AlertsPro will keep you on top of bad weather

Here in the US we're gearing up for hurricane season, and that means severe thunderstorms and other violent weather. Of course, sever weather isn't restricted to those in hurricane zones. Hail, thunderstorms, severe wind and more happen across the world. With a that in mind, AlertsPro for iPhone (US$1.99) offers some piece of mind and early warnings before severe weather hits.

The app pushes alerts based on a severe weather event's distance from a custom location (you can add unlimited locations). For example, if you have a summer home or are keeping track of family and friends around the world, AlertsPro will let you know of severe weather at those locations up to 48 hours in advance (non-severe weather doesn't get as advanced a warning). The app uses weather maps with color-coded alert locations, and layers that depict satellite data. Alerts can be shared via social media.

I gave the app a try and it worked well. Functions were obvious, and as soon as I allowed it access to my location and allowed it to send me alerts I was ready to go.

Although my area of the country (Arizona) was pretty calm today, I could see alerts around the country and in Europe that were of interest, so I set up some favorite locations. The color codes for severity are useful, and you can customize them to suit your needs.

Some apps display warnings as a feature, but that's AlertsPro's main function. Other apps that I like for alerts include WeatherBug, and the free Weather - Local Forecasts and alerts.

AlertsPro also has a subscription service which is a $5.99 in-app purchase for a 12-month subscription. It offers customized alerts by type of storm or risk level, and it includes more detail on the weather maps. I don't find it a compelling offering.

AlertsPro is not universal, and it requires iOS 7 or later. It's optimized for the iPhone 5.