WGN-TV Chicago Weather

It makes you stare at the sponsor’s logo for 5 seconds before the app loads. It even does it when you switch back to the app from something else. I get that they have to make money somehow, but I can also just use the weather app that comes with the phone, which opens right away. I agree the forecasts have not been as accurate since Tom Skilling retired. Coincidence?

After spending all of my childhood and most of my adult life in the Chicago area, I moved to the east coast a few years ago. One of the first things I missed was WGN Weather, which has always been exemplary. I was so happy to find this app, which is ALWAYS the most accurate for my weather in the Philadelphia area. Sadly, there is no one even close to Tom Skilling and his team elsewhere in the country. They don’t get that a weather report is NOT simply reading out the temperatures on a map. The WGN Weather Team actually EXPLAINS it to you. Kudos to WGN, Tom Skilling, and the entire WGN weather team for doing the best weather in the country! Of course this app will not explain it to you the way the professionals at WGN Weather do it on WGN TV, but at this app will give you the most accurate weather available anywhere. Full Stop.

I live in Chicago and have used this app several times a day for years. I got used to the interface and hated when I tried other weather apps. However, with the latest update, there’s a 10-second delay after opening while the app displays a full-screen ad. It also displays that ad again if the app loses focus and you go back into it. That’s an unacceptable delay, and it has cost you a user (and four stars) — I just uninstalled and switched to Weatherology, which provides the same reliable information without the delay and in a format I’ve decided I actually like. The radar, which has always been the best part of the WGN app, is the same quality. Just as Tom Skilling is retiring, so too is this app. Goodbye, WGN Weather.

I have found this weather app to be the most accurate. Telling me where and when I’m going into the rain and coming out of it, along with any other kind of weather on the highway. I found it very useful and extremely helpful. Believe me… when you’re pulling a loaded 53 foot trailer behind you all the time…it really does come in handy knowing what the weather is like. Between WGN WEATHER & WAZE, it makes traveling through life a breeze when you’re driving up and down the highways!

I’ve used the WGN Weather app for quite some time now. It is the best app out of all those in the App Store. But since you added the pop-up picture of Tom Skilling and someone else, every time I use the app I get so disgusted with having to close a window that adds absolutely nothing to the app except irritation before I can get the information I wish. Please remove this feature. I find it totally useless as far as I am concerned. If it remains, I will find another source for my weather information.

WGN9 weather app is by far my favorite. I access it multiple times a day to see the daily weather forecast and even hourly forecast when rain/storms/snow is moving into my area. The forecast is just as accurate for Lincoln, NE as for Chicago, IL. I’ve come to rely on and trust this app for weather. Unfortunately the app recently changed to a different map that is much darker in color for the satellite view and decreases the visual efficiency of the radar. I’ve switched to the other two map view options: Dark is a flat grey map (not too bad) and Light is a flat bright white map (eye piercing even when screen brightness is turn way down). During active weather events when I want to view radar, I find myself cumbersomely switching between map views and not liking any of them. Hopefully the app developers will work on the overall quality of the map in satellite view to be more like the previous map source version.

The WGN weather app has been my favorite for as long as I can remember so I would normally give it five stars. What happened?? I am looking at it right now. The satellite shows no rain over me. The hourly says no rain and I’m looking out the window at pouring rain. I have noticed for several weeks now that I have to constantly close it out and re-open it to get anything to work. Don’t know what the developers did to update it a month ago but it’s terrible. Now I’ve had to start looking at other weather apps and they are not my favorite, but at least the satellite is working correctly. Please fix this, so this can be my favorite again.

Born and raised in Chicago, WGN has been my go to for accurate weather forecasting, thanks to Tom Skilling, in my opinion. I moved to Florida 5 years ago and was happy to discover the WGN weather app. I still enjoy checking the weather in Chicago and other areas of the country where I have family and friends. The app worked beautifully until recently. Now when I tap the app, nothing!! I have to delete app and add it again, only to have the same thing happen! I’m fairly surprised that this is going unfixed. I have always had iPhones and have never had difficulty until lately. I hope somehow the bugs get worked out and the app is restored to its past excellence.

