The Top Weather Apps Every Flying Club Pilot Should Know

Keeping a close eye on weather is essential for flying club operations—especially when seasoned and just learning to fly pilots need to rely on up-to-date forecasts to make smart decisions. Pilots increasingly carrying tablets or smartphones in the cockpit and weather apps have become indispensable tools. Based on a recent iPad Pilot News ranking, here are the top 10 weather apps pilots can use in 2025—plus suggestions for integrating them into your flying club members' pre-flight routines.

These apps don’t just serve individuals—they’re critical for consistent weather briefing across your entire flying club. Integrating mobile weather tools helps standardize weather situational awareness, ensures every pilot is working from the same info, and creates a shared reference point in case conditions evolve during the day.

1. ForeFlight / Garmin Pilot / FlyQ / FltPlan Go—and More

These all-in-one aviation platforms offer layered weather features—METARs, radar and graphical icing forecasts, all tied directly to filed routes. They bring weather awareness into flight planning seamlessly. While premium, their integration with navigation and fleet operations makes them valuable additions to any serious flying club toolkit. Pilots can review route overlays, diversify flying dispatch options, and stay aware of weather trends across the fleet.

These platforms also support pilot briefings with NOTAM overlays, glide performance advisories in icing regions, and automated TAF alerts. For clubs managing weekly rental schedules, shared weather briefs via group messaging or dispatch portals help prevent miscommunication and reinforce proactive go/no‑go decisions.

2. MyRadar

A free, powerful radar app built on National Weather Service data, MyRadar dominates for fast, at‑a‑glance views of developing storms. Its overlays—including AIRMETs and TFRs—are portable via CarPlay or Android Auto for pilots to consult on the way to the airport. Use it alongside official sources for high situational awareness in weather planning.

3. RadarScope

RadarScope targets detail-oriented pilots needing full-resolution radar. With access to all 155 US radar sites and composite reflectivity, club administrators can show members to spot signs of severe weather and plan safe ops. Its layered analysis supports diversified risk management and improves understanding of reflectivity-based precipitation intensity.

4. Windy (.com)

Windy.com (not to be confused with a boating app) offers wind forecasts across thousands of points—plus cloud, precipitation, and icing overlays. Its multiple model comparison tools help pilots explore scenarios and weather dynamics. Shared use encourages real-world forecasting awareness and enhances club-wide flight preparation practices.

5. Weather on a Microlight/Squawk

A newer app offering synoptic charts, soundings, and graphical turbulence overlays. While less popular, it’s affordable and covers essential tools for general aviation pilots. For a flying club member, having an alternate, budget-friendly radar grid helps diversify weather data sources without additional licensing costs.

6. SkewTLogPro

For serious weather analysis, this app delivers MET-level Skew-T charts. Clubs can encourage members to review atmospheric stability before each operation—enhancing safety awareness—even though this tool requires more experience. It’s ideal for spotting convective threats, cloud bases, and inversion layers ahead of departure.

7. WINDY (APP)

The WINDY App (not to be confused with a boating app) offers wind forecasts across thousands of points—plus cloud, precipitation, and icing overlays. Its multiple model comparison tools help pilots explore scenarios and weather dynamics. Shared use encourages real-world forecasting awareness and enhances club-wide flight preparation practices.

8. METARs Aviation Weather

This app focuses on delivering clear METAR and TAF data with color-coded weather status updates. Pilots can manage notifications for changing conditions—even via Apple Watch—and stay informed en route. Ideal for monitoring departure or destination airports with minimal app load time.

9. WeatherSpork

WeatherSpork helps compare real-time METARs to forecast windows. With grid views over potential routes, it’s great for club members evaluating seasonal trips or weekend fly-outs. Its route view enables clear decision-making when assessing weather go/no-go thresholds.

10. StationWeather

StationWeather aggregates multiple METARs and NOTAMs in a snapshot view. Its home‑screen widgets help pilots monitor weather across several nearby airports before even opening the app. This passive monitoring encourages regular weather awareness and club-wide communication.

11. CloudTopper

A simple and effective app, CloudTopper uses your device’s camera and gyro to estimate cloud tops. Great for visual awareness and teaching basic weather judgment—useful especially before seasonal cross-country flying.

Why Flying Club Members Should Embrace These Apps

Enhanced Pre-Flight Awareness

Weather apps deliver dynamic information—radar loops, freezing-level overlays, and multi-airport forecasts. Clubs can incorporate app usage into club SOPs to make pre-flight planning more robust. Reinforcing these habits across members promotes safer operations and collective standards.

Simplified Fleet Coordination

Big platforms (ForeFlight, Garmin Pilot) enable shared flight sheets, briefing logs, and trackable routing. Clubs benefit from this centralized data flow—helping staff know where and when flights are happening, and what the associated weather conditions are.

