In Oklahoma, we’re used to some severe weather. So much so that when we have tornado warnings, there’s a number of people clamoring to get some great footage.

One of the tools we’re warned to have is a weather radio, which can provide warnings for severe weather. While not as reliable or maybe even loud as a NOAA weather radio, your Android has some apps, which can help track the storms or provide a safety net.

The Weather Channel

My favorite weather app comes from The Weather Channel. The free app provides everything you need to know about the weather, including giving you severe weather notifications. The easy-to-use interface gives you the ability to add a number of cities (I have 10) and long for cooler or warmer horizons.

OnGuard Weather Alerts

Next up is my all-time favorite, go to emergency alerts weather app, OnGuard Weather Alerts ($1.99). When we had a rash of late-night tornados this year, I got tired of waiting up until 2 a.m. to find out whether my home in the Oklahoma City suburbs was going to be wiped from the map. My poor foresight in purchasing a weather radio resulted in me rushing about to find a suitable alternative to use on my phone. Hence, I tested a few apps and discovered OnGuard Weather Alerts.

When issued, the app will send severe weather alerts (audio or vibrate) to your Android device. You can program the app to monitor a single location or follow you via your device’s GPS. This will, depending on your alert and volume, send a pretty solid warning and wake you up. Caution though, although it’s a handy app to have nothing replaces a NOAA-certified, programmable weather radio.

WeatherBug

In all honesty, the only app that comes close in my opinion to TWC app is WeatherBug (free and $1.99). This app offers many of the same features as TWC app, without a lot of the same “clout.”

My chief complaint with the app is that it’s not as clean as TWC’s app, therefore I’m still using TWC.

PYKL3 Radar

If you’re an “ultimate” weather warrior, then you’ll want to check out PYKL3 Radar ($9.99). PYKL3 Radar is for weather geeks who want to view and track storms as they approach.

This app probably has too much information for the common user, but if you’re really into seeing the awesome power of storms, PYKL3 can show it.

SeaStorm

Finally, if you’re living on the coast, you might check out SeaStorm Hurricane Tracker. This app is pretty cool, especially for those cities situated near tropical storm hotbeds.

Obviously by the name, it’s only geared to sea storms in the Atlantic and Eastern Pacific.

Now you can arm yourself with some of my favorite apps to keep weather aware and hopefully protect yourself and family in the process.

This post was originally published August 12, 2011.