Storm Shield weather app
"A detail-rich app... with an emphasis on smart, active, automatic alerts for severe weather... Its ability to pinpoint data to your location could literally be a life-saver." — reviews.cnet.com
"Storm Shield is like having a sophisticated weather radio on your iPhone" — The Unofficial Apple Weblog
"Storm Shield... is a top-notch weather app for your iOS device... this app really provides a peace of mind." — AppPicker.com
"Storm Shield is one of seven iOS apps to protect you from Mother Nature's wrath" — AppAdvice
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    ABOUT STORM SHIELD

    Storm Shield is a potentially life-saving weather app for iPhone and Android that acts like a NOAA Emergency Weather Radio. When weather warnings and watches are issued by the National Weather Service for your chosen areas, you will receive critical alerts via voice and push notification. Storm Shield is your ever-vigilant weather guardian to keep you and your family informed.

    Get Storm Shield for iOS on iTunes, or Storm Shield for Android on Google Play.

    iTunes App Store Google Play
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    PRECISE ALERTS

    Other services use county-based alerts which result in people at one end of a county receiving alerts for weather that will not impact them. But Storm Shield uses Storm-based alerts.

    If the Nat'l Weather Service issues a Severe Thunderstorm Warning, you'd receive a Severe Thunderstorm Warning from Storm Shield if you or your saved locations fall inside the orange polygon. If your location is just outside the polygon (even though you may be in the storm and the county), you would not receive a warning from Storm Shield.

    iTunes App Store Google Play
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    FOLLOW ME

    Storm Shield is critical for those on the go. When a watch or warning is relevant to your location, Storm Shield alerts you no matter where you are in the United States.

    iTunes App Store Google Play
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    FRIENDS & FAMILY

    Storm Shield can save up to five locations in addition to your current position. Make sure your loved ones are safe at home, work, school, or out-of-state when severe weather threatens.

    iTunes App Store Google Play
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    BATTERY LIFE

    Throttle up or down Storm Shield's Location Tracking to balance between location accuracy and battery life. Another battery tip: Turn off Location Tracking and instead set one of your five locations to where you are most often.

    iTunes App Store Google Play
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    AUDIO

    Audio alerts for waking you up at night, or for when you can't stop to look at the phone. Hear what Storm Shield sounds like when you get a Severe Thunderstorm Warning or a Tornado Warning.

    iTunes App Store Google Play
iTunes App Store Google Play
  •  

    ABOUT STORM SHIELD

    Storm Shield is a potentially life-saving weather app for iPhone and Android that acts like a NOAA Emergency Weather Radio. When weather warnings and watches are issued by the National Weather Service for your chosen areas, you will receive critical alerts via voice and push notification. Storm Shield is your ever-vigilant weather guardian to keep you and your family informed.

    Get Storm Shield for iOS on iTunes, or Storm Shield for Android on Google Play.

    iTunes App Store Google Play
  •  

    PRECISE ALERTS

    Other services use county-based alerts which result in people at one end of a county receiving alerts for weather that will not impact them. But Storm Shield uses Storm-based alerts.

    If the Nat'l Weather Service issues a Severe Thunderstorm Warning, you'd receive a Severe Thunderstorm Warning from Storm Shield if you or your saved locations fall inside the orange polygon. If your location is just outside the polygon (even though you may be in the storm and the county), you would not receive a warning from Storm Shield.

    iTunes App Store Google Play
  •  

    FOLLOW ME

    Storm Shield is critical for those on the go. When a watch or warning is relevant to your location, Storm Shield alerts you no matter where you are in the United States.

    iTunes App Store Google Play
  •  

    FRIENDS & FAMILY

    Storm Shield can save up to five locations in addition to your current position. Make sure your loved ones are safe at home, work, school, or out-of-state when severe weather threatens.

    iTunes App Store Google Play
  •  

    BATTERY LIFE

    Throttle up or down Storm Shield's Location Tracking to balance between location accuracy and battery life. Another battery tip: Turn off Location Tracking and instead set one of your five locations to where you are most often.

    iTunes App Store Google Play
  •  

    AUDIO

    Get audio alerts that could wake you in the middle of the night, or give you information when you can't stop to look at the phone. Hear what Storm Shield sounds like when you get a Severe Thunderstorm Warning or a Tornado Warning.

    iTunes App Store Google Play

Testimonials

A detail-rich app... with an emphasis on smart, active, automatic alerts for severe weather... its ability to pinpoint data to your location could literally be a life-saver.

