FIXES AND IMPROVEMENTS
· "Hurricane Tracking" alerts now follow your "Tracking Area" setting
· Tapping a storm push notification opens the storm details screen
· Push notification links now open correctly when the app starts from closed
· Wind speed on the forecast screen now matches the widget
· In-app help articles open the correct page in all supported languages
· The map no longer recenters when you select a radar from "Nearest Radars"
· Fixed the "Share with Friends" option on iPad
· "Timeline Markers" are enabled by default for new users

Have a question or suggestion? Contact us via the app Settings > Send Feedback.

SEARCH ON MAP
A new search button lets you find any location, address, or place of interest from the map.
· Tap a result to jump to that location with its name shown at the top
· When the radar layer is active, the same search finds nearby radar stations instead

IMPROVEMENTS
· Improved algorithm for finding the closest radar stations to your current map view

Have a question or suggestion? Contact us via the app Settings > Send Feedback.

LAYER OPTIONS
· Incompatible overlays are now automatically disabled when a specific radar station is selected

FIXES
· "Nearest Radars" list no longer becomes empty after deselecting a radar station
· Favorite locations list now updates correctly after removing a location
· Push notifications now display correctly based on your subscription type

Have a question or suggestion? Contact us via the app Settings > Send Feedback.

UNIFIED RADAR SELECTION
Radar and Pro Radar layers are now merged into a single map control. One toggle activates all radar station pins directly on the map - no more switching between separate layers.
· "Nearest Radars" button shows the 3 closest stations to your current map center
· Button label updates dynamically to display the selected radar name
· Redesigned product dropdown with cleaner selection lists
· Color scheme and smoothing remain active until you select a specific radar station

PLAYER & TIMELINE FIXES
· Relative time offset labels (-48h, +2h) restored in the player date display
· "Live" indicator now correctly hidden when a radar station is offline
· Wider timeline slider thumb for easier scrubbing

STABILITY
· Resolved a crash on macOS when returning from background with Pro Radar enabled

Have a question or suggestion? Contact us via the app Settings > Send Feedback.

WIND ON HOURLY FORECAST
Hourly forecast chart now shows wind direction and speed. Arrow rotates to show where wind blows, color bar indicates intensity on the Beaufort scale. Choose your preferred unit in Settings: km/h, mph, m/s, knots, or Beaufort.

FIXES AND IMPROVEMENTS
· Fixed Apple Watch complications display and previews
· Fixed push notification radius calculation for miles
· Removed "new" badge from pro radars
· Reduced duplicate network requests for faster data loading

Stay tuned.

LIVE WEATHER TRACKING
New Live indicator on the timeline shows when you are viewing the freshest radar and satellite data:
· Red means the data is fresh and updated within the last 15 minutes.
· Grey means the latest available frame is older than 15 minutes.
When Live is active, new frames appear automatically — no need to refresh. Move to any other position to view selected time as usual.

UPDATED PLAYER DESIGN
· Frame time is now displayed below the main clock for better readability.
· Time range labels moved to the top of the player.
· Updated indicator and progress bar design for a cleaner look.

WIDGET FIX
· Fixed an issue where widgets showed a blank area instead of the precipitation map when using Clear or Tinted appearance.

FIXES AND IMPROVEMENTS
· Pro radar layer now loads correctly on start when "Hide past data" mode is active.
· Switching from Pro radar to standard Radar no longer causes missing data.

Stay tuned! Wind direction coming in next update.

TAP ON MAP - NOW ON ALL LAYERS
Tap anywhere on the map to see weather data. Each layer shows relevant information:
· Radar - precipitation intensity in dBZ and description (light rain, heavy snow, hail, etc.)
· Satellite - cloud top temperature
· Pro radars - values for velocity, correlation coefficient, differential reflectivity, and other products
First-tap responsiveness fixed - no more delays or missing pins on initial use.

RADAR STABILITY AFTER BACKGROUNDING
· Wind arrows now restore correctly when returning from background. Previously, arrows were calculated correctly but not displayed.
· Layer state, color scheme, and smoothing settings no longer reset after switching between apps.
· Fixed dBZ markers accumulating on repeated taps.

FIXES AND IMPROVEMENTS
· Resolved "Cannot Connect to Server" error on fresh install or update with added fallback and retry logic.
· Reduced radar tile memory usage by 15% with per-source cache limits and optimized background handling.
· "PRO" is now "Pro" across the app. Same features, cleaner look.

Stay tuned.

TAP ON MAP REFINEMENTS
Redesigned interface for platform guideline compliance. First tap after install now responds instantly instead of being silently dropped during cold start.

· Pin renders above location indicator with gray fill for contrast in both themes
· Values refresh live during replay and forecast playback without re-tapping
· 72h forecast no longer falsely shows "No coverage" in modeled areas
· Dark theme loading overlay matches color scheme
· RTL layout corrected for Arabic and Hebrew alert details
· Onboarding banner no longer persists after version updates
· Translation corrections across locales

Stay tuned!

TAP ON MAP
Stop guessing precipitation intensity from colors. Tap anywhere on the radar to see exact dBZ values. Know precisely how strong that storm cell is, whether light drizzle or severe hail threat. Satellite layer reveals cloud top temperature - colder tops mean taller, more powerful storms. Temperature layer shows surface readings from weather models. Hybrid layer adapts to show relevant data based on tap location. Tap alert zones to see full details. Toggle in Settings.

Stay tuned!

GPU-ACCELERATED LAYER RENDERING
All weather layers now use MapLibre GPU-based colorization. Smoother animations, reduced CPU load, consistent color accuracy across all tiled overlays.

STABILITY FIXES
· Settings (Opacity, Layer, Units) no longer reset after app restart
· Fixed multiple MapLibre crashes in style source handling
· Improved crash diagnostics with MetricKit integration

Happy New Year! We're excited to start 2026 with you. Thanks for being part of the journey!

Bug fixes and performance improvements.

Have a question or suggestion? Contact us via the app Settings > Send Feedback.

STABILITY FIXES

· Map layers no longer disappear after returning from background
· Fixed crash on app startup during network status changes
· Fixed MapLibre style source crash
· Premium banner now hides correctly after subscription restore on reinstall

Stay tuned.

GPU-ACCELERATED RENDERING ENGINE
Radar and 72-hour precipitation now render directly on your device's GPU using Metal shaders. Experience instant map responsiveness with data that loads exactly when needed - no more waiting for bulk animation preloading.
· Zero loading delays as you pan and zoom - frames appear on-demand
· Crystal-clear radar imagery at every zoom level - native resolution rendering eliminates blur
· Instant color scheme switching - changes apply immediately without reprocessing
· Smarter data loading - automatic zoom caps prevent unnecessary tile requests beyond meaningful detail
· Frame-accurate coverage maps show precise local model boundaries for each timestamp
· Cleaner animation display with optimized arrow density

LOCALIZATION FIX
Manual location search during onboarding displays correctly in all 33 supported languages. Character encoding resolved for Ukrainian, Japanese, and other non-Latin scripts.

INTERFACE POLISH
Hourly forecast times no longer clip in German locale. Settings toggles wrap properly in French and German. Color scheme previews fill completely on iPad and Mac. Consistent spacing across all settings panels.

NOTIFICATION SETTINGS RESTORED
Custom notification configurations lost in 7.4-7.7 updates now recovered. Migration restores your radius and intensity preferences from any previous version. New installs default to 10km radius with moderate intensity threshold.

Update now for the smoothest radar experience yet!

Bug fixes and performance improvements.

Have a question or suggestion? Contact us via the app Settings > Send Feedback.

TIMELINE PLAYER ENHANCEMENTS
The radar timeline player interface has been completely redesigned with precision controls for weather tracking.
• LIVE mode indicator now activates when viewing the most recent radar frame, updating automatically as new data arrives. When radar updates lag beyond 15 minutes, displays relative time since last update. After 30 minutes without updates, switches to LATEST with timestamp to indicate data staleness.
• Timeline markers visually indicate each available radar frame directly on the slider with up to 40 position markers, making it clear which moments have actual data. Markers are off by default - enable them in Map Settings for enhanced timeline visualization.
• Synchronized timeline ranges across layers - forecast ranges now persist when switching between radar, satellite, and composite layers. Separate synchronization groups maintain appropriate timescales: 72-hour precipitation and temperature layers sync together, while real-time radar and satellite layers maintain their own ranges.
• Resolved timeline switching bugs where manually selected frame positions would reset incorrectly when changing between radars with different update intervals. Player now correctly maintains position context across radar transitions.
• Fixed haptic feedback rate limiting at 32Hz - the hardware maximum - eliminating feedback interruptions during rapid scrubbing.

INTERACTIVE WEATHER CHALLENGE
Discover five legendary weather events hidden across the map. Tap map markers to explore historic storms and unlock exclusive rewards. Coming soon to select users - keep an eye out for this unique experience.

NOTIFICATION PERMISSION FLOW
Fixed premature system notification dialog appearing before user completed onboarding preferences screen. Permission request now triggers only after user explicitly engages with notification settings during onboarding.

REGRESSION TESTING & STABILITY
Comprehensive testing across core features validates update stability. Interface consistency, data integrity checks, and performance validation completed across iPhone, iPad, and macOS platforms.

TIMELINE PLAYER ENHANCEMENTS
The radar timeline player interface has been completely redesigned with precision controls for weather tracking.
• LIVE mode indicator now activates when viewing the most recent radar frame, updating automatically as new data arrives. When radar updates lag beyond 15 minutes, displays relative time since last update. After 30 minutes without updates, switches to LATEST with timestamp to indicate data staleness.
• Timeline markers visually indicate each available radar frame directly on the slider with up to 40 position markers, making it clear which moments have actual data. Markers are off by default - enable them in Map Settings for enhanced timeline visualization.
• Synchronized timeline ranges across layers - forecast ranges now persist when switching between radar, satellite, and composite layers. Separate synchronization groups maintain appropriate timescales: 72-hour precipitation and temperature layers sync together, while real-time radar and satellite layers maintain their own ranges.
• Resolved timeline switching bugs where manually selected frame positions would reset incorrectly when changing between radars with different update intervals. Player now correctly maintains position context across radar transitions.
• Fixed haptic feedback rate limiting at 32Hz - the hardware maximum - eliminating feedback interruptions during rapid scrubbing.

INTERACTIVE WEATHER CHALLENGE
Discover five legendary weather events hidden across the map. Tap map markers to explore historic storms and unlock exclusive rewards. Coming soon to select users - keep an eye out for this unique experience.

NOTIFICATION PERMISSION FLOW
Fixed premature system notification dialog appearing before user completed onboarding preferences screen. Permission request now triggers only after user explicitly engages with notification settings during onboarding.

REGRESSION TESTING & STABILITY
Comprehensive testing across core features validates update stability. Interface consistency, data integrity checks, and performance validation completed across iPhone, iPad, and macOS platforms.

CRITICAL FIXES
• Startup crash resolved when reopening app after last viewing Favorites screen. Race condition in map initialization eliminated through proper dependency sequencing.
• Apple Watch subscription restore functionality repaired following billing system migration. Purchase verification via StoreKit now operates correctly with extended 120-second timeouts for reliable network responses.
• Storm tracking lines persist after backgrounding. Map layer state restoration enforced through lifecycle management ensuring premium features remain visible across app transitions.

IMPROVEMENTS
• Onboarding screens optimized for iPhone SE. Layout adjustments prevent image clipping and text compression on compact displays while preserving appearance on larger devices.

STABILITY & RELIABILITY IMPROVEMENTS

Critical crash fixed in forecast displays when viewing single-day weather data. Division-by-zero vulnerability eliminated through input validation and geometry checks for edge cases including RTL layouts.

Weather map connection handling refined with manual reload capability. Simpler error messages and automatic retry logic alongside forced reload button for persistent connectivity issues.

Premium subscription detection improved to prevent ads appearing during background verification delays. Ad removal now triggers immediately when subscription confirms.

LIVE ACTIVITIES MAJOR UPGRADE

We completely rebuilt Live Activities from scratch, replacing unreliable architecture that caused duplicates, stale data, and activities stuck on lock screens.

· Automatic initialization when you open the app - no need to visit individual favorites
· Backend push updates synchronized with rain forecast refresh cycle (every 10 minutes)
· Activities auto-dismiss when precipitation ends, typically within 10 minutes
· "Outdated" indicator appears if updates fail for 15 minutes - now you know when data is stale instead of guessing
· One-hour timeout clears stuck activities as final safeguard
· Timer displays countdown to both precipitation start and end
· Race condition handling eliminates duplicate activities

Push-driven updates from our backend enable reliable server-side management and proper lifecycle cleanup.

LIVE ACTIVITIES SETTINGS

Granular control over when and how Live Activities appear. Toggle globally or per location. Set precipitation intensity threshold - from any detected precipitation to only heavy rain or hail. Activities remain active up to 8 hours with continuous radar updates.

REFRESHED APP ICON

Updated to refined blue icon design across iOS home screens and system interfaces.

Stay tuned.

Widget Fixes & Interface Improvements

• Fixed widget map scaling issue - radar images now display at correct zoom level
• Fixed arrow layer settings not saving after app restart
• Added missing translations on onboarding screens
• Fixed typos in settings
• Enhanced subscription system for Essential and PRO plan management

Rain Viewer continues to deliver precise weather data with improved widget accuracy and better user experience.

iOS 26 Compatibility!

• Updated app for iOS 26 Liquid Glass interface support and new features
• Fixed low-resolution images when sharing weather maps
• Added missing translations for international users (thanks for your feedback!)
• Enhanced localization across all screens
• Restored widget functionality - we've been working really hard on this and hope we've finally nailed it in this version!

Your feedback means the world to us - it's what drives these improvements and keeps us pushing forward. Thank you so much for your patience while we've poured our hearts into getting the widgets just right. We're on this journey to perfection together, and even when it's tough, your support makes it all worthwhile!

Premium Subscription Fix

• Fixed subscription restoration issues - premium subscribers should now stay premium automatically.

Interface Improvements

• Fixed autoplay animation setting not working properly
• Enhanced layer tutorial with better navigation links

Technical Optimizations

• Removed external image library dependency for better app performance

Sorry for the subscription issues in previous versions. This update specifically addresses premium user experience problems.

Apple Watch Restored
• RainViewer App for Apple Watch has been restored - sorry for the inconvenience!

Widget Fixes
• Fixed widgets with maps not displaying properly on some devices
• Improved Lock Screen widget stability and reliability
• This build is dedicated to fixing widget issues

User Experience
• Adjusted default animation speed based on your feedback

Feedback welcome! This release focuses specifically on resolving widget display problems reported by users.
Thank you for your patience as we address these issues and improve your weather tracking experience.

Hurricane Tracking Improvements
• Enhanced hurricane rotation animations with smooth speed transitions
• Fixed visual glitches when storm categories change during tracking
• Improved animation performance and stability

Widget & Performance
• Further reduced widget memory usage to prevent crashes during heavy weather
• Optimized subscription and billing reliability
• Fixed radar legend color circles not displaying properly

Interface Updates
• Redesigned location permission flow - streamlined to one button access
• Updated default animation speed to medium+ for better storm visualization
• Added native zoom controls for Mac users
• Smart wind arrow display - hidden during minimal precipitation

Bugfixes and performance improvements

Rain Viewer evolves as your trusted weather radar companion, delivering precise weather data through optimized performance and enhanced interface.

Onboarding Experience

• Streamlined first-time user flow with updated welcome screen
• Added "Learn As You Go" guidance screen for better app discovery
• Reorganized tutorial screens with images displayed first for clearer understanding
• Removed unnecessary setup questions to get you tracking weather faster

Rain Viewer evolves as your trusted weather radar companion, delivering precise weather data through optimized performance and enhanced interface.

Widget Performance Improvements

• Fixed three major widget crashes (memory limit, forecast retention, timeline generation)
• Reduced widget memory usage by 70%
• Optimized forecast cache system with reduced network requests by 50-70%

Updates

• New weather icons across forecasts and widgets
• Added info buttons linking to Rain Viewer Guide sections

Bugfixes and performance improvements

Rain Viewer evolves as your trusted weather radar companion, delivering precise weather data through optimized performance and enhanced interface.