Manage updates with the Download AppCNET Editors' review
We've used plenty of weather-watching programs, but none quite like Earth Alerts from South Wind Technologies. This disaster-watching program monitors online information related to severe, extreme, and violent weather and natural disasters in near real time, notifies you about alerts and updates, displays satellite data and imagery, and even lets you view the event in images and video.
Earth Alerts has an attractive, colorful display that is quite easy to get started with. We first added our own location by clicking New Location and entering our ZIP code in the Search tool. Earth Alerts populated the relevant information fields automatically and displayed our location in the Locations box on the left-hand navigation and control panel. This panel offers three basic configurable overviews--Global, United States, and our locality--and several categories of events for regular monitoring: earthquakes, tsunamis, tropical cyclones (hurricanes), volcanoes, landslides, wildland fires, and severe weather. We clicked Update Now, and the program fetched the latest bulletins about a tsunami in Indonesia, a volcano in Russia, an update on Mt. Kilauea in Hawaii, two cyclone alerts, an NOAA tornado watch in Georgia, and other events, most of which also displayed maps and radar, and even opened a view in Google Earth when we clicked the buttons atop the main view. There were five earthquake alerts for our locality, all of them related to tremors 416 miles away, the nearest activity. We selected a volcano alert, clicked Images, and were rewarded with pictures of the volcano site. The automatic update, Google Earth launcher, and sound and e-mail notification settings were all clearly explained and easy to configure.
We're impressed by Earth Alerts and its ability to deliver useful, up-to-the-minute data and images of a wide range of global phenomena. It's easy to add any place on Earth to its Locations to monitor, and there's plenty to see and do with it, even when all's quiet on the weather front.
Publisher's Description
From South Wind Technologies:
Earth Alerts is a Windows-based application that allows you to monitor in near real-time a variety of natural hazard events that are occurring anywhere around the world. Alert notifications, reports, and imagery provide the user with a convenient way to view natural phenomenon as they occur, whether close to home or some far-flung corner of the globe. Earth Alerts includes basic weather tracking features such as National Weather Service alerts, current conditions, local forecasts and radar or satellite imagery.
What's new in this version: Version 2013.1.40 has added a new user setting "report age".
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All versions:
3.5 starsout of 93 votes
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Current version:
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My rating:
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"Very, very good for traveler."
Version: Earth Alerts 2013.1.14
Pros
Gives timely information for locations all over the world.
Cons
No "cons" to report.
Summary
Highly recommended for people who travel far and often.
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"IT's Great and I use it on all of my Windows PC's."
Version: Earth Alerts 2013.1.12
Pros
Keeps me up to date on what is happening here close and around the World.
Cons
Slow on start up.
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"I cancelled it"
Version: Earth Alerts 2012.1.174
Pros
only good for world conditions or big city
Cons
Does nothing for the area I live and gives no info, no need for this when there are others that are more usefull
Summary
no need
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"Not Bad program BUT............"
Version: Earth Alerts 2012.1.174
Pros
It's nice to check the weather map and see what is happening around the rest of the world.
Cons
I would have given this five stars if it didn't try to sneak in a bunch of other programs on install. I know this is how they get compensated but give us fair warning! IT WAS HORRIBLE! IF YOU ARE INSTALLING FOR THE FIRST TIME BEWARE OF ALL THE "EXTRAS" THEY TRY AND PUSH ON YOU!
Summary
This is a nifty program that gives you your local weather and you can even program weather areas for where your family and friends live. The HUGE downside is as what I have stated. SHAME, SHAME, SHAME. I would rather donate $5.00-$10.00 then go through all that crap during installation.
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"Annoying & Invasive"
Version: Earth Alerts 2012.1.158
Pros
Not many as I try to kill it as soon as it starts (almost Impossible)
Cons
A most annoying program that is hard to kill off. There is nowhere that you can instruct the program not to load. Obviously the programmer thinks his program is the most important program anyone could possibly want! Such conceit! It doesn't even highlight the fires which are threatening property and homes where I live or around it within 1000 miles. Totally useless!
Summary
I am an Emergency Services Worker in Fire, and I have several programs which are far more important than this crap. But they don't try to take over my computer as this one does.
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"DOES NOT WORK"
Version: Earth Alerts 2012.1.130
Pros
it's neat looking
Cons
it doesn't update, when you miniminize it you can not bring it back to fullscreen and it won't update.
Summary
Wait for updates, this looks like a VERY good program, but right now it's not a good one. Wait for a few updates and try it again'
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"Very invasive to home computer."
Version: Earth Alerts 2012.1.82
Pros
Good to fair interface.
Cons
Installed toolbars and invasive cookies not mentioned in the install program. Slowed down all browsers by 27% average. Deleted and uninstalled 8 hours after first run. I work from home on my computer and cannot afford to let my customers daa be endangered by a program like this.
Summary
As above.
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"Great Program"
Version: Earth Alerts 2012.1.56
Pros
One of the only desktop weather monitoring programs I have found that will allow you to monitor multiple areas, and get alerts on all of them (many allow monitoring, but you only receive alerts for one area). The extra features are neat, and they can be turned on/off per the users needs/wants.
Cons
Lots of updates (I know this is necessarry to keep the program functioning properly) but not really a big deal.
Summary
I use this program both at home & at work - I have received alerts on this pro=gram sometimes before my weatherradio went off. Plus I receive alerts on weather conditions that they don't activate the weatherradio for. Easy to use, a simple interface, and loads of functionality - a great program for all.
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"good weather tracker"
Version: Earth Alerts 2012.1.16
Pros
readings every 10 minutes or as you desire. View the United States or set for other countries.
Cons
not a nuisance. It pops up on time, no matter what program you are using on your desktop.
Summary
I've been using Earth Alerts for more than four years now, I have no complaints. Its outstanding software.
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"World weather easy to access in one place."
Version: Earth Alerts 2012.1.12
Pros
Great place to find what is happening on the rest of the planet!
Cons
Can't think of any that matter.
