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Updated July 2026 · real, multi-region App Store reviews
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The verdict on

WMC5 First Alert Weather

45
User verdict / 100 High confidence Divided

The WMC5 First Alert Weather app is highly valued by users for its accurate and timely severe weather alerts and local coverage, but recent updates have introduced numerous critical bugs, performance issues, and an increase in intrusive advertisements.

4.7★ lifetime (15,843) Free to download since 2011 by Gray Television Group, Inc. updated 1.5 mo ago recent negative 45% 120 reviews across 1 regions
Radar Issues App Stability & Performance Alerts & Notifications Advertising Local Coverage & Accuracy User Interface & Experience
5★44
4★18
3★15
2★22
1★41
recent reviews across 1 regions, vs the 4.7★ lifetime average

WMC5 First Alert Weather is a free app that provides local weather forecasts and severe weather alerts. While many users appreciate its accuracy and ability to keep families safe during storms, recent updates have led to significant issues with radar functionality, app stability, and an increase in ads, causing frustration among long-time users.

What users like

  • Provides accurate and timely severe weather alerts, keeping families safe during stormsR2R12R14R16
  • Offers comprehensive local weather coverage, especially for the Memphis and Mid-South regionsR2R18R42R52
  • Many users find the app generally helpful and reliable for daily weather informationR11R38R47R55

What users complain about

  • Recent updates have severely broken radar functionality, with maps not loading, showing black screens, or failing to display rain/weather dataR1R3R4R17
  • The app frequently crashes, freezes, or fails to open after recent updatesR86R89R91R96
  • Users report an excessive number of intrusive and fraudulent ads, sometimes appearing during critical weather eventsR8R10R28R50
  • Alerts are often too frequent, irrelevant to the user's location, or inaccurateR1R13R23R30
  • Many users experience issues with videos not playing, lacking audio, or not updating in a timely mannerR7R15R29R40
  • The app often displays 'not available in your location' errors or fails to show weather for the user's current areaR22R32R79R80
  • The user interface has become less user-friendly, cluttered, and difficult to read for some, with settings resetting frequentlyR4R6R27R53

Latest update · v6.2.512

What the developer says changed (the verdict above weighs this against what reviewers report):

Bug fixes and performance improvements

Recurring themes

Radar Issues negative
Numerous users report that the radar functionality is broken, with the map not loading, showing a black screen, or failing to display rain and weather patterns, making the app unreliable for tracking storms. This directly contradicts the developer's claim of 'bug fixes and performance improvements.'R1R3R4R17
App Stability & Performance negative
Many reviews indicate that the app frequently crashes, freezes, or fails to open after recent updates, rendering it unusable for many users. This also contradicts the developer's notes about 'performance improvements.'R86R89R91R96
Alerts & Notifications mixed
While many users praise the app for timely severe weather alerts that keep them safe, a significant number complain about too many alerts, alerts for irrelevant locations, or inaccurate information.R1R12R13R23
Advertising negative
Users are frustrated by an increase in intrusive and fraudulent advertisements, with some ads appearing at critical moments during severe weather, hindering access to essential information.R8R10R28R50
Local Coverage & Accuracy positive
Many users highly value the app for its accurate local weather forecasts and comprehensive coverage, particularly during severe weather events in the Memphis and Mid-South areas.R2R8R11R14
User Interface & Experience negative
Several users dislike the changes to the app's interface, finding it less user-friendly, cluttered, difficult to read, and reporting that settings (like radar overlays) frequently reset.R4R6R27R53

Who it's for

This app is for residents in the Memphis and Mid-South regions who prioritize accurate and timely severe weather alerts from a local source, especially during major storm events R42. It is not for users who are easily frustrated by frequent app crashes, broken radar functionality, excessive ads, or an unintuitive user interface R1R96.

Evidence note: The recent reviews skew heavily negative, with many long-time users expressing disappointment over recent updates. This contrasts sharply with the high lifetime rating, suggesting a significant decline in user satisfaction recently. The developer's release notes for 'bug fixes and performance improvements' are directly contradicted by numerous recent user reports of increased bugs and performance issues.

