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

WBTV First Alert Weather

45
User verdict / 100 High confidence Divided

The WBTV First Alert Weather app is praised for its accurate local forecasts and severe weather alerts, but recent updates have introduced significant issues with excessive ads, frequent crashes, and reduced functionality, leading to a decline in user satisfaction.

4.7★ lifetime (16,351) Free to download since 2011 by Gray Television Group, Inc. updated 0.7 mo ago recent negative 50% 120 reviews across 1 regions
Ads & Interruptions App Performance & Stability Radar & Map Issues Feature Changes & Removal Accuracy & Reliability
5★46
4★6
3★16
2★17
1★50
recent reviews across 1 regions, vs the 4.7★ lifetime average

The WBTV First Alert Weather app provides accurate local weather forecasts and timely severe weather alerts, which many users appreciate. However, recent updates have led to a frustrating user experience due to an overwhelming number of ads, app instability, and a perceived reduction in useful features like detailed radar and traffic information.

What users like

  • Provides accurate and reliable local weather forecasts and alertsR4R9R16R25
  • Offers timely severe weather notificationsR9R25R38R70
  • Easy to use interface for basic weather informationR70R74R134

What users complain about

  • Excessive and intrusive advertisements, especially during severe weather alertsR2R7R10R15
  • Frequent app crashes, freezing, and loading issuesR1R8R11R12
  • Radar functionality is often incorrect, slow, or lacks essential featuresR5R12R21R35
  • Recent updates have removed or changed useful features, like detailed traffic maps and radar optionsR3R5R27R35
  • Inconsistent or inaccurate temperature readings and forecastsR40R43R44R71
  • Lack of essential features such as a home screen widget or customizable alert soundsR22R23R133
  • Too many general notifications, not just severe weather alertsR47R84R88

Latest update · v6.2.517

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

Bug fixes and performance improvements

Recurring themes

Ads & Interruptions negative
Many users are frustrated by the overwhelming number of advertisements, especially those that pop up before critical weather information during severe weather alerts. This is a major point of contention, with some users deleting the app because of it.R2R7R10R15
App Performance & Stability negative
A significant number of recent reviews report issues with the app crashing, freezing, or failing to load content, particularly the radar. This contradicts the developer's notes about 'bug fixes and performance improvements'.R1R8R11R12
Radar & Map Issues negative
Users frequently complain about the radar being incorrect, slow to load, or lacking previous useful features like storm overlays, past/future options, and accurate precipitation intensity. Some also note outdated maps.R5R12R21R35
Feature Changes & Removal negative
Several users express disappointment over features that have been removed or changed in recent updates, such as the ability to see traffic maps outside Charlotte, the dew point, and certain radar functionalities.R3R5R27R35
Accuracy & Reliability mixed
While many users praise the app for accurate forecasts and alerts, a notable portion reports inconsistencies, especially with radar not matching actual conditions or TV broadcasts, and inaccurate temperature readings.R4R9R16R25

Who it's for

This app is for users who prioritize local weather forecasts and severe weather alerts from WBTV and are willing to tolerate frequent ads and occasional app instability. It is not for users who need an ad-free experience, reliable radar functionality, or comprehensive traffic information outside the immediate Charlotte area.

Evidence note: The recent reviews skew heavily negative, focusing on issues like ads and crashes, which contrasts sharply with the high lifetime rating. This suggests a recent decline in app quality or user experience. The developer's notes mention 'bug fixes and performance improvements,' but recent reviews directly contradict these claims, with users reporting more crashes and performance issues.

Frequently asked

Does the WBTV First Alert Weather app have a lot of ads?
Yes, many recent reviews indicate the app has an excessive number of advertisements, which frequently interrupt the user experience, especially before critical weather information during severe alerts R2R10R15R17.
Is the radar accurate on the WBTV First Alert Weather app?
User reviews are mixed; while some find the radar accurate, many recent reports indicate it is often incorrect, slow to load, freezes, or lacks essential features like storm overlays and past/future views R5R12R21R35.
Does the app offer traffic information?
According to reviews, the newest version of the app's traffic map only covers the Charlotte area, which is a downgrade from previous versions that allowed users to see traffic anywhere in North Carolina R3.
Are there frequent crashes or performance issues with the app?
Yes, numerous recent reviews report that the app frequently crashes, freezes, or fails to load properly, particularly when trying to view radar or hourly weather R1R8R11R12.