Storm Shield is like having a sophisticated weather radio on your iPhone

Storm Shield is one of seven iOS apps to protect you from Mother Nature's wrath

Storm Shield... is a top-notch weather app for your iOS device... this app really provides a peace of mind.

Just wanted to let you know how valuable Storm Shield was during the Castle Rock hail storm a few weeks ago. When we lost our satellite reception and Internet connection during the storm, we needed a way to stay informed about the dangerous weather conditions happening around us. During the roughest part of the storm I was constantly getting push messages to my iPhone and iPad. Our guests became aware of the fact that I had information they were looking for, so I connected my iPad to one of the TVs in the bar area and put the radar view on display. Before long, everyone was glued to the TV, watching the radar, and hearing the audible warnings that were sent to our specific area. Thanks for developing this amazing app!

I'd say #1 you have your local weather, alerts, and five other places you choose, as well as school closing, and backup tv in case power goes out, and if you have a problem with the app go to support, and they are there 24/7 to help you.

As an Amateur Radio Operator who is also a Severe Weather Storm Spotter volunteer this App has the potential of becoming my favorite weather app!

Saved me from my deductible! This app saved me $495! I was asleep a couple of nights ago with my car parked in front of my house. I got a notification about a storm coming my way with possible hail and was able to get my car in the garage before it it. My neighbor's car had significant hail damage, mine was safe thanks to this app. Totally worth the price!

This has to be the best weather app out there. There was a little glitch the other day with the latest update. I emailed them and within minutes they answered back, explained the problem (which they were already aware of) and had everything fixed in a very short time. I think all the other developers should take a lesson from these guys on quick responded. There is no way that you can't give Storm Shield anything but 5 Stars. Keep up the good work !!!!!

I'm a long haul trucker and as such I need to know what I'm driving into and what's happening back home. This app does both brilliantly. It is accurate, up to the minute and easy to read. I get what is most important to me; wind and snow. It's laid out in colors and shows my location through the storms. I get warnings as well. i love this app.

Last night the weather had me slightly awake, but my phone woke me up around 11:45 to tell me about the Severe Thunderstorm Warning for my area. About a minute later was the Tornado Warning for the area. Scary, the sirens then started going off. I love this app because it finds your location. That was my problem about other weather alerts, they tell you about your home. I could be in Aurora with my sister shopping; I need to know what is happening around there NOT at my home. GREAT APP! Someone did what was needed, well worth the small price of it!

I am on a Marriott hotel with tornado spotting. Hotel did nothing to notify guest I woke up my friends to get down stairs for safety.

If you really want warnings and the update info try out this app, gives you maps alerts and even speaks the current forcast, nice!