For a number of years, I have been recommending the WGN weather app to others. The only trouble I had was figuring out a way to send photos of the weather out here in Michigan City onto the parties using the photos at WGN. In the last six months this app has been loaded up with ads. I have no problem with ads inside the apps that I use but when we’re finished looking at the ads, we should be able to look at the contents of the app. In this case, that would be the weather. Well, whoever runs this app is more interested in gathering. And apparently allowing our sponsors to overrun the content of the app. N now, apparently WGN is not going to show us their own weather map We are forced to watch old video weatherman doing the weather. Our ability to see the latest estimates. Of the movement of weather through the various areas on the map have been usurped by reruns of. So goodbye WGN Weather app You’ve become like the rest of them

This was my go-to app, but the recent update changed my mind. It’s harder to read and navigate. The severe weather alert colors have changed; severe thunderstorms used to be yellow and tornadoes used to be red. We are under a severe thunderstorm watch right now but the alert is red, which startled me because I mistook it for a tornado watch! There is a pretty big difference between the two! On top of that, the alert colors are so bright that I cannot see the actual radar underneath, and I haven’t found a way to make them more transparent. I know developers rarely revert back to older versions of an app after an update but why’d you change what wasn’t broken?

I have used this app for a few years to help with business travel planning. Very accurate and I love the pinpoint option. I add a new location so I can pack/plan the trip. BUT, I had too many locations that I could NOT delete! I followed the directions, but there was NO delete option. I had to remove the entire app and start again.

I love WGN when I was little ( and I woke up early ) I would watch you guys before school and I loved it but the app is having some problems I’ve tried to send videos and I got emails that are saying undelivered and I don’t know what it is it’s coming from Microsoft I think it’s a scam but I’m not sure one more negative thing the app has been wrong lately but nobody’s perfect but the app is solid and I think it’s great!

As stated in other reviews, this app no longer works. The radar view only works on the initial opening. If you go to other areas in the app and then return to radar, it will not work. You must close the app and then restart to see an operational radar view. This used to be the “go to” app for weather. Not anymore. As far as weather predictions, it is just as good/bad as any other weather site. Not much better than throwing a dart at the wall.

This app used to be perfectly fine. Nexstar seems to have decided that advertising revenue trumps functionality. I understand and appreciate the necessity of ads for free app. However, this app takes ads to the extreme. It has a *long* pause (several seconds) with a full screen ad just to open it, and if you leave the app, you're subject to the ad again once you come back. That's in addition to in-app advertising. At some point this app becomes more of an app for ad delivery than a weather app.

I’ve had this app for many years and as of today (when all the storms were rolling through) it hasn’t loaded and it keeps saying “network error”. Luckily I have other apps but this is my main one to check the radar which I love on here. I’ve uninstalled and reinstalled multiple times and still having the same issue.

I used to love this app (5 star rating) Tom skilling would announce the alerts 🚨 straight to the phone. Unfortunately now it’s someone else (no disrespect) just not a fan that I turn notifications off bc of the voice. There should really be an option for announcers voices since they’re able to switch. I just don’t understand why they removed Tom. Tom Skilling is priceless to WGN like Harry Caray to Wrigley field. I’ll be switching to another weather app in the meantime.

I’ve had this app for a couple of years, and with the last couple of updates, the text keeps getting smaller and smaller - and the app doesn’t offer a setting to change that. It’s getting ridiculous and frustrating. Please either enlarge the text again or include the option in the settings so that someone doesn’t have to get a magnifying glass out to get the weather!! Otherwise, I still think it’s a great app.

This used to be a very reliable and solid app. Over the years updates seem to make it a little worse each time. The current version has a long commercial at startup and the won’t display properly unless you completely kill the app and restart. I think it’s related to attempts To show lightning. There are better apps out there now.

