Over the last few weeks we have had several emails from GEB readers saying that the weather information in Google Earth is not accurate. We have compared the temperatures shown in Google Earth with those shown on weather.com, which is listed as the source of the information in the Google Earth popups, and we have found that the figures do not match and in some cases there are significant differences. Last year the weather layers had a similar problem, with the weather data simply not being updated. In that case it was obvious that the issue was a communication problem between Google Earth and the source of the information, as the dates shown in the popups were not being updated, indicating that the data was old. This time, however, the dates shown in the popups are current, but the actual figures are not changing. We checked some locations and although the date shown changes quite regularly the figures displayed in the popups do not. Only the ‘conditions and forecast’ layer is affected as far as we can tell. We verified by comparisons to various websites that the cloud and radar maps are reasonably current.
Despite the name, Snowville, Utah, is actually quite hot this time of year, yet Google Earth gives it 37°F / 3°C.
Weather.com gives its temperatures in the 55°F – 90°F range, so the issue is not one of time of day.
We checked locations on several different continents and the issue seems to be universal.
About Timothy Whitehead
Timothy has been using Google Earth since 2004 when it was still called Keyhole before it was renamed Google Earth in 2005 and has been a huge fan ever since. He is a programmer working for Red Wing Aerobatx and lives in Cape Town, South Africa.
I’ve noticed this for several months. Not sure if it’s universal, but it seems to me that the temperature shown in Menominee, MI (54 degrees) is the same one that was posted for the city the previous time the layer stopped working. I know it was in the same ballpark. Whether that provides a clue, I don’t know.
Yet another indication that GE is overdue for an update? It’s been over a year since streets and highways have been updated. It would be nice if traffic data and other features lost over the last year could be worked back in, not to mention things that GE has never had, such as historical street view imagery similar to what maps has.
As a Newbie, I am always searching online for articles that can help me. Thank you
The weather temperature of Pakistan’s cities is wrong since two months.
I thought the issue was because I use Linux, howerver, I just loaded GE on freshly installed Windows 7 machine, with the same results
any updates on this issue?
Is there anyplace at Google we can make noise at?
GE is close to useless without temp. for me 🙁
This is one of the best features or Google Earth. Maybe Google does not have enough money to fix the problem. It’s been broken most of the summer. Maybe if they save their money the could get it fixed soon.
Google earth is now a waste of time without the temperatures this problem has being going on for ages now Time to get rid of Google me thinks.
weather information is crap.
In googleEarth we do not have any clouds over southern Germany, switzerland and bordering countries for weeks. It is always the same view. But when I look out the window, I see clouds and snowfall.
With all the money Google is making you’d think that some of it could be used for maintenance but I guess as Google is a modern company, no money is spent on maintenance.
Please, as requested by others here, fix the weather and update the Earth views – I am working on parts of Northern England where the data is from 2007 and all sorts of things have changed in that time but not according to Google Earth – Pity — Maintenance, Maintenance and more Maintenance.