Website Review for Weather.Com

Aesthetic Appeal: 8/10 - The site is well spaced with simple attractive colors. The site is aesthetically functional like imdb.com. The goal of the site is to not be distracting and let you get the information you need quickly. It contains similar color choices to the Weather Channel, but not nearly as ugly.

Usability/Functionality: 6/10 - The header has a zip code search so users can quickly get weather information in their area. Below this is a navigation bar that covers your area of need: travel, traffic, news, etc. This is the best design feature of the site. Users get exactly what they need without searching for it. This is a drawback because this makes the main page essentially useless unless you customize it. Like "The Daily Weather Pic," which is a picture of a dog wearing a hat, is used to fill space and not have anything to do with the actual mission of the site. This site is plagued by the use of video without text. The camera icon is easy enough to see next to a head line, but all they provide is cut clips from the Weather Channel without additional information.

The site can switch to the unit of measurement you desire so it does not discourage international users. The search feature is quick and accurate, but brings you to a complete mess. Browsers will be disappointed by the layout their local weather. You get today's weather at the top then must follow the page down between ads to see a 3 days forecast and finally at the bottom is a radar map. Browsers will be quickly discouraged to find that information does not come in a neat package. While using the map you can't see the current weather or the 3 day forecast. If looking at the forecast you will not see the map.

Content: 8/10 - The site covers all of your weather needs with added tools. The tool "Skin Protection" provides users with get a SPF protection rating after they provide their zip code, complexion, duration of exposure, age, and activity. Traffic reports also include road crews and scenic routes so you can plan your commute or trip. The content is limitless and could be used on a daily basis. The only drawback to this would be actually using the site with its annoying and thoughtless layout.

Etc: When compared to the layout and format of the Nation Weather Service users will be happy to go back to the site design of weather.com. weather.com is the best at what it does, but that will only make it more frustrating to use because the areas for improvement are obvious. I'm not sure why online weather reporting is so far behind the digital age, but the only way it could be worse is if it were hosted by geocities.

Overall: 6.5/10 - For quick weather or traffic reports weather.com is a step above the rest, sadly the competition is six feet under. What the site lack in grace it makes up for in raw current information. As soon as users get the information they need they will quickly leave this site because its structure leaves a lot to be desired.