The forecast in plain sentences

A forecast is a set of numbers. Bold Weather also tells you what they mean for your day.

Under the temperature, the app writes one or two short sentences about what to expect. “Rain from 2 PM. Bring a coat.” “Sunny and hot this afternoon. Cooler after 6 PM.” “Windy all day. Gusts near 40 miles per hour.”

The chance of rain, in words

A 40 percent chance of rain is a number many people read differently. Bold Weather shows the number and adds a phrase beside it, such as “Rain unlikely” for low chances, “Rain possible” for middle chances, and “Rain likely” for high chances. When rain is expected within the next hour, the app says when it starts and when it stops.

The guide to reading a forecast explains how the chance of rain is calculated and why the number is not the share of the day that will be wet.

No jargon

The app avoids abbreviations and technical terms on the main screen. It says “feels like” instead of “apparent temperature,” “chance of rain” instead of “precipitation probability,” and “wind from the west” instead of a compass bearing. When an official alert uses a technical term, the app keeps the official wording and adds a short explanation below it.

Fewer numbers on the screen

Wind speed, humidity, and the UV index are one tap away on the details screen, each with a sentence that says whether it matters today. “UV index 8. Very high. Seek shade in the middle of the day.” “Wind 9 miles per hour from the west. A light breeze.”

Written for people, read aloud for people

Because the summary is a sentence, it also reads well. The Speak button reads the temperature and the summary aloud, and VoiceOver reads the same words.

See how the summary fits under a large temperature in the home page preview, then read about the iPhone beta.