Frequently Asked Questions

** How do alerts work in Storm Shield?
Click here to learn more about how alerts work in Storm Shield.
1. There is not a media provider for my area. Will I still get alerts?
Yes, you will still get all alerts. Media providers are not required for you to get alerts and other critical information. Media providers enrich the experience and provide content such as streaming video for the local area.
2. Why don't I see any data? Why does the app display an error message?
Your device likely does not have a reliable internet connection, so the app is unable to receive data. The app will automatically receive data again once your device has reestablished a WiFi or cellular internet connection.
3. Why am I asked for a partner code, and where can I get one?
Codes are not available at this time and users should choose "NO" for now.
4. Why does the application want to know my current location?
Storm Shield can display your current location on the map. It can also track your current location in order to send you alerts for that location. To enable or disable location tracking in the app, tap "Settings" in the sidebar, then tap "Background Tracking", then set "Location Tracking" to ON or OFF as desired. You can control the app's ability to access your location for any purpose through the iOS Settings app.
5. Why can't the app find my location? Why does it display an error message when trying to locate me?
Check the Settings app to see if Location Services are enabled for Storm Shield. On iOS 5, open the Settings app and tap "Location Services". Scroll through the list of apps, locate Storm Shield, and make sure its switch is set to ON. Location Services rely on a combination of GPS, cellular, and WiFi signals to determine your location. If you're in area where these signals are weak or unavailable, the app may not be able to locate you even if Location Services are enabled.
6. How do I animate or loop the Storm Shield radar?
Click the play button, which is the second button from the right in the toolbar at the bottom of the screen.
7. How do I know the radar or satellite data are current?
Look at the timestamp at the top of the map. Radar data is updated every 5 minutes and the satellite data is updated every 15 minutes. Both will update automatically without restarting the app.
8. Can I change the radar or satellite so that I can see the map better?
Tap the info button, labeled "i", in the far right corner of the screen and then drag the "Weather Opacity" slider to the left to make the data more transparent or drag to the right to make the data less transparent.
9. Can I have the "satellite" view of the background map?
Tap the "i" in the lower right corner of the screen to reveal the Storm Shield settings. You may choose "Standard", "Satellite" or "Hybrid".
10. How do I get a forecast?
To listen to an audio forecast, click on the location of interest, then press the play button next to "Forecast". The application will play an audio forecast and any alerts for the location you have chosen. To read the forecast text, tap the Forecast item. The forecast text will be displayed in the lower half of the screen. You can scroll this view to read all of the text.
11. Can I switch between Celsius and Fahrenheit?
Not at this time.
12. The application seems slow on my iPhone 3 or 3GS. Why?
Storm Shield will work on devices running iOS 4.0 or higher. The older iPhone 3 is not as powerful as the 3GS or iPhone 4. It struggles to run iOS 4.0 or higher and will often be slow. As a result, this application will run better on newer devices. Also, be aware that the iPhone 3 does not fully support Apple's Location Services and as a result if you use "Follow me" on the iPhone 3 it will potentially drain your battery. You should not see this issue with the 3GS or iPhone 4 or 4S.
13. How do I change my media partner selection?
In order to change the media partner, you must delete and reinstall the application. You will NOT be charged by Apple for a re-install. In order to delete the application, click on the Storm Shield application icon on your phone and hold it until an X appears. Click the X. Then, go to the iTunes store, search for "Storm Shield" and re-install the application.
14. I'm receiving alerts that I don't want. How do I stop them?Click on the "Settings" tab, and then choose "Alerts".
You can toggle the alerts to on or off by tapping on alerts you wish to receive. Checkmarks indicate the alerts that are turned on for your device.
15. How do I add, remove, or manage my locations?Add or remove locations by tapping on the "Settings," then on "Locations".
Tap on "Add Location" in order to add additional locations to your list. You will be taken to a search screen where you can click "Find Me", or enter a city, state, postal code or airport code. You may then tap on the pin to move it to a more accurate location (iOS only at this time). You can remove a location by clicking on the "Edit" button at the top and then tapping the red minus icon to the left of any locations you wish to remove.
16. I think I'm not getting alerts. What do I do?
You must open the application at least once after it's installed. You must set up the application before you will receive any alerts.
You will only receive alerts for your "Current Location" if location tracking is enabled. To enable this feature tap "Settings in the sidebar, then tap "Background Tracking", then set "Location Tracking to "ON".
Check your alert settings. In the sidebar, tap "Settings", tap "Alerts", and review the alerts currently selected. From here, you can specify the types of alerts you receive by turning them on or off.
Storm Shield application is very precise. This means you will only receive alerts if your current location or a saved location falls inside a watch/warning box. Most other alerting services are county-based and sometimes you will receive alerts that do not actually affect you. If you are alerted from another service but do not get an alert from Storm Shield, please check the alert type overlay on the interactive map in order to see if your location is actually effected.
If you are using an iOS device that doesn't include a GPS or a cellular connection, it's ability to determine your current location is limited. This includes all current iPod touch models and some iPad models. Those devices rely on WiFi signals to determine your location.
17. Watch/Warning Box Example
