About Wx
Getting Wx
Installing Wx
Wx Interface
Mobile Wx
Add-ons
Disclaimers
Tech Support & Feedback
Release History
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Wx is a specialized internet weather app for Mac OS X that downloads and processes weather information and forecasts for the United States. The software links to free XML data on the internet from the U.S. National Weather Service, and presents it in an attractive user-friendly interface.
Wx interface shown above (click for a full size version)
Wx can be configured to track weather conditions, watches/warnings/advisories, live radar, and forecast information for up to 20 U.S. locations, and it can download up to 20 weather maps or images. Optional add-ons allow each user to customize Wx for their lifestyle, hobbies, and activities. Wx downloads data on-demand, and can be configured to download data automatically on a periodic basis. Current weather conditions are summarized in the app's dock icon and dock menu, a floating "MiniWx" panel, and a Quartz screensaver. Wx can also export settings to an iPhone or iPod Touch, allowing it to use the Wx web app.
| "I am a Weather Service weather watcher/spotter, and live in a remarkable location in the central Idaho mountains where weather totally runs our lives. You truly have created the finest weather program out there, be it PC or Mac. I have absolutely no doubt about that. Thank you very much for making such a fine program available to us serious weather watchers." -- Ron Reil, Geologist/Engineer/Rancher |
What sets Wx apart?
There are many choices for weather on Mac OS X -- websites, widgets, and applications -- but Wx has some unique and special features that set it apart:
Multiple Display Modes: With Wx, you can display weather in a large main window, a small "MiniWx" panel, the dock icon and dock menu, a Quartz screensaver, or any combination of these interfaces. Wx lets you tailor the interface to your needs and preferences.
Multi-threaded Radar Console: If you want radar, you got it! Wx has a high performance radar display with multiple radar modes (from simple to advanced), seven types of radar, and national radar site maps and mosaics.
Highly Accurate Point Forecast: In addition to a zone forecast, Wx has a graphical point forecast specified by latitude and longitude. Wx accesses the NWS National Digital Forecast Database (NDFD), a multi-dimensional database with 3 mile spatial resolution. With an accurate latitude and longitude, Wx can give you a custom forecast for your own neighborhood. In mountainous regions or near coastlines, this type of point forecast can be significantly more accurate than typical zone forecasts.
Pro Forecast: Also based on latitude and longitude, the pro forecast graphs 11 parameters from the latest NDFD forecast model run, going out to 168 hours. Graphs include temperature, humidity, cloud cover, wind, and precipitation parameters. The pro forecast in Wx is one of the most detailed forecasts you can get.
True Local Weather: Wx lets you choose to receive current weather data from over 1750 NWS observations sites in the continental U.S., Alaska, Hawaii, and U.S. islands and territories. This allows you to tune into a nearby NWS weather feed for relevant weather data.
Easy Setup: Wx allows you to setup locations by zip code, City/ST, latitude/longitude, or by entering a location/address into Google Maps. For each location, Wx recommends the five closest NWS observation sites, alert zones, and radar sites.
Mobile Wx: Export your Wx settings to a special Safari bookmark, sync via iTunes, and access all your weather locations and maps (up to 20 each) on your iPhone or iPod Touch using the Wx web application. It's like having Wx with you on the go.
Add-ons: Expand the utility of Wx with add-ons, which integrate features like tide tables, ski reports, aviation planning, hurricane tracking, and marine observations into Wx. Thirteen add-ons are available, and custom add-ons are easy to create.
Use of Cutting Edge Mac OS X Technologies: Wx is a native Cocoa application and universal PowerPC/Intel compatible. The software leverages numerous features of Mac OS X and makes extensive use of its powerful UNIX core for enhanced performance, stability, and effiency. Compute- and network-intensive parts of Wx are multi-threaded for faster response and reduced processing time.
Active and Responsive Pro Developer: Wx is developed by Dr. Craig Hunter, an engineer with over 16 years experience in software development and scientific computing. Craig received the NASA Software of the Year Award (2004) and Apple Design Award (2004) for his Mac OS X software development work on the TetrUSS computational fluid dynamics suite. In just 2.5 years, Wx has raced up to version 5 and has a large user base of serious and casual weather watchers. Many of the features in Wx were implemented because of user feedback and suggestions, and it continues to improve and adapt to ever-changing user needs.
| "Just a note to say how much I enjoy Wx. The radar displays are awesome and the hurricane add-on makes for one-stop shopping for those of us who live in coastal areas. Nice work all the way around." -- Bill Harwood, CBS News |
| "Wx is a gorgeous program, and especially welcome to me, is the fact that it doesn't appropriate vast amounts of cpu -- it seems a very well-behaved and good citizen. It's loaded with little gems of artful implementation that very much bespeak that this program is a labor of love. I love it, too! -- R.V., Madison WI |
Wx map (satellite water vapor) shown below
| "Your weather tracking software is the best I've seen around. I'm a bit of a weather nut, have been all my life, and I've tried many different software programs that are weather-related. Yours is by far the best. Keep up the good work." -- Phil Chard, Wx user |
Wx pro forecast shown below
| Next: Getting Wx |