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. [R4] 5/5 · US Yes: Very good weather
  2. [R9] 5/5 · US This app is the best it can’t stop telling me there’s is going to be rain but thank you WBTV ALERT: I love this app
  3. [R16] 3/5 · US Take my money!: This app is the most accurate if you want to know the weather forecast for Charlotte NC area, but I would gladly pay for a less cluttered ad-free experience.
  4. [R25] 5/5 · US Weather: Thanks for constantly keeping me informed.
  5. [R38] 5/5 · US Very informative: Thanks for all the alerts, they are very informative!
  6. [R70] 5/5 · US Thank you!: I can confidently say that this app is the best for local weather updates! Always on time and accurate! Easy to use and understand! Great app! Thank you WBTVWEATHER!
  7. [R74] 5/5 · US Love it!!!: It’s so easy to use.
  8. [R134] 5/5 · US Reliable!: Fantastic app that I use each morning and throughout the day. Very accurate and easy to use. Thank you WBTV!
  9. [R2] 1/5 · US Severe Thunderstorms: My favorite is telling you there is a severe thunderstorm and to take cover but then make you watch ads before you can see the affected area. Good times.
  10. [R7] 1/5 · US Videos: Get rid of the stupid pop up videos!!!! If I want to watch a video I’ll click on the **** thing!!!
  11. [R10] 1/5 · US Ads Galore: Ridiculous amount of ads on the app. Deleted immediately after downloading it.
  12. [R15] 1/5 · US Remove ads for accessing critical weather updates: Whenever there is a tornado warning, you are made to watch an advertisement BEFORE being able to access or get critical updates on the timing of the tornado.
  13. [R1] 1/5 · US WBTV Weather application: This is a very disappointing app. It only gives me 10 seconds and then it locks up. However,I do use it for current radar information.
  14. [R8] 1/5 · US App crashing: I never used to have a problem with your app But now it never hardly works. It is always crashing and never displays the temperature or anything like that even when I’m changing locations and reinstall your app you need to fix your application. It used to work now. It does not work anymore.
  15. [R11] 2/5 · US Constant glitching: Every time I open the app and go to check the Radar or Hour to Hour weather, my screen glitches to a wall of text until I return to the home tab and select what I was originally going to look at.
  16. [R12] 4/5 · US 24 hour radar freezes: For some time the 24-hour radar display freezes about half way through the timeframe. This happens on IPhone 13 and new iPhone 16.
  17. [R5] 1/5 · US Alerts with storm overlay?: Did you get rid of the ability to look at alerts (like a tornado warning) overlapping the radar? It seems I now have to choose between either viewing alerts or the storm systems themselves with no option to do both at the same time. Really hoping this is a user error and if so, let me know so I can change my review.
  18. [R21] 2/5 · US Radar: Your radar doesn’t show what’s happening half of the time correctly. Hope you will fix. I thought 3 was on our side
  19. [R35] 5/5 · US Radar not good: There are way too many overlays on the radar. I just want to see where the weather is coming from not as good as it used to be
  20. [R3] 3/5 · US Traffic: The newest version is not as good as the one a few months ago. You use to be able to toggle and see traffic anywhere in NC. Now it only covers around Charlotte. Very disappointing. Especially for people who travel around areas other than Charlotte. Please go back to the old traffic maps!
  21. [R27] 3/5 · US Was 5 stars, now 3: This latest update is a BIG disappointment. The landing page used to be compact and easily readable. I could look at current conditions that included Dew Point & Humidity. It no longer shows Dew Point. Video is running as you scroll down the page, which means reduced battery life. Will probably start looking for a replacement. And what’s with the duration of the ad splash page
  22. [R40] 1/5 · US Really bad app: Used to be good. WBT needs to learn how to keep their hands off pf something that works. Do yourself a favor and get something else. At this moment I am riding the a thunderstorm and no clouds on radar. Permanent deletion. Y’all can go screw yourselves, don’t do it to me.
  23. [R43] 1/5 · US What a HORRIBLE app.: The weather is inaccurate like there’s no thunderstorms in my area and you app says there is (yes I know what the word scattered means) but what if there’s a tornado and it just says tornado watch?
  24. [R44] 2/5 · US Weather reporting not as good since Eric Thomas gone: Not as good up to date info
  25. [R71] 5/5 · US Comment: Usually very accurate but the temperature is several degrees lower than forecasted. (A departure to the safe side).
  26. [R22] 3/5 · US Widget: Like the App wish you could add a widget to your Home Screen showing the location weather.
  27. [R23] 1/5 · US No widget on ios: No widget for ios. I came from android and their widget was amazing.
  28. [R133] 3/5 · US Needs option to customize alert sound: I want to be able to hear it if it's a tornado warning and I'm asleep...it needs a lot more options for customizing the alerts. Really has none, just sends you to the iPhone settings where you can do nothing
  29. [R47] 2/5 · US Notifications: I only signed up for severe weather alerts. However I get morning afternoon and evening notifications giving general weather information. Why? That’s not a severe weather alert. I get woken up at 1030 at night for that?
  30. [R84] 2/5 · US Ads and sound issues: Clicking on the app’s Notification “Tornado Warning Issued - Click For Details” took me to an Advertisement! That’s some pretty screwed up priorities. Worse, while the ad’s sound was very loud, there was no sound on the video about the Tornado Warning. In general, the app generates too many unimportant Notifications every day. Stick to problems, like Tornado Warnings.
  31. [R88] 3/5 · US Weather app review: There are too many advertisements in the app, too many notifications sent out daily and too many references to use the app on the newscast. We know about it, we can choose to use it but shouldn’t have to in order to be weather aware.
  32. [R17] 1/5 · US Too many ads: I’m all for supporting local media but this app has too many ads that interrupt you while you are scrolling for what you are looking for.

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