Frequently asked

Are there issues with the radar on the WMC5 First Alert Weather app?
Yes, many users report significant issues with the radar functionality, including the map not loading, showing a black screen, or failing to display rain and weather data, especially after recent updates R1R3R17.
Does the WMC5 First Alert Weather app have many ads?
Yes, many users complain about an excessive number of intrusive and sometimes fraudulent ads, which can appear frequently and even during critical weather updates R8R10.
Is the WMC5 First Alert Weather app stable?
No, recent reviews indicate that the app frequently crashes, freezes, or fails to open, making it unstable and unreliable for many users R86R89R96.
Are the weather alerts accurate and timely?
Yes, many users praise the app for its accurate and timely severe weather alerts, which they rely on to keep their families safe during storms R12. However, some users report alerts being too frequent or irrelevant to their location R30.

What reviewers actually said

Built only from these 120 real reviews (foreign ones translated). Superscripts jump to the quote here. Apple has no per-review links, so [ref] opens that app's reviews on the App Store.

  1. [R2] 5/5 · US The best app ever: This is the best app ever on my phone I love how y’all prepared for storms like tornadoes and severe thunderstorms, which we just had them on Monday and Tuesday not very much on Monday but a lot on Tuesday, please make more videos. I really wanna see what’s happening and I live in Memphis so yeah
  2. [R12] 5/5 · US Keeps me alerted: The first alert weather keeps my family safe from the storm
  3. [R14] 5/5 · US Weather: I love this app! It keeps my family safe and helps us plan.
  4. [R16] 5/5 · US Snow day: Kept us updated on snow
  5. [R18] 5/5 · US Louisiana is a beautiful state: We have a weather forecast that varies widely across parts of the state
  6. [R42] 5/5 · US Superb Weather Coverage Friday, 3/31/2023: I normally don’t write reviews; however, I think the storm coverage on 3/31/2023 deserves a review. Ron Childers and Spencer did an ‘outstanding’ job in bringing minute by minute coverage, area by area, as the storms and tornadoes roared throughout the mid-south. My family and I live in the 38125 zip code. I absolutely loved it when Ron told each area t
  7. [R52] 5/5 · US 5 star: Weather personalities are top notch at WMC5. The high standards of the Dave Brown era continue with Ron Childers and company!! Even though I now live outside television station coverage area, I still use WMC5 Weather app!
  8. [R11] 5/5 · US So good: This app has everything you need for the weather
  9. [R38] 5/5 · US Great App: Works perfect !
  10. [R47] 5/5 · US Very pleased.: Not sure how I missed this app when looking for a weather and radar app. Love the dark color, radar is clear and enlarges well. The info is clear. It is a keeper. Thank you for a great job
  11. [R55] 5/5 · US Great app!: It is my “go to” to check the weather, heat index, etc.!
  12. [R1] 2/5 · US Alerts don’t work!!!!: Since the last update, I do not get any verbal notifications. Also, when you go to turn alerts on the map none of them show up. There’s a lag even though the app is connected to the Internet just needs to be fixed. I’ve used this app for more than 10 years and now it’s barely functional.
  13. [R3] 1/5 · US Update ruined radar: This app used to be great but the update has ruined the radar options.
  14. [R4] 2/5 · US Radar needs improvement: The old radar system was a lot more user friendly and easier to understand new update is not good
  15. [R17] 1/5 · US Black screen only!: I open your app and the radar is a black screen with only the location dot and supplement pieces with no map. It’s been doing this for some time. I’ve had your weather app since I got a smartphone many years ago, but no longer!
  16. [R86] 5/5 · US Update a couple of days ago and now it won’t open.: I’m disappointed.
  17. [R89] 1/5 · US App won’t open!: My app will not open anymore. Crashes after the open screen every time. Please fix!!
