# VortiCast — NWS forecasts, models & radar > Detailed weather forecasts with transparent sources and confidence levels. (iPhone/iPad app by Juhl Software, LLC.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vorticast/id6784467478 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [Juhl Software, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1896465363) - Category: Weather - Price: Free with in-app purchases - Rating: 4.90/5 from 24 App Store ratings · 8 written reviews indexed - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 18.6 · 45 MB - Languages: American English - Released: 2026-07-15 - Data updated: 2026-08-23 - Monetization: freemium - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vorticast/id6784467478/reviews.md ## What is VortiCast? Most weather apps hand you one number and hope you don't ask where it came from. VortiCast shows you the forecast, the sources behind it, and exactly how much to trust it — built for people who actually watch the sky. THE BEST SOURCES, NOT A BLACK BOX Days 1–7 come straight from the National Weather Service — the same official guidance meteorologists build on, with no proprietary "secret sauce" muddying it. For days 8–14, VortiCast taps the ECMWF ensemble (EPS) and GEFS: dozens of model runs that map the full range of what's possible, not a single confident-sounding guess. A RADAR FORECAST THAT KEEPS PLAYING Hit play and the radar doesn't stop at now — it keeps running hours into the future, frame by frame. Under the hood, our backend blends live MRMS radar into NOAA's HRRR high-resolution model and advects it forward, so you're not watching a cartoon loop — you're watching physically grounded guidance for where the storms actually go. Smooth on the front end, serious science on the back end. KNOW WHEN THE FORECAST MIGHT BE WRONG This is the part other apps skip. Forecast Confidence reads the spread across the ensemble and tells you, day by day, how settled the outlook really is — and whether it's the temperature or the precipitation that's shaky. Compare Models puts NWS, GFS, and ECMWF side by side so you can see for yourself where they agree and where they diverge. When the models split, you'll know before the forecast does. PRO-GRADE TOOLS, APPROACHABLE DESIGN - Multi-band GOES satellite — infrared, water vapor, and visible - Lightning strike density — 15-minute density from NOAA's ground-based detection networks - LightningCast — NOAA/CIMSS probability of lightning in the next hour - Surface observations — live temp, dewpoint, wind, and pressure from thousands of stations - SPC convective outlooks for severe-weather days - Live watches, warnings & advisories - Wind, precipitation, and temperature forecast maps - Detailed hourly graphs for temperature, wind, sky, and precip - Air quality (AQI) and real sunrise/sunset Weather data is U.S.-focused through the National Weather Service; locations worldwide are supported through Open-Meteo. VORTICAST PRO Unlock the Radar Forecast, Forecast Confidence, Compare Models, extended hourly graphs (days 4–7), advanced satellite bands, LightningCast probability contours, surface observations, SPC outlooks, and wind forecast maps. - $5.99/month or $39.99/year - 7-day free trial — full access, cancel anytime Subscriptions auto-renew unless turned off at least 24 hours before the period ends. Payment is charged to your Apple Account. Manage or cancel in your App Store account settings. Privacy policy: https://vorticast.com/privacy/ VORTICAST PRO SUBSCRIPTION Monthly — $5.99/month Annual — $39.99/year (save 44%) 7-day free trial for new subscribers. Payment is charged to your Apple ID at confirmation of purchase. Subscription automatically renews unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage or cancel anytime in Settings → Apple ID → Subscriptions. Privacy Policy: https://vorticast.com/privacy/ Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ ## Key features - National Weather Service forecasts - Ensemble model data for long-range outlooks - 18-hour future radar playback - Forecast confidence indicators - Model comparison tools - Multi-band satellite imagery - Live watches, warnings, and advisories ## Pricing and in-app purchases Base price: Free. **Subscriptions** | Subscription | Price | Period | | --- | --- | --- | | Pro Monthly | $5.99 | per month | | Pro Yearly | $39.99 | per year | ## Recent user reviews (8 of 8) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vorticast/id6784467478/reviews.md ### 5/5 — Best weather app yet! *2026-08-10* This weather app has all the info I want right up front (including dew point) in a clean, appealing layout. Uses the National Weather Service which makes it highly reliable. We’ve experimented with different weather apps and this our favorite. Highly recommend! ### 5/5 — Fantastic, clean weather app! *2026-08-07* I really love this app. The interface is incredibly clean and