Best 8 Storm Trackers in 2026: Compare Key Features

Introduction

MyRadar Weather Radar is the best overall storm tracker for animated local radar and customizable tropical-storm and hurricane alerts. This roundup compares eight mobile apps for radar, severe-weather alerts, hurricane tracking, and platform availability. Use it to find an option that fits your device and needs.

Quick comparison table

The two WeatherBug entries are separate apps for iOS and Android. The table reflects details from each app’s description. Availability and pricing may change, so check the relevant app store before installing.

1. MyRadar Weather Radar

Best for: Android users who want animated local radar.

MyRadar Weather Radar shows animated radar around your location, with loops covering up to two hours. It also has a hurricane layer for viewing tropical systems.

Configurable tropical-storm and hurricane alerts are a standout feature. Together with local radar, they make MyRadar a well-rounded choice for keeping tabs on nearby conditions and following a developing storm in one app.

2. Storm Shield

Best for: iPhone users who prioritize location-based severe-weather alerts.

Storm Shield sends voice and push alerts for threats such as tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, thunderstorms, and winter storms. Its location-based notifications can help you spot warnings that are relevant to where you are.

The map shows NOAA alerts, along with hurricane and tropical-storm forecast tracks. Storm Shield is a strong option if you want alerts for several kinds of severe weather and map views that add context for tropical systems.

3. AccuWeather: Weather Radar

Best for: Android users who want radar alongside forecasts and warnings.

AccuWeather: Weather Radar brings live radar together with storm warnings, lightning alerts, and weather forecasts. It may suit you if you’d rather check several kinds of weather information in one app than switch between separate tools.

The built-in hurricane tracker is its main storm-focused feature. Alongside radar and forecasts, it gives Android users a dedicated way to follow hurricanes. Warning and lightning features cover other parts of the severe-weather picture.

4. Clime: NOAA Weather Radar Live

Best for: Android users who want radar plus customizable alerts.

Clime: NOAA Weather Radar Live provides real-time radar images and precipitation and temperature forecasts. You can compare what the radar shows with forecast conditions in your area.

Clime also combines customizable weather alerts with hurricane tracking. That pairing can be useful if you want to adjust notifications and keep an eye on a tropical system. It offers more than radar alone, although the app description doesn’t say which alert types are available or explain the customization options.

5. WeatherBug: Weather Forecast

Best for: iPhone users tracking severe weather and lightning.

WeatherBug: Weather Forecast includes weather radar, severe-weather alerts, and lightning alerts. iPhone users can monitor storm conditions in several ways, including through severe-weather notifications and a dedicated lightning feature.

For tropical systems, the app’s Hurricane Center provides forecasts and changing conditions. Consider it if you want radar and storm alerts for everyday weather, plus a separate place to follow hurricane developments.

6. Weather Forecast by WeatherBug

Best for: Android users who want several storm-focused map layers.

Weather Forecast by WeatherBug offers radar map layers, a storm tracker, lightning views, and severe-weather alerts. Its range of map options lets you explore different aspects of storm activity instead of relying on a single radar view.

According to the app description, alerts come from WeatherBug, NWS, and NOAA. That mix of sources is a notable feature for Android users comparing severe-weather notifications with radar and lightning information.

7. RadarNow! ®

Best for: Android users who mainly need radar imagery.

RadarNow! ® displays NWS radar images from NOAA radar sites. It keeps things simple, focusing on radar imagery rather than describing a wider set of storm alerts or hurricane tools.

Coverage includes the United States and selected regions in Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean. That reach may help if you check radar in those areas. The app description focuses on images, though, rather than forecasts or alert controls.

8. Weather Radar Live Map

Best for: Android users who want animated radar and tropical-storm tracking.

Weather Radar Live Map combines animated radar loops and weather alerts, so you can view conditions and get notifications in one app. Its radar covers the United States and other regions.

It also includes a hurricane and tropical-storm tracker. This could be a good fit if you want animated radar and a dedicated tropical-weather view on Android. The app description doesn’t say which alert types can be customized.

How we picked these apps

This roundup covers apps whose descriptions clearly mention radar, storm alerts, or hurricane-tracking features. We looked at how each app presents storm information. Some focus on animated radar loops, while others add map layers, forecasts, lightning views, or location-based notifications.

We’ve included platform availability so you can quickly rule out apps that aren’t listed for your device. The two WeatherBug listings are treated separately because one is for iOS and the other is for Android.

There’s also a practical difference between apps with broad alert coverage and those whose descriptions mainly emphasize radar imagery. We explain those distinctions without making unsupported claims about accuracy, speed, or alert reliability.

Frequently asked questions

What should I look for in a storm tracker?

Look for radar coverage in your area and alert controls that suit your needs. If you follow tropical systems, check for hurricane or forecast features, too. Make sure the app is available for your device and covers places where you live or travel.

How do radar, alerts, and forecast tracks differ?

Radar imagery shows observed precipitation and how it moves, often in a loop. Severe-weather alerts notify you about threats, while forecast tracks show a storm’s projected path. Each provides different information.

Why use location-based alerts?

Location-based alerts can notify you about threats near you as conditions change. For urgent warnings and safety instructions, check your local official weather service rather than relying on an app alone.

The verdict

MyRadar Weather Radar is the strongest overall pick, with animated local radar, two-hour loops, a hurricane layer, and configurable tropical-storm and hurricane alerts. Storm Shield is a strong iOS runner-up for location-based voice and push alerts across several severe-weather threats. Android users who want radar, warnings, lightning alerts, and forecasts together can also consider AccuWeather.