# wXL23 — Advanced US weather app

> Advanced US weather app for meteorologists and enthusiasts with NWS data. (iPhone/iPad app by Josh Green.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wxl23/id1171250052 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Josh Green](https://appshunter.io/developer/1171250051)
- Category: Weather
- Price: Free
- Rating: 4.90/5 from 200 App Store ratings · 75 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 15.0 · 29 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2018-11-30
- Data updated: 2026-08-15
- Monetization: free
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wxl23/id1171250052/reviews.md

## What is wXL23?

For USA Weather only:

wXL23 is a free, no-ads, and open-source ( GNU GPLv3 / APL2.0 ) advanced weather application that is geared towards storm chasers, meteorologists, and weather enthusiasts. NWS ( National Weather Service ) data is optimized for mobile format and provided for divisions not normally covered together in the mobile space: SPC, WPC, NHC, OPC, etc. Level 3 Nexrad radar (single, dual, quad pane). This weather app is not affiliated with NOAA or the National Weather Service. 

If you *only* need current conditions and your local 7 day forecast then this app is probably more then you need although it will easily provide those 2 things as well. If you are looking for wasted screen real estate or fancy graphics this app is not for you. Given the depth of information covered there is a steep learning curve if you seek to use the program in it's entirety, help information is available and touched on below. Common weather acronyms are used throughout so you should be familiar with those as well. Currently United States locations  are supported. 

- Current forecast, 7 day conditions, sounding data for an unlimited number of locations from NWS.
- Customizable home screen
- Metal based Nexrad radar interface with numerous options. 2 pane and 4 pane version also available in MISC tab.
- Optimized text product viewer for easy access to AFD, HWO and others from any NWS WFO.
- Vis/IR/WV/Radar mosaic viewer ( with animations ).
- SPC products (such as Watches/MCDs/Convective Outlooks/Mesoanalysis)
- WPC products
- Weather models
- NHC products

NOTE: iPhone 5s or newer required for Nexrad radar viewer.

## Key features

- NWS data for US locations
- Level 3 Nexrad radar viewer
- Optimized text product viewer
- Mosaic viewer with animations
- SPC, WPC, NHC product access
- Weather models
- Customizable home screen

## Chart rankings

- #202 in Top Free · Weather (US App Store)

## What do users think of wXL23?

Overall sentiment: positive

**Pros**

- 📊 Comprehensive weather data from NWS, SPC, and multiple sources
- 💰 Completely free with no ads or paywalls
- 🎯 Advanced radar features including dual polarization and velocity
- 📱 All-in-one consolidation of weather resources
- 🔧 Highly customizable with multiple viewing options
- ⚡ Fast and efficient data access
- 🎓 Excellent for weather professionals and enthusiasts
- 🛠️ Responsive developer with regular updates
- 📈 Extensive model data and forecasting tools
- 🌐 Direct access to raw NWS data without formatting issues

**Cons**

- 🐛 Frequent app crashes on recent iOS versions
- 📚 Steep learning curve for new users
- 🎨 UI/UX could be more intuitive and polished
- ⚙️ Radar animations occasionally slow or crash
- 🖼️ Radar image quality not as high as competitors
- 📡 Limited color table variety for radar displays
- 🔄 Occasional data loading issues
- 📱 Not available on Windows or Android (platform limitations)

**Commonly reported bugs**

- App crashes on iOS 26 and iOS 18.1.1 after updates
- Radar animations crash app when playing frames
- Play button malfunction on radar displays
- App crashes on open after certain updates
- Radar product glitching on iOS 14 and iPhone 12 Pro Max
- Current conditions loading issue at single stations
- Radar display crashes when added to home screen
- Models slow to load or fail to load data

**Most requested features**

- Dark mode icon support for iOS
- Bottom navigation bar with category icons
- Widget support for home screen
- Push notifications for SPC outlooks and mesoscale discussions
- Personal Weather Station (PWS) integration
- Map scrolling improvements
- Annotation feature for radar
- Custom color code input for radar color tables
- Additional mesoanalysis subregions (sectors 21 and 22)
- Enhanced hourly forecast display with more data points
- Windows 11 application version

