Weather apps are useful in many situations, but they’re not all the same. One might be best for warnings about nearby hurricanes or tornadoes, another might be geared specifically for pilots or specialize in keeping track of the weather for hikers. Some apps are also multi-functional, showing not just rain or snow maps, but also hourly and daily forecasts, wind speeds, allergy information, detailed radar maps, and more.

You can buy a home weather station to know what tomorrow’s weather will bring, but the right app can tell you what’s going on no matter where you are. I tried each of these apps at different times of the year and ranked them below in order of usefulness. Each is free for the basic features, with premium options if you need more.

AccuWeather is a beast, frequently ranking in the Top 10 most downloaded weather apps in app stores. It’s perfect for anyone planning on traveling, working outside, going for a run, having a picnic, etc. anytime soon. There are two reasons for this: it shows weather forecasts for up to 90 days in the future, plus a 4-hour, minute-by-minute forecast.

This is one of the very first apps I always install on a new phone. I like that you can see at a glance exactly when it's going to rain, snow, sleet, and hail before I leave. Plus, the map shows radar from an hour ago up to two hours in the future, so planning is easy.