Windy

Windy is a forecast site that treats weather like a nature documentary. You land on a zoomable globe covered in flowing arrows that show wind, and a layer menu lets you swap in rain, clouds, waves, temperature, storm tracks and even lightning. Drag the timeline at the bottom to watch the next several days play out.

The fun is in switching layers. Wind alone looks like water flowing over the planet, but add ocean swell or a tropical storm track and it starts to feel like a live view of the Earth breathing. You can also change which forecast model drives the map, which is a nice touch for anyone who wants to see how different models disagree.

It is genuinely useful if you want a forecast, and it is fun to play with even if you only care about the weather as a mood. It runs on mobile, though the controls are happiest on a larger screen. For a more minimalist take on the same idea, try /site/earth-nullschool, or browse /category/science-space.