concise, giving me exactly what I need without any clutter. The controls and options are highly user-friendly and intuitive, making it easy to navigate. Having tried quite a few weather apps, this one stands out for its simplicity and ease of use. Highly recommend! ### 5/5 — Excellent weather app *2026-07-28* This is the most intuitive, yet comprehensive weather app I’ve used. Fantastic radar, superior extended forecast modeling, and finally, an app with solid wind forecasting. ### 5/5 — Great Weather App!! *2026-07-22* After years of using standard iPhone weather apps, this is a refreshing change to see such well researched data presented in a clear and easy to read and understand format. It’s great to finally be able to rely on accurate weather analysis and forecasts. Many thanks to the developer for such an excellent product! Highly recommend!! ### 5/5 — Great App *2026-07-22* I’ve tried many weather apps and VortiCast matches all that I have tried plus some. Love the radar and loads fast. The specific details of all weather patterns are easy to find and very accurate. Thanks. ### 5/5 — 1 weather app *2026-07-17* Best weather app to plan my day (and travels)! ### 5/5 — Great weather app *2026-07-16* Love this app - clean features and it’s easy to use, and everything I need is right there without digging or needing to look at other weather forecasts. The radar works great, weather alerts come through quickly, and it loads fast every time I open it. I’ve tried a lot of weather apps over the years, and this one is easily my favorite. Definitely recommend giving it a try. ### 5/5 — My new go-to weather app! *2026-07-16* Wow! What a great app! So easy to use and provides a great deal of detail. I’ll be recommending this app to all my friends, especially outdoor enthusiasts and people who work outside. ## Frequently asked questions about VortiCast ### What weather sources does VortiCast use? VortiCast uses National Weather Service data for days 1-7. For days 8-14, it taps into the ECMWF ensemble (EPS) and GEFS, providing a range of possible outcomes rather than a single prediction. ### How does VortiCast's radar forecast work? The radar feature plays 18 hours into the future, blending live MRMS radar with NOAA's HRRR model. This provides physically grounded guidance for storm movement, not just a cartoon loop. ### Can I compare different weather models in VortiCast? Yes, VortiCast's 'Compare Models' feature allows you to see NWS, GFS, and ECMWF data side-by-side, helping you identify areas of agreement and divergence. ### What is 'Forecast Confidence' in VortiCast? Forecast Confidence indicates how settled the weather outlook is, day by day, by analyzing the spread across ensemble models. It highlights whether temperature or precipitation forecasts are less certain. ### What features are included in VortiCast Pro? VortiCast Pro unlocks the Radar Forecast, Forecast Confidence, Compare Models, extended hourly graphs, advanced satellite bands, GLM lightning, surface observations, SPC outlooks, and wind forecast maps. ### How much does VortiCast Pro cost? VortiCast Pro is available for $5.99 per month or $39.99 per year. New subscribers receive a 7-day free trial. ### What devices does VortiCast support? Currently, VortiCast is supported on iPhones. The app is rated for ages 4 and up. ### How often is VortiCast updated? VortiCast was last updated on July 15, 2026, with version 1.0. The release date was also July 15, 2026. ## Version history (last 3 releases) ### 1.2 — 2026-08-06 Radar improvements: - Live radar now updates within about a minute of the newest scan, instead of running several minutes behind. - The forecast timeline no longer jumps back to now while you're scrubbing. - Forecast frame times are now exact, and the timeline reflects the true forecast horizon. - Cleaned up the radar controls in forecast mode. Behind the scenes, the radar forecast now blends model data that's properly time-matched to live radar — the forecast loop should track storms more faithfully. Questions or ideas: support@vorticast.com ### 1.1 — 2026-07-26 New in 1.1 LightningCast — see where lightning is headed next. VortiCast now shows NOAA LightningCast: forecast-probability contours that estimate the chance of a lightning flash in the next 60 minutes, drawn from NOAA GOES satellite imagery. Because it reads the developing cloud rather than the strikes, it often lights up 20–45 minutes before the first flash. It sits right alongside the existing observed-lightning layer, so you can see what's happening now next to what's expected next. Tap the legend to learn how to read the contours and how the two differ. NOAA LightningCast is a research product, included for informational use. (Pro) Plus surface-observation accuracy improvements and under-the-hood reliability fixes. ### 1.0 — 2026-07-15 No release notes. --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-23.*