  18. [R91] 4/5 · US Updated today 5-8-19 and will not load: Just updated your app on my iPhone and now when I select to open, it opens to normal page and then closes!
  19. [R96] 1/5 · US Broken after last few updates: The latest updates cause the app to not load or load extremely slow. Used to love this app now it's crap. I just want an app to open and look at the weather and radar not one to watch the latest video. Keep those in the other app
  20. [R8] 3/5 · US Accurate weather; Scam ads: The accuracy of the weather forecast on this app is good, but the whole app is covered in fraudulent, scam ads.
  21. [R10] 1/5 · US Advertising Opportunity: Just another opportunity for revenue for the TV Station.
  22. [R28] 3/5 · US Slow: Very slow waiting for it you want make sure we see the advertisement I don’t like that think I will use WREG
  23. [R50] 3/5 · US Ads: Way too many ads cluttering the page.
  24. [R13] 1/5 · US First alert: I’ve never seen a station get such a hard on when it’s raining 150 miles from Memphis!! Don’t Mississippi and Arkansas have weather stations? Ron you bought your wife those new boobs are they not covering her bad breath or does it smell that bad south of her waist line? Cause you get a hard on when it thunders and don’t let us what we pay for! So something with what you paid for on Jo
  25. [R23] 4/5 · US Notifications: The app is fine. It’s exactly like the competition’s app which is good also. It’s the amount of talking on a weather alert that both annoys and amuses me. We don’t need to hear every time “This is Chief Meteorologist blah”. Time could be of the essence with these weather alerts. Imagine having an ego so large you have to let your viewers hear your name and title when a tornado could
  26. [R30] 1/5 · US Alerts not for my location: Not sure why my alert videos are from ark/ la when I have my location set for s Florida
  27. [R7] 2/5 · US Video’s: Can’t get videos to play.
  28. [R15] 2/5 · US Video forecasts: Need to make multiple videos easier to watch. Confusing.🫤
  29. [R29] 3/5 · US Apps needs improving: I really like The Action News 5 weather app. But open the satellite map is not updating. Also, often the app will not work on my phone or my smart tv. The videos are not updating in a timely manner either. There needs to be some sort of update to fix these bugs.
  30. [R40] 2/5 · US Can’t get video to play!: Video is hoeing but can’t pull it up to play.
  31. [R22] 2/5 · US Does not show weather for my location!: Please fix my glitch with this app!
  32. [R32] 3/5 · US No weather in US: Your weather app has been an important part of my daily information source. So many days lately, your weather radar map shows NO weather at all over the US. That’s why I have had to depend on other sources for my weather fix.
  33. [R79] 5/5 · US Need to fix glitch: I have used this app forever, and since last update it keeps telling me it’s not available in my area. I didn’t move.... I finally uninstalled.
  34. [R80] 4/5 · US Location issues: Keeps saying the app in unavailable in my location. I have to refresh a couple and it finally comes up. I’ve been using this app for years without any problems. Love the app, but must have a bug from the last update.
  35. [R6] 2/5 · US Disappointed: Not happy with new upgrade. Don’t fix what’s not broken! I had it set, don’t like the way it looks
  36. [R27] 1/5 · US DL: To hard and too long to get the info
  37. [R53] 1/5 · US Too cluttered: Since the last update very time you pull up the radar it’s overly cluttered with alerts and warnings. Map is so cluttered you can’t see the rain. You can go to the menu and deselect all the items you don’t want but you have to do that EVERY TIME you want to see the radar. RIDICULOUS !!! I’m in Memphis I don’t care what the tropical alerts are or many of the other alerts! GOTTA FIND
  38. [R20] 4/5 · US Fix the 24 hour futurecast feature: Everything works great. I’ve just noticed the last month or so, the 24 hour futurecast only shows radar up to a certain point and then lags. My app is up to date and it doesn’t matter if I’m on WiFi or using phone data. It does it anyway. Please fix.

Synthesized from 120 recent App Store reviews · updated July 2026 · View on the App Store