Forecasts for the places between the cities
Weather in the Hudson Valley can be very different on each side of a ridge, and forecasts aimed at Albany or New York City often miss the towns in between. Hudson Valley Weather (HVW) exists to cover that middle ground. Its HVW app brings the forecasts and the community around them to residents' phones. HVW built the app with AppPresser's app builder.
From a Facebook page to a forecasting team
Alex Marra grew up in the valley and started HVW in January 2011 as a Facebook page for friends and family. It became a team covering the Hudson River Valley and the Catskills across ten New York counties. A zone map splits the region into nine areas so forecasts, winter storms especially, can be more specific. The stated goal is accurate forecasting without hype, explained in plain language.
HVW put out its first apps in 2016 and 2017. The current version, built by HVW on AppPresser, reached the App Store in November 2024.
What is on the phone
The latest forecast sits at the top of the home screen, next to links for joining HiveStorm membership and for sending observations, damage reports and power outages.
Weather Time Machine. Type a ZIP code, press play, and a retro style screen replays past observations. HVW calls this feature Throwback Weather.
Radar and maps. Live maps open on current precipitation and can be zoomed, dragged and animated to show where rain or snow is moving.
Community. HVW's Facebook posts and forecast discussions show up in the app, and Weather Chat lets followers post updates, photos and replies from wherever they are.
Who relies on it
- Commuters and parents who drive over the mountains
- People whose jobs depend on conditions outside
- Storm trackers who enjoy comparing notes
The tech side
The app connects to WordPress through AppPresser, which takes care of app store builds, push notifications and navigation. That leaves the forecasters free to focus on the sky and their followers.
Bringing a social audience home
HVW started on social media. With forecasts, maps and chat in one app, followers no longer have to bounce between platforms to stay informed.
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