How to Get Weather Alerts on Your iPhone

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Your Weather app can send you updates letting you know that it's likely to start or stop raining or snowing in the near future. We'll show you how to enable this feature in your Weather app settings, so you can plan around inclement weather and not get caught unprepared. We'll also cover the two ways to add the current weather to your Lock Screen, so you never have to wonder what it's like outside. 

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Jump To:

• How to Set Up Weather Alerts on an iPhone
• How to Add a Weather Widget to Your iPhone's Lock Screen
• How to Set Up a Weather Lock Screen on an iPhone

How to Set Up Weather Alerts on an iPhone

Since location tracking is necessary to send you relevant notifications, you'll want to turn on Location Services if you haven't already. Also, be sure to update your iPhone to iOS 16 before completing these steps. For more handy iPhone notification tips, consider signing up for our free Tip of the Day newsletter. Now, here's how to get weather notifications on your iPhone.

1. Open the Weather app.
   
   
2. Tap the list icon in the bottom-right corner.
   
   
3. If you see a prompt suggesting you turn on weather alerts, tap Turn On Notifications.
   
   
4. If you don't see the prompt shown above, tap the More icon. 
   
   
5. Tap Notifications. 
   
   
6. Tap Continue.
   
   
7. Tap Allow.
   
   
8. Turn on the Severe Weather and the Next Hour Precipitation toggles.
   
   
9. If you'd like to receive weather notifications for a specific location regardless of where you currently are, tap on a location.
   
   
10. Turn on the Severe Weather and the Next Hour Precipitation toggles.
    
    
11. Tap Done.
    
    

That's all there is to it! Now that weather notifications have been enabled, you'll be better prepared and more able to plan around inclement weather. 

How to Add a Weather Widget to iPhone's Lock Screen

Before iOS 16, you would have to use the Today View to access weather widgets. Now you can also access widgets on the Lock Screen. With weather widgets, you will be able to check rain predictions, sun events, moon events, UV index, air quality, and wind speeds. Since the process of adding weather widgets to a Lock Screen is the same as adding other widgets, be sure to read our article on how to add widgets to your iPhone's Lock Screen.  

1. Swipe down from the top-center of your Home Screen to view your Lock Screen.
   
   
2. Long press on your Lock Screen until it enters edit mode.
   
   
3. Select a Lock Screen and tap Customize.
   
   
4. Tap on Lock Screen.
   
    
5. Tap one of the two areas where you can add widgets (above or below the time). I’ll start by tapping the rectangle below the time.
   
   
6. Tap Weather.
   
   
7. You might have to delete a widget from the rectangle to make room to add another one. If so, just tap on the minus button.
   
   
8. Here you’ll see a selection of weather widgets. Swipe left or right until you find the widget(s) you want.
   
    
9. Tap the one(s) you wish to add or drag them into the space.
   
   
10. When you are done, tap the X or the background to return to the customization screen.
    
    
11. Tap Done to save your changes.
    
    

How to Set Up a Weather Lock Screen on iPhone

Not only will the Weather Lock Screen display your location and its weather conditions, but the background will also match the conditions. For example, if it's raining in your location, the background will show a rainy sky. You will be required to enable your Location Services for the Weather app in order to use the Weather Lock Screen. Here's how to set up the Weather Lock Screen on your iPhone.

1. Go to Settings.
   
   
2. Tap Wallpaper.
   
   
3. Tap Add New Wallpaper.
   
   
4. Tap the Weather icon.
   
   
5. If desired, you can add widgets.
   
   
6. Tap Done to complete setting up your Weather Lock Screen.