Here is an example why users should check the interactive map in Storm Shield if they think they may be missing alerts or if legacy alert systems say they are under an alert and Storm Shield does not. Storm Shield alerts you when you or a saved location falls inside a watch or warning box. Other alerting systems may alert you even if you are outside of the watch or warning box because they are less precise. In August 2011, the National Weather Service issued a warning with the information below. Most legacy systems alerted people based on the city and county references in the NWS alert, even though the watch and warning box was well below the center of Norman and did not cover Cleveland County completely. As result, many people received false alarms. With Storm Shield ONLY people INSIDE or with saved locations inside the orange warning box were alerted to this Severe Thunderstorm Warning. Conclusion: Always check to see if you or your saved locations are inside the watch and warning box using Storm Shield.
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN NORMAN HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR... SOUTHEASTERN CLEVELAND COUNTY IN CENTRAL OKLAHOMA... SOUTHEASTERN MCCLAIN COUNTY IN CENTRAL OKLAHOMA... SOUTHERN POTTAWATOMIE COUNTY IN CENTRAL OKLAHOMA... WESTERN PONTOTOC COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL OKLAHOMA...GARVIN COUNTY IN SOUTHERN OKLAHOMA... NORTHEASTERN MURRAY COUNTY IN SOUTHERN OKLAHOMA...UNTIL 1100 AM CDT AT 1015 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM WAYNE TO ELMORE CITY... MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH. HAZARDS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE... HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF QUARTERS... WIND GUSTS TO 60 MPH... FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE ANTIOCH...ASHER...BYARS...ELMORE CITY...FOSTER...HICKORY...MAYSVILLE...PAOLI...PAULS VALLEY... PERNELL...ROFF...ROSEDALE...ST. LOUIS...STRATFORD...TROUSDALE... VANOSS...WANETTE...WAYNE...WHITEBEAD AND WYNNEWOOD. THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 35 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 61 AND 87. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN PRODUCE TORNADOES WITH NO ADVANCE WARNING. MOVE IMMEDIATELY TO A STORM SHELTER... BASEMENT OR STURDY BUILDING IF A TORNADO IS SIGHTED.
18. I used the Find Me functionality, but I don't think the location is accurate. Why is this?
iPod, and Wifi iPad devices cannot use cell towers to fix a location and so they will be less accurate. Also, if Location Based Services (LBS) is off, your location fix will not be as accurate. If the location is inaccurate, you can always change the boxed location by tapping on the green pin and moving it to the correct location. The location box will then be repositioned to better reflect your current location.
19. Why are there different colors and numbers next to my stored locations?
The colors and numbers next to your stored locations indicate the type of alert issued and how many alerts are currently in effect. Red alerts indicate your location is under a warning, orange indicates a watch, and yellow an advisory.
20. I appear to get duplicate alerts, or sometimes I don't get every alert. Why?
Based on how Apple Push Notification Service (APNS) works, if the same alert is issued for multiple locations at the same exact time, the end user receives one alert. If the same alert is issued for multiple locations at different times, the end user will receive multiple alerts.
21. Why am I not seeing pop up alerts for watches/warnings?
From the settings app, go to Notifications, click on the Storm Shield app, and make sure that alerts are turned on.
22. Why doesn't Apple Push Notification Service (APNS) work?
There are a couple of things that could prevent you from receiving APNS alerts. Please check and make sure you have notifications turned on inside the application. In order to do this, tap on Settings >> Notifications >> Storm Shield >> and make sure Alerts are set to "On". If you find alerts is turned off. Please delete and reinstall the application with alerts turned on. You should not be charged by iTunes. Another reason you may not get APNS alerts is due to WiFi security settings. iPhones typically prioritize WiFi over the wireless carrier network for speed and to save you money on your data plan. Some companies block the delivery of APNS alerts. Turn off WiFi or check with the firewall administrator to see if this is the case. If you are using WiFi it is possible you are connected to the router, but the router is not connected to the Internet. You can check to see if your router is connected to the Internet by opening a browser on your device and visiting a Web site.
23. Does the location tracking feature affect battery life? Why is the location icon always displayed in the status bar?
This application should not drain your battery. We took special precautions to prevent this from happening. See more below: GPS: The Storm Shield application never actually uses GPS, which will drain your battery significantly. This application only uses Apple's Location Services (LBS), which can be turned on/off under device settings. Apple's LS feature runs very efficiently and we are very discriminating about how we use the service. Privacy: The only reason the application uses Apple's Location Services (LBS) is so that users can be alerted if they move into an area that falls under an alert. We are not recording user movement. Arrow: An arrow will appear on your phone if the application requests your location within the last 24 hours. The arrow is telling you Apple's Location Services has been engaged by the application in the past 24 hours, but it does not mean it is actively seeking your location at that moment. This service can run in the background and it is only used to detect significant changes to your location. This helps to ensure you receive alerts for your current location when on the move or while traveling. Battery Life: This application is designed to only make a negligible impact on your battery. Our tests have shown a typical iPhone running Storm Shield using this service will see the application consume no more than 5% of the battery over four hours. There is one known exception -- The iPhone 3 when running iOS 4.0+ does not honor the use of Apple's Location Services and so it will use GPS. This could result in significant battery drain. Users on iPhone 3G running iOS4.0+ should turn off LS in the settings panel when it is not needed.
24. I see alerts but I don't hear the alert sound or voice.
Make sure that NOTIFICATIONS (located in your General Settings) are "ON" (look for the Storm Shield application and turn sounds and alerts ON). Please make sure that the audio button on the side of the phone is not in the mute position. If that button is set to mute, you will still be able to listen to the forecast but you will not hear the beeps from alerts or hear the voice announce them to you.
25. Why am I receiving alerts from my local media provider?
Participating media providers have the ability to send custom alerts through Storm Shield. These alerts are controlled by the media partner and are sent at their discretion. Custom alerts can be enabled or disabled through the app's Alert settings screen.
26. Is there an Android version?
Yes! Get Storm Shield on the Android Google Play store here.