The Weather Channel For iPad Gets A Total Overhaul

The Weather Channel’s iPad app is my go to weather predictor. Of all the ones I’ve tried, it’s by far the most accurate — but the only problem is that it has a hideous and clunky interface. Well, not anymore. The Weather Channel for iPad has received a total graphical overhaul with version 3.0, making it far better looking.

Here’s what’s new:

• Gorgeous animated weather backgrounds for your local conditions (iPad 2 devices)

• Beautiful HD weather photo backgrounds

• Interactive spinning globe with the world’s weather

• Full screen, customizable weather maps

• Latest news coverage, expert tweets, and user photos

• iOS 5 compatible

Early reviews indicate that while the update is graphically superior, it does have some troubles running on the original iPad, which hopefully they’ll fix soon.

Full press release follows:

The Weather Channel Launches All-New Interactive 3D App for iPad

With presenting launch sponsor Westin Hotels & Resorts, redesigned app to provide

global and hyper-local map views, enhanced tools for forecasts, news and social

ATLANTA (October 20, 2011) – The Weather Channel® (TWC), together with presenting launch sponsor Westin Hotels & Resorts, is proud to reveal an all-new redesign of its popular The Weather Channel for iPad App, offering consumers a stunning new perspective to discover, interact and share the weather and news happening at their doorstep and around the world. The revamped, easy-to-use interface goes beyond forecasts to tell the weather story and its impact on consumers’ daily lives through immersive visualization, an interactive 3D globe with spinning map view, an integrated news and social tab, weather-triggered background images and more.

“In the age of the interactive social experience, we know weather information needs to be visual, accurate and at your fingertips. Part of the success of our iPad app has been our ability to listen to consumer feedback for ideas on how to improve, and we have learned a lot since it first launched with the original iPad,” said Cameron Clayton, executive vice president of digital product at The Weather Channel Companies. “This was an opportunity to create a better product that’s all about the consumer and gives them the opportunity to truly explore and share.”

The Weather Channel for iPad App brings together the best of TWC on mobile with the best of TWC on television to give consumers customized weather information at the tap of a finger for up to 10 saved locations. New features include:

The new app offers functionality from the original app, such as an extensive index of advanced interactive weather maps with local points of interest and customizable animated weather layers such as radar, clouds, UV index, rainfall, snowfall and more. Consumers can still depend on severe weather alerts with Push notifications and GPS “Find me” availability for weather conditions.

Westin Hotels & Resorts is the presenting sponsor of the new The Weather Channel for iPad App, running a rich media campaign that allows consumers to “Wipe Away Your Weather.” The innovative campaign targets consumers based on location and current weather conditions. For example, consumers in a snowy location will see their screen fill up with snow and can then “wipe away” that snow to reveal a warmer, tropical Westin resort destination, interact with the property, learn about other Westin Hotels & Resorts destinations, and share the experience via Facebook, Twitter and email. The campaign, created with creative agency Bartle Bogle Hegarty, digital agency Razorfish and rich media vendor Celtra, will run on multiple TWC platforms.