## Recent user reviews (10 of 75)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wxl23/id1171250052/reviews.md

### 5/5 — Could be better

*2026-06-30, version 56183*

Could use more features, but a definite 5 stars,


I would recommend a more organized tab of things, but hopefully that occurs soon

### 5/5 — Perfect, simple perfect

*2026-06-16, version 56183*

I absolutely love this app. Perfect

### 5/5 — Great weather app!

*2026-04-03, version 56183*

I’ve tried many weather apps but this one stands out to me more than the others. It offers a lot of features, while still staying very accurate, unlike many other weather apps that rely on less reliable information. This app's data comes directly from the national weather service, making it very reliable for people who need the data straight from a trusted source.
Although it can be hard to traverse through the apps interface and data. After a few uses of using the app, you will quickly catch on and understand how to navigate through this app. The amount of customization in the settings is far ahead of the competitors, allowing you to set your settings for your specific needs.
This app also includes the SPC predictions, a handful of models and mosaics which is good for weather enthusiasts like me. The radar is what stands out from other weather apps, it’s highly customizable and features a dual pane mode to view two different weather modes simultaneously. If you want something a step up there is even a quad pane option to view four different weather modes simultaneously. Another feature is the ability to long press a location for an instant local forecast instead of having to save a location on the main screen every time.
A small handy feature is being able to see the area forecast discussion and the severe weather ongoing in the vicinity of an area you chose.
Another nice thing about the app is that most weather apps require your GPS constantly but this one doesn’t require your GPS to function. To get all of those features for free and without any ads is rare! The entire weather app overall feels very clean, organized and professional.
excellent work!

### 4/5 — Liking it so far!

*2026-03-16, version 56183*

This app has a ton of info. I will start with saying we need the proper dark mode icon when using the dark mode icons options for iOS. 

Hopefully the bottom bar gets some icons for each category. Other then those things not much to say other then any ui improvements are welcomed

### 5/5 — Convective Outlooks

*2026-03-05, version 56182*

Great app. Needs update to account for changes in SPC outlooks tho

### 5/5 — Amazing

*2025-12-25, version 56182*

amazing app, and its free!

### 5/5 — Great app and developers

*2025-11-04, version 56181*

Very much appreciate the app and warnings about the NWS’ lack of funding.

### 5/5 — Awesome app for Wx

*2025-10-30, version 56181*

This is one of the best Wx apps there is. If there is quick, consistent and accurate data, this app has it. Thank you to the author and developer of this app for a Wx app that fills in all the holes in weather apps that other weather apps leave a professional or amateur weather specialist craving for. One of the best ever produced and made publicly available.

### 4/5 — App doesn’t work on IOS 26

*2025-10-28, version 56179*

App crashes as soon as it opens,. Please fix when available.

### 5/5 — National Weather Service Piped In

*2025-02-16, version 56173*

If you want the Forecast Discussion without the frustrating formatting issues this is it. Plus scads of extra stuff. Somebody on Reddit told us about it.

## Frequently asked questions about wXL23

### What kind of weather information does this app provide?

This app provides advanced US weather data, including current conditions, 7-day forecasts, sounding data, Level 3 Nexrad radar, mosaic views with animations, and specialized products from SPC, WPC, and NHC. It also includes access to weather models and optimized text products like AFD and HWO.

### Who is the target audience for this weather app?

The app is specifically geared towards storm chasers, meteorologists, and weather enthusiasts who require a deep dive into US weather data. While it can provide basic current conditions and 7-day forecasts, its primary focus is on detailed meteorological information.

### Is this app free to use?

Yes, this application is free to use and is also open-source. It does not contain any advertisements and does not have in-app purchases.

### What are the compatibility requirements for this app?

The app currently supports United States locations only. For the Nexrad radar viewer specifically, an iPhone 5s or newer is required.

### What is the learning curve for this weather app?

Given the depth of information and the use of common weather acronyms, there can be a steep learning curve if you aim to use the program in its entirety. Help information is available within the app to assist users.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 56183 — 2026-03-06

Please see FAQ (which contains app status such as NWS data disruptions, recent changes, and upcoming changes) here:
https://gitlab.com/joshua.tee/wxl23/-/blob/master/doc/FAQ.md

### 56182 — 2025-12-08

Please see FAQ (which contains app status such as NWS data disruptions, recent changes, and upcoming changes) here:
https://gitlab.com/joshua.tee/wxl23/-/blob/master/doc/FAQ.md

### 56181 — 2025-10-28

Release includes minor updates in UI to support iOS26 - details in change log.

NOTE: NWS Is considering terminating the NCEP MAG model image website, this is the main source of weather model images in wX/wXL23. Please see FAQ for more details.

Please see FAQ (which contains app status such as NWS data disruptions, recent changes, and upcoming changes) here:
https://gitlab.com/joshua.tee/wxl23/-/blob/master/doc/FAQ.md

### 56179 — 2025-10-27

Release includes minor updates in UI to support iOS26 - details in change log.

NOTE: NWS Is considering terminating the NCEP MAG model image website, this is the main source of weather model images in wX/wXL23. Please see FAQ for more details.

Please see FAQ (which contains app status such as NWS data disruptions, recent changes, and upcoming changes) here:
https://gitlab.com/joshua.tee/wxl23/-/blob/master/doc/FAQ.md

### 56177 — 2025-09-01

NOTE: NWS Is considering terminating the NCEP MAG model image website, this is the main source of weather model images in wX/wXL23. Please see FAQ for more details.

Please see FAQ (which contains app status such as NWS data disruptions, recent changes, and upcoming changes) here:
https://gitlab.com/joshua.tee/wxl23/-/blob/master/doc/FAQ.md

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*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 2026-08-15.*