Was working fine until you’re recent update. My iPhone 6S plus can no longer open the app. Will have to switch to another source. Please fix this issue. It is the best of all weather apps I have access to so I am now frustrated. With ur recent update, I have to turn off my 6S Plus & restart it to open ur app. Vert annoying!

What is wrong with this app and why isn’t it getting fixed? For at least a couple of months the app will open but do nothing. I have to shut my phone off, then it will open and go to the weather, but the next time I open the app (within minutes) it’s back to just showing the logo screen only. And it’s not just me, I know people with other iPhone versions and they experience the same thing. Thought with the update 3 days ago it would be fixed...NOPE!

I love this app and have used it for many years to aid in weather. Love the app and all its features but the only downside is that whenever a storm comes through the radar goes down. I believe that in a time of need of a storm gets bad it would be helpful to see the radar.

A very nice App in terms of layout and info except that anytime there is serious weather activity it tends not to load. I get the splash screen and then it freezes. Can fix it sometimes with a reinstall. I used to think it was because of demand, but it failed to load at 3:00;AM and I don’t think a lot of users were up at that time. Please fix this. Added: coldest day of the year and it’s down again. Can’t count on this app and it’s off to the trash. Worse than useless.

Used to be a great app now it is garbage I like the older version better now you have to wait while advertisement takes its time before the app even opines and When you look at the radar it either flickers or doesn’t come up at all so you need to close the app and restart it how annoying! please bring back the older app it was working flawlessly.

Best weather app, in my opinion. Consistently updated for accuracy; other apps are very generic when it comes to the suburbs and you end up with city weather which is off the farther you get from the Lake. Just wish there was an Apple Watch app.

I loved this app until it was updated recently. Now I have these random green shapes that are on there and I have no idea why or how to remove them. It’s not the outline of a storm area as they are there even when it’s a sunny day. I love the accuracy of the weather and all but if I cannot get rid of these shapes, I will have to search for a new weather app😕

I don’t know what happened to this weather app. It used to be a great local app for Chicago area weather. Not any more. Example: The other day I got a “lightning has been detected in your area” notification. The storm was forty miles away and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky near me. Whenever I go to click on other weather notifications, I get a black screen. PLEASE GO BACK TO THE WAY THIS USED TO BE. This version stinks. I am looking for a different weather app. This one is terrible.

This used to work beautifully but in the last 6 months the screen freezes on the initial page and nothing will unfreeze it! I am forced to delete the app and reinstall! It is happening every week or two now. With all the graphics and science behind Tom Skilling and the WGN weather team forecasts you’d think they would have the IT support to fix the app. Like the app when it will open.

This was my go to weather app for a long time but after the update a couple of months ago I may delete this app. The hourly, daily, etc. forecast is still fine but the radar- which used to show past and future now only shows past to present.. I may have to switch to another weather app if they don’t fix this soon

Most recent update changed the font or size of font and now I only see three capital letters of the city name. And the color change with dark clouds rather than white is harder to see. I enjoy the app overall but the city name thing might get me to switch to something else.

Since the last iOS update this app has gone into the toilet. What is the point of a weather app that can’t connect to its GPS? Constant error messages when opening the app & ZERO severe weather alerts. Even before the weather maps radar only showed conditions half the time. The other half, totally devoid of radar. The app developer got lazy & is happily collecting paychecks

I love that this app is supposed to show if it’s raining or clear where I am currently. Today the app showed me the area rain was coming to an end. It did not. I go to the WGN interactive radar website. Although it does not show where I am currently, it does show rain all over after I locate my location. Please fix your app so it works as well as the WGN interactive radar website.

My first choice for weather is WGN. But, like the last reviewer, I am having the same issues with the radar for about the last 3-4 weeks. It will be raining out with dark clouds still following and radar is showing like it has already passed us. Hope you can get that fixed soon. Thanks

The app updated and now it thinks it’s the wrong day?! The 7 day forecast starts three days ago. Very strange, and makes the app totally unusable. And listen, we all love Tom Skilling and Demetrius Ivory... but do we need a pop up of their faces every single time we open the app? Every. Single. Time. I’m just trying to see the radar, and I’m starting to get sick of the sight of them pestering me, and I don’t think anyone wants that.

