish appearance to it but after about 3 minutes I had to completely get rid of the trial. The purchased version is so much better. Thanks.  Question, can you get the windmill to animate? That would be awesome.
  • It's a static icon but possibly I could build an animation. Features suggestions are a higher priority then design suggestions for now.
  • Im fine with the default HTC weather app! It gives me accurate info.
  • I find it frustrating that the "try" feature doesn't let you "try" essential functions. Makes no sense.
  • I'll check it out. No weather app is perfect and I don't now why people complain about them. If no one wanted them, the devs would quit making them. They are getting downloaded and purchased.  If you don't like 'em, don't install them or read about them when they come up.  Like Daniel, I've used (and paid for) several.
  • Forecast.io is spot on for accuracy. Good news.
  • Amazing weather HD still the best by far!
  • I quite like the app and can pretty much confirm everything the article says about it but one thing.
    It doesn't load quick at all on my Ativ-S. I have to stare 15 seconds on the loading screen with the red circling ring, before the app even shows up. I timed it. this can't be normal. doesn't anyone else have this problem? As far as i can see the app works fine after that.
  • Just installed this, looks awsome! Can someone confirm this issue? When changing units to metric, both the apps and live tile show data in metric. But the lock screen still shows units in Imperial. Also, a way to keep my Bing backgrounds would be nice. cheers!! rob   edit: Lumia 625 and WP8, just to add some data. ;-)
  • I am living in Turkey and the weather is not correct when i am comparing with bing weather and what i feel :) its about 4 and 5 degree. Bing weather is more accuarete then yours if u solve this i glad to purchase your app
  • Great looking app!  I wish the radar worked on the trail though.  Also from reading comments from people who have purchased the app the radar isn't animated.  Just a picture showing the last captured radar image is worthless.  Need to see the direction things are moving!  I'll buy it when the radar is animated.   Great 1st release & keep the updates comming!
  • Radar is not working outside of the US locations, so I'd learned...  
  • What is is arch in the middle-right part of the screen next to sunrize/sunset. It's always full and why humidity bar is always 1 pixel thick even though there's 74% + wide livetilwe front page goes blank (again) after I lock/unlock my phone. App version 1.1.1.3 on Lumia 1020 black WP 8  
  • Is it possible to choose a custom background image for the lock screen? If so, this would become my only weather app.
  • v.1.2.1 lost metric measurements... Yuck!!!  
  • Starting from v1.2.1.1.3 I'm loving it... there're not so many flaws present and its really good. There's something about this weather app you cannot not to love...    
  • Is it better than Bing weather??
  • For european users it seems useless. I've not find any way to Change from farenheit to celcius
  • In latest version I can't even set the lockscreen...