February 21, 2026
Cloudy with a chance of outrage
Acme Weather
Ex‑Dark Sky team returns, but fans rage over US‑only launch and a new subscription
TLDR: Dark Sky’s creators launched Acme Weather, an app that shows uncertainty and uses neighbor reports. Readers loved the idea but slammed the US/Canada-only launch and another subscription, igniting the bigger question: do we really need to pay monthly just to know if it’s going to rain?
The creators of Dark Sky are back with Acme Weather, promising a forecast that admits when it might be wrong. The app shows multiple “possible futures” so you can gauge confidence, and lets neighbors file emoji-powered reports when the sky turns weird. Think fewer surprises, more honest planning, and a dash of 💩 when the day deserves it. It’s the sequel the Dark Sky crowd hoped for.
Then the comments rolled in. First thunderclap: availability. UK and EU readers discovered they can’t even download it—“US and Canada only”—while one screenshot showed Europe on the map. Cue the meme: “US-only app with US-only weather.” Another zinger: if you’re launching a global forecast, maybe don’t region-lock the door.
Second storm front: subscriptions. Fans like the idea, but “subscription fatigue is real,” and someone deadpanned, “Subscription app in 2026, no thanks.” One skeptic asked if there’s really enough money in weather to quit Apple; others noted data isn’t free, but wallets aren’t bottomless either. Verdict from the thread: the product looks slick, the honesty about uncertainty is refreshing, but the vibe is Cloudy With a Chance of Paywall—and a whole lot of people can’t even step outside to feel the drizzle.
Key Points
- •Acme Weather is a new app from the team behind Dark Sky, created after Dark Sky’s acquisition by Apple.
- •The app focuses on communicating forecast uncertainty rather than presenting a single definitive prediction.
- •Homegrown forecasts use multiple data sources: numerical models, satellite data, ground stations, and radar.
- •“Alternate predictions” display a spread of possible outcomes, indicating forecast confidence and variability.
- •Community Reporting lets users submit local conditions to improve real-time awareness during evolving weather.