The font in the large lower left box containing current conditions suddenly became miniscule and difficult to read. Occurred a couple of days ago, perhaps with the last update. Otherwise an OK app. Thx,

After the update 2 days ago to newer maps, the app just freezes. This is on new hardware too. iPad Air 3rd Generation and iPhone XS Max. Not to mention the dreaded no network error is making its appearance more. No reason when I have full bars of LTE and can speed test roughly 150mbps down. WiFi same thing.

This used to be my favorite weather app but lately it has been horrible. The radar takes forever to load - if it loads at all. It’s choppy and slow. Super disappointing because I love Tom Skilling, Paul Conrad, and WGN. But this app needs a serious upgrade or bug fix….

I too have to reload the app for it to work. This is a recent problem and very irritating. I haven’t had it happen on my iPhone, but it happens on my iPad Pro, the current model. Otherwise it’s an excellent app with excellent quality videos.

Many times in the last few months the temperature is completely wrong. I also DO NOT NEED the daily readings to expand automatically when I open the page. That’s annoying for every reason. And pop up ads can go away completely please.

Like many others, I used to love this app. But with the recent storms (July 2023) I have not received the tornado alerts. A tornado was sighted less than 5 miles from our house and I found out by getting a text from my son checking to see if we were ok. I’m depending on an app to warn us ALL the time in our rural area.

This is not as good as the original App. The other one works fine, so why? The new one is limited and not as informative. I'm glad I never updated on my other I Pad. You should offer both options. I wrote this review a year ago and was hoping the old APP would return. No such luck. With so many single stars, listen to your users! Bring back the old version..please!

I have reinstalled the app and updated to iOS 15, but weather report videos no longer replay. I tap them and nothing happens. This has been going on for the last week, week and a half. Radar etc still apparently working.

Just curious why lately I am being notified all of the time lightening is 26 miles away now. I tried to find a setting or a place to contact but could not find one. Hopefully you will see it here.

Same as the other reviewer. Radar shows no coverage over me but there are lighting strikes and warning/watch indicators but nothing over my area. Please fix this. This used to be the best radar weather app until it was “fixed” a month ago.

This app has been a favorite of mine. Now there are pop up adds that hijack the entire screen and play video and audio. It’s horrible. Doing this without any notice or even an option to pay to remove ads is disrespectful and a bit shocking. This cannot continue or I’ll be quickly deleting this app.

Since the updates in June I believe and the addition of map box as it’s apparent source, it’s jittery and often missing data. Sometimes it just doesn’t update at all. It’s crap compared to the older version. What are they trying to do, save money? Unfortunately a couple of the other weather apps use the same source, and equally crap. Come on WGN, get back to some useful version.

You fixed all the bugs and the app is easier to read and navigate. Thank you!

Please provide a way to remove the ads. They are annoying. Otherwise, I like this app for local weather.

As a Chicago cycle commuter this app used to be ideal for my mission specific needs; radar, wind speeds, etc Its just too glitchy now. I would not recommend it, especially since the developer is well aware that problems abound and have done little to correct them. I doubt Tom Skilling has any actual input with this app even though his name is on it. He is (was?) legit and the app is not (anymore).

Always shows the green and red storm coming 5 to 10 miles away, but yet it’s already pouring on me, why is our data old and unimportant? Happens all the time for the last 15 years on all my updated and new IOS devices! Get us our weather data current!

This was my favorite weather app because of the accuracy and the radar feature. The newest update now includes a LOUD, full screen ad every time I open it. I can’t dare to open it in a public place or if my partner is sleeping. At a minimum the ad should be auto muted. This is a user hostile update and I’m considering ditching the app entirely for something else.