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It's interesting you say that, because I have been under the impression that weather apps always show daily low temperatures based on the calendar day (midnight

It's interesting you say that, because I have been under the impression that weather apps always show daily low temperatures based on the calendar day (midnight-to-midnight). I've always thought they could be improved by showing the overnight low, which you're saying is the case for some weather apps. Which ones are those? It's also worth noting that the midnight-to-midnight scheme is a lot more well-defined than the alternative we're both advocating. What do you show as the low temperature for today if it's currently 3am and the temperature isn't going to drop until 3am tomorrow? If that temperature drop is displayed as today's low temperature, then I won't be able to discern whether it will get cold during this night (i.e. today between 1am and 7am) or the following night (i.e. between 7pm today and 7am tomorrow). Not to mention that cold systems can move in at any time, and it may be much colder at noon tomorrow than 3am tomorrow, so in many case "overnight low" isn't even what you care about.

cglong 4y ago
Google's weather feature on Android does this :) They don't call it "high" and "low", instead calling it "day" and "night".
- tshaddox 4y ago
  What if the low temperature is forecast to be at noon?
  - ethbr0 4y ago
    Then you live in Antarctica, it's winter, and you're out of scope.
    - tshaddox 4y ago
      Definitely not. It’s common in places where the weather actually changes due to things other than the time of day, i.e. where cold systems move in. For example, look at the forecasts in the Chicago area where tomorrow (March 23) it’s going to be a fair bit colder at noon than at 1am. This is not at all uncommon, and is in fact precisely why it’s important to check the weather forecast in the morning on normal days when you’re deciding what to wear.
      - ethbr0 4y ago
        Okay, so Antarctica, Chicago, and Cleveland. But the broader point is that the utility of an overnight temperature is that it happens while most people are sleeping, and thus unable to respond to it. Fluctuations while one is awake can be coped with. IMHO, the most reasonable intuitive measures would be: overnight low, rain during the midnight-to-midnight day
        tshaddox 4y ago
        > Okay, so Antarctica, Chicago, and Cleveland. Really anywhere where temperatures change frequently for reasons other than the time of day. Probably the vast majority of people who use temperature forecasts in consumer weather apps. > But the broader point is that the utility of an overnight temperature is that it happens while most people are sleeping, and thus unable to respond to it. > Fluctuations while one is awake can be coped with. I couldn't disagree more. Surely the most common use case by far for quick checks of the daily forecast is simply to decide what to wear when you leave the house in the morning. If you're unhoused, or camping, or you work at night, or you're a gardener, then of course overnight temperature forecasts are also vital.
        dwaite 4y ago
        > Okay, so Antarctica, Chicago, and Cleveland. And the entire state of Colorado. It is not that uncommon for our daily high to be at 12am, or for the temperature to drop 30F between a midday high and dusk as a front moves in. These aren't conditions you can describe with just two temperature points, no matter where they are anchored. For overnight temperatures, many people just want badging to know if there is a frost/freeze condition - e.g., is there a weather condition they need to deal with while they would otherwise be sleeping.
  - cglong 4y ago
    It's a good question, and something I was kinda wondering too. I see now it's technically written as: > Day 58°↑ • Night 48°↓ Maybe the arrows are used to indicate the high and low?

cglong 4y ago

Google's weather feature on Android does this :) They don't call it "high" and "low", instead calling it "day" and "night".

tshaddox 4y ago
What if the low temperature is forecast to be at noon?
- ethbr0 4y ago
  Then you live in Antarctica, it's winter, and you're out of scope.
  - tshaddox 4y ago
    Definitely not. It’s common in places where the weather actually changes due to things other than the time of day, i.e. where cold systems move in. For example, look at the forecasts in the Chicago area where tomorrow (March 23) it’s going to be a fair bit colder at noon than at 1am. This is not at all uncommon, and is in fact precisely why it’s important to check the weather forecast in the morning on normal days when you’re deciding what to wear.
    - ethbr0 4y ago
      Okay, so Antarctica, Chicago, and Cleveland. But the broader point is that the utility of an overnight temperature is that it happens while most people are sleeping, and thus unable to respond to it. Fluctuations while one is awake can be coped with. IMHO, the most reasonable intuitive measures would be: overnight low, rain during the midnight-to-midnight day
      - tshaddox 4y ago
        > Okay, so Antarctica, Chicago, and Cleveland. Really anywhere where temperatures change frequently for reasons other than the time of day. Probably the vast majority of people who use temperature forecasts in consumer weather apps. > But the broader point is that the utility of an overnight temperature is that it happens while most people are sleeping, and thus unable to respond to it. > Fluctuations while one is awake can be coped with. I couldn't disagree more. Surely the most common use case by far for quick checks of the daily forecast is simply to decide what to wear when you leave the house in the morning. If you're unhoused, or camping, or you work at night, or you're a gardener, then of course overnight temperature forecasts are also vital.
      - dwaite 4y ago
        > Okay, so Antarctica, Chicago, and Cleveland. And the entire state of Colorado. It is not that uncommon for our daily high to be at 12am, or for the temperature to drop 30F between a midday high and dusk as a front moves in. These aren't conditions you can describe with just two temperature points, no matter where they are anchored. For overnight temperatures, many people just want badging to know if there is a frost/freeze condition - e.g., is there a weather condition they need to deal with while they would otherwise be sleeping.
- cglong 4y ago
  It's a good question, and something I was kinda wondering too. I see now it's technically written as: > Day 58°↑ • Night 48°↓ Maybe the arrows are used to indicate the high and low?