Fleet-wide app access can also help clubs monitor fuel trends, flight times, and aircraft loading—apps often track flight timers and fuel burn. This operational data not only improves scheduling accuracy but also aids in maintenance planning and maintenance cycles as well.

Improving Safety Culture

Apps that enable alerts and notifications (like METARs Aviation Weather or MyRadar) help clubs stay ahead of deteriorating conditions. Encouraging pilots to use radar and forecasting tools supports a smart, alert culture. By reviewing weather collectively, members gain real-time experience with real-world decision-making.

Learning Without Pressure

Even without formal instruction approvals, clubs can offer app workshops or demo days. A simple get-together showing how to interpret wind maps on Windy.com or METAR color codes in StationWeather promotes shared learning and operational consistency. App literacy boosts pilot confidence and flight planning proficiency.

Weather Apps for Cross-Country Planning

Longer trips demand extra weather insight—apps like Windy.com and SkewTLogPro let you compare models (e.g., GFS vs. ECMWF), while ForeFlight offers route overlays with turbulence or icing bands. Member pilots can check upper-level winds and freezing altitude for cross-country legs. Having these discussions during club planning sessions will help your group fly more efficiently and avoid enroute weather hazards.

Practical Guidelines for Flying Clubs

Recommendation	Description
Adopt a Standard App	Choose one app (e.g., ForeFlight or Garmin Pilot) for club-wide access. Adding MyRadar or Windy expands situational insight.
Organize App Workshops	Host sessions introducing members to wind layers, cloud-top prediction, and METAR decoding.
Create Template Briefings	Use shared checklists that include weather app screen review before takeoff.
Combine Sources	Encourage using two or more apps for plan cross-checking.
Monitor Alert Settings	Ensure that push alerts for unexpected changes are active for departure airports.
Document Changes	Suggest pilots save weather screenshots in club logbooks for transparency.
Use Offline Data	Apps like SkewTLogPro and StationWeather store offline charts—helpful in marginal coverage areas.
Respect App Boundaries	Emphasize that these apps are supplements—not replacements—for official forecasts or ATC briefings.
App Version Control	Keep apps updated but hold off on major version updates during peak season. Test updates before fleet-wide use.

Tech & Backup Planning

Don’t rely solely on live weather data—download offline area forecasts before heading to remote departure airports. Pair apps with affordable battery banks and DO‑160‑rated USB ports, especially for long local or cross-country flights. Flying clubs should also maintain a simple paper backup (e.g., printed METAR tables) in each cockpit. Technology fails rarely, but clubs that plan for redundancy ensure flight safety is never compromised.

FAQs - Common Weather App Questions from Clubs

Q: Can my flying club rely only on app data for a flight go/no-go? No. Weather apps are valuable tools, but clubs should still follow FAA-approved briefings and local SOPs. App data isn’t a substitute for official preflight protocols.

Q: Which radar app shows the best detail? RadarScope is unmatched for detailed reflectivity data. But it’s advanced; many clubs pair it with simpler apps like MyRadar for broad awareness.

Q: Should we pick one app or multiple? Both can work well. A layered approach—one cockpit EFB app (ForeFlight or Garmin Pilot), a radar app, and a forecast model app (Windy.com)—combines breadth with depth.

Q: Do small clubs really need subscription-based apps? Clubs managing multiple aircraft and schedules often benefit from shared subscription access. For individual or casual pilots, free radar apps (MyRadar, StationWeather) may be adequate.

Integrating Apps into Your Flight Day

Morning Dashboard: Open ForeFlight (or Garmin Pilot) for route-based METARs, icing outlooks, ceilings. Cross-check with Windy.com for alt-layer winds.

Departure Check: Scan MyRadar for storm cells; refer to METARs app for real-time conditions.

During Flight: Use radar apps to monitor route changes; check icing forecasts and navigate clear weather corridors.

Post-Flight: Save screenshots of route-weather comparisons and log in shared club folders.

The Future of Weather in Aviation

Weather apps continue improving—new AI-powered radar imagery, deeper infrared overlays, and built-in model-comparison tools are gaining traction. Additionally, federated weather sharing—local clubs exchanging real-time pilot reports (PIREPs)—is becoming possible via app APIs. Couple this with emerging satellite-to-smartphone delivery and clubs may soon operate with minute-by-minute forecast updates at no add-on cost.

Final Thoughts

Modern weather apps—ranging from radar overlays to atmospheric analysis—aren’t just useful accessory tools; they’re foundational to effective club operations. By choosing a smart app mix, sharing best practices, and encouraging proactive monitoring, your flying club can boost safety, streamline operations, and build a culture where informed decisions guide every flight.

Embrace these tools—and let weather awareness become part of your community’s commitment to safe, efficient flying.

Check out our other blog about top IPad models for pilots.