Tempest News

Tempest News | October 2023

Written by Tempest | October, 2023

 

WeatherFlow-Tempest's personal apps, including WindAlert, iKitesurf, iWindsurf, FishWeather, and SailFlow, are essential for anyone who relies on accurate weather data for their outdoor activities. Whether you're a kiteboarder, sailor, angler, or simply a weather enthusiast, these apps provide the information you need to stay safe, plan your adventures, and make the most of favorable weather conditions. With their user-friendly interfaces, real-time updates, and community engagement features, these apps are the ultimate companions for weather-conscious individuals who love the great outdoors. Today, we sat down with Product Manager George Haye to discuss his background and what makes these apps so unique. 

 

Q: CAN YOU GIVE A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF YOUR BACKGROUND AND CURRENT ROLE?

A: Coming originally from a legal background but having always dedicated the lion's share of my free time to wind sports, when I was invited to join the initial team building the early iWindsurf, iKitesurf, and SailFlow apps, I was extremely keen. As Product Manager for our wind-oriented applications, including iKitesurf, iWindsurf, SailFlow, and WindAlert, I move the chess pieces necessary to improve our apps from top to bottom and to grow their audiences. For me, every day is truly a dynamic experience -- iterating with our app developers, test team, and product team, as well as other Tempest staff, including our marketing gurus and our FishWeather product manager, while also reporting to our CEO and COO. It is a rush!

Q: TELL US ABOUT THE LIFESTYLE APPS. WHAT SETS THEM APART? 

The effort to grow and improve our lifestyle apps has become far more dynamic over the past year as we have grown our developer staff dedicated to the apps, allowing us to throw down several feature improvements while performing a slew of much-needed under-the-hood fixes. The result has been a noticeably improved user experience.

Our wind-oriented lifestyle apps key on WIND first and foremost - both real-time wind observations and wind forecasting. There are several factors that set us apart from other weather apps. Though we do make the very most of available forecast models, we also go the extra mile and employ a full staff of expert forecasters who provide the very best available pinpoint precision wind forecasts available anywhere (our PRO forecasts). We also leverage our meteorological expertise and in-house AI technology to produce extremely high-quality enhanced Model forecasts (our PLUS forecasts).

But perhaps the greatest aspect that sets our apps apart is our absolute wealth of exclusive real-time wind and weather observations derived from our worldwide ever-growing array of Tempest weather stations and our affiliate company, WeatherFlow-Networks' PRO weather stations. The Tempest Weather Systems, in particular - with over 65,000 sold to date - have provided an exceptional boost to our apps over the past few years, adding an amazing array of actionable data points to the Map worldwide. These new stations, in many cases, are in locations where there had historically never been reliable wind data.

Q: WHO BENEFITS FROM THESE APPS? 

In terms of use cases, our unequaled array of weather stations, combined with our unique forecasting muscle, has become the special sauce needed to improve the lives of kiteboarders and windsurfers – who seek extremely precise wind data to plan their days. Because of the fickle nature of wind (and thus the real need to know exactly where and when it is going to be windy enough to do the sport), it is no exaggeration to say that a very large percentage of kiteboarders and windsurfers absolutely plan their days around the wind. Our ability to provide second-to-none intel keeps these athletes checking back daily and often.

Similarly, SailFlow's audience of sailboat racers, as well as casual cruisers, has grown leaps and bounds in recent years as our exclusive data has improved exponentially and substantially broadened geographically. For sailors, there is simply no substitute for real-time, highly accurate, hard data, and truly reliable forecasts.

And not to be outdone, our general weather app, WindAlert, brings our wind and forecast expertise to the broader weather audience. Whether you are a tugboat operator, a cross-country hauler, a hiker, or a dog walker, having the best available weather data is, in every case, simply better.

Q: WHAT'S COMING UP FOR THE APPS?

Many app refinements and feature enhancements are in the works and on the way! And in addition to that, I would answer the question of what's coming up next for our apps by saying very simply, MORE and BETTER weather data is coming.

In terms of more weather data, this is baked in the mix because, thankfully, Tempest continues to gain steam in pure growth... People just love them, and for good reason. What does that mean to the app user? It means more valuable weather data - in areas where you want and need it.

In terms of better weather data, due to our unique product reach, new and better weather station locations are consistently coming online. Equally importantly, Tempest's team of scientists and engineers continue to break new ground in the field of artificial intelligence, in particular in terms of how our AI can leverage our exclusive and massive global weather station presence to deliver the very most accurate real-time wind reports and forecasts straight into our apps. In my opinion, this is what our users deserve, and so this is what they are going to get.

LEARN MORE ABOUT LIFESTYLE APPS HERE >>>




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