Going Blue

Going Blue is an expedition weather app designed specifically for low-bandwidth satellite connections. It is built for skiers, alpinists, backpackers, kayakers, sailors, hunters, and anyone else who needs detailed weather forecasts in remote places. Going Blue works with direct-to-cell satellite internet, SMS, Garmin inReach, iPhone satellite messaging, and ZOLEO.

Weather forecasts via satellite internet, inReach, iPhone satellite, and more

High-altitude winds and freezing level forecasts for mountaineering

Avoid whiteouts and flat light with detailed cloud cover

Compare forecasts from NOAA, ECMWF, GEM, and ICON models

Avalanche Canada forecasts for hut trips and ski traverses

How it works

The request builder: Denali pinned on the map, the weather model selector, and the
extra variable toggles — Build a forecast request

Choose the location, weather model, and variables that you care about.

The device selector with SMS chosen and the Send SMS button, the request in the
Messages compose field, and the Copy menu on the encoded reply — Send the request

Send the request via the internet, SMS, Garmin inReach, ZOLEO, or iPhone satellite messaging.

The Paste Forecast button and the decoded Denali meteogram — View the forecast

Paste the forecast response into the app to visualize the forecast.

Features

Satellite ready: Get forecasts anywhere in the world, without cell reception. Works with direct-to-cell satellite internet (Starlink Direct to Cell, T-Satellite), Garmin inReach, ZOLEO, and iPhone satellite messaging.
Hundreds of data points per message: Uses custom compression optimized for weather data to fit a detailed weather forecast into a single message.
30+ weather models: Forecasts from high-resolution models like HRRR (3km), HRDPS (2.5km), ICON-D2 (2km), and MET Norway (1km). Automatically chooses the best model for your location.
Detailed cloud cover: See up to 10 levels in the atmosphere to differentiate between high clouds, valley fog, and whiteout conditions.
Mountain forecasts: Pressure-level winds and freezing level for high-altitude mountaineering.
Air quality: Plan around wildfire smoke and other pollution with AQI forecasts.
Model agreement: See how well the forecast agrees with models from NOAA, ECMWF, ECCC, and DWD.
Avalanche forecasts: Full avalanche forecasts from Avalanche Canada.
Works offline: All forecasts are saved on your device for comparing multiple models and past forecasts while offline.
Private: Going Blue requires no account and does not store your name, email, or phone number.
Open source: View the source and a detailed explanation of the codec on GitHub.

Subscriptions

Going Blue is free to use, with an optional subscription that covers the costs of running the service. Forecasts over the internet (including satellite internet) are free, since they don't cost me anything per forecast. Every text message costs money, so SMS and satellite weather forecasts (SMS, inReach, ZOLEO, and iPhone satellite messaging) are limited to 5 free forecasts per month. Avalanche forecasts are free and unlimited on every device to promote public safety.

If you are planning to use Going Blue on an expedition, subscribe to the Going Blue Expedition plan before you head out for unlimited SMS and satellite weather forecasts. The annual plan costs the same as two months, so you can keep using Going Blue for shorter trips in the off-season.

	Going Blue Free	Going Blue Expedition
SMS and satellite weather forecasts	5 per month	Unlimited
Internet weather forecasts	Unlimited	Unlimited
Avalanche forecasts	Unlimited	Unlimited
Price	Free	$9.99/month or $19.99/year

You can subscribe to Going Blue in the app, through the App Store or Google Play. All prices are in USD. Thank you for supporting Going Blue!

Frequently asked questions

Which devices can I use with Going Blue?

Going Blue supports several different ways to get a forecast:

Internet if you have Wi-Fi or cell service.
Direct to cell satellite internet like Starlink Direct to Cell, T-Mobile T-Satellite, etc.
SMS text messaging, including SMS via satellite.
Garmin inReach with the Garmin Earthmate and Garmin Messenger apps. All inReach models are supported.
iPhone satellite messaging.
ZOLEO.

Where do forecasts come from?

Forecasts are sourced from regional weather centers including NOAA in the US, ECMWF in Europe, Environment Canada, and DWD in Germany. Open-Meteo provides the forecasts.

Which weather models are supported?

Auto: Chooses the highest resolution model for your location from over 30 regional weather models. Seamlessly blends to lower-resolution global models at longer time horizons.

NOAA: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

HRRR Conus 3km: 48 hours, continental US
GFS 13km: 16 days, global

GEM: Environment and Climate Change Canada

GEM HRDPS 2.5km: 48 hours, Canada and the northern US
GEM RDPS 10km: 78 hours, North America
GEM GDPS 15km: 10 days, global

ECMWF: European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts

ECMWF IFS HRES 9km: 15 days, global

ICON: Deutscher Wetterdienst (Germany)

ICON D2 2km: 48 hours, central Europe
ICON Europe 7km: 5 days, Europe
ICON Global 11km: 7.5 days, global

For model details, see Open-Meteo.

How does model agreement work?

Model agreement shows how well the amount of precipitation in the current forecast agrees with other forecasts. There are four levels of agreement:

Strong agreement: Forecasts agree that there will be no precipitation, or agree on the amount of precipitation.
Weak agreement: Forecasts agree that there will be precipitation but the amounts differ slightly.
Weak disagreement: Forecasts agree that there will be precipitation but the amounts differ significantly.
Strong disagreement: One forecast calls for dry conditions and the other calls for significant precipitation.

Why do Going Blue forecasts look like gibberish?

To fit as much data as possible into each message, Going Blue uses a compressed binary format that can only be decoded by the app. A full explanation of the codec is available on GitHub.

How much does Going Blue cost?

Going Blue is free to use, within limits. Forecasts over the internet and avalanche forecasts are always free. SMS and satellite weather forecasts (inReach, ZOLEO, and iPhone satellite messaging) are limited to 5 free forecasts per month. Subscribe to the Going Blue Expedition plan for unlimited forecasts.

How do I subscribe?

In the app, open Settings and tap Subscribe. Subscriptions are managed through the App Store or Google Play. Subscribing requires an internet connection, so subscribe before your trip starts.

How do I cancel my subscription?

In the app, open Settings and tap Manage Subscription. You can also cancel directly from the App Store or Google Play. After you cancel, your plan will stay active until the end of the current billing period. Deleting the app or deleting your Going Blue data will not automatically cancel your subscription.

I reinstalled the app. How can I get my subscription back?

Your subscription is linked to your Apple or Google account. To get it back, open Settings, tap Subscribe, and then Restore Purchases. Use the same Apple or Google account that you originally subscribed with.

How can I delete my data?

Steps:

Open the Going Blue app.
Tap the gear icon in the upper-right corner.
Scroll down to "Delete my data" and confirm.

This immediately erases your token from the server and erases all data stored on your phone. Request records are kept on the server with the token removed so that they can't be linked back to you.

Data cannot be deleted outside the app, since the app's stored token is the only way a token is linked to you. If you delete the app before deleting your account, the anonymous token will remain on the server but there will be no way to link to you. Delete your account before deleting the app if you want the token erased from the server.

How it works

Build a forecast request

Send the request

View the forecast

Features

Subscriptions

Frequently asked questