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Here’s how to download the WPXI Weather App so you’re prepared for the rain

PITTSBURGH — Stay weather aware and prepared this summer while rain and storms affect us in the Pittsburgh-area.

No matter where you are, the free WPXI Weather App will keep you alert and informed of changing weather conditions.

Install the WPXI Weather App free now from the Google Play or Apple store. Right at your fingertips, you’ll have access to:

  • Live radar to track rain, lightning and storms
  • School closings
  • Hour-by-hour forecasts
  • Hyper-local forecasts for your county
  • Forecasts wherever you travel in the U.S.

HOW DO I ADD MY CITY OR LOCATION IN THE APP?

Once you have downloaded the app, it is time to setup the locations you would like to monitor. Remember, these can change whenever you’d like with a push of a button.

  • In the WPXI Weather app, look for the three bars at the top left of your screen
  • Click on “Settings” in the navigation
  • Click on “Edit Locations” and then “Add Location”
  • Type in the location(s) you are interested in saving and select from the dropdown
  • Tap “DONE” in the upper right-hand corner

After that, you can save up to 10 locations by typing in the city and state. These locations can be anywhere you wish to receive weather updates.

SHOULD I “ENABLE” BACKGROUND TRACKING?

A new feature in the app is its ability to track storms even when the app isn’t open and update you wherever you go, even out of state. If you travel into a location that is being impacted by weather, you will automatically be updated through the app.

  • Once in the App, click the ‘plus sign’ at the top left of your screen
  • Go to the Settings button at the bottom of your locations tab
  • Click Background Tracking, this will take you to your phone’s settings
  • Make sure under the ‘Location’ option you chose ‘always’

DO I HAVE TO BE ALERTED TO EVERYTHING WEATHER RELATED?

The WPXI Weather App is unique because it allows you to choose the weather alerts for which you want to receive notifications. All watches, warnings and advisories that the National Weather Service issues are available in our app.

  • Make sure there is a check by the alerts you want to receive
  • You can turn off any notification you don’t want by clicking the check mark

WHY DIDN’T THE WARNING GO OFF ON MY PHONE?

A special feature on the WPXI Weather App is the ability for the app to notify you ONLY when your GPS or saved locations are in the POLYGON for a warning. The National Weather Service draws polygons when it issues warnings and advisories. If your location isn’t in the polygon, the alert will NOT go off.

WATCHES on the other hand are issued for entire counties, not polygons. If your location falls in a county where a watch is issued you WILL get an alert.

ISN’T THE 7-DAY JUST LIKE ANY OTHER WEATHER APP?

Unlike most apps that rely on a computer to just dump weather data on to their app, the Severe Weather Center 11 Team updates the forecast on the WPXI Weather App each day, multiple times a day. With the WPXI Weather App, you are getting a detailed forecast specifically created for this area, not from a meteorologist many states away.

HOW DO I SEE THE LATEST LIST OF SCHOOL/ BUSINESS CLOSINGS AND DELAYS?

We’ve added the latest list of school and business closings and delays in the WPXI Weather App so you can check the list from wherever you’re located. Simply open the app, along the bottom is a tool bar, ‘Closings’ is the third option from the left. This will take you directly to the most recently updated list. This new feature will better help you plan your day, allowing you to adjust as needed when your kids’ school or your place of business issues a delay or closes due to road conditions or other reasons.

>>> School and business closings

I MISSED A NEWSCAST, HOW CAN I GET MY FORECAST?

If you miss a TV newscast, you can still keep up with the latest video forecasts our meteorologists create throughout the day. These short weather video segments tell the weather story of the day, how it will impact you, and contain their scientific explanations for unique elements of the forecast you won’t get in a written story or graphic. This is a great tool during severe weather days and when a big winter storm may impact the Pittsburgh-area. These custom video forecasts created by the Severe Weather Center 11 team of Meteorologists can be found under the ‘Video’ tab.

WHAT CAN I SEE ON THE INTERACTIVE RADAR BESIDES RAIN AND SNOW?

The Interactive Radar is available year-round in the WPXI Weather App. Features on the app allow you to see lightning strikes along with satellite and radar. Under the ‘Radar’ tab you can click on the ‘Layer’ icon to overlay things like watches and warnings so you can see where storms and alerts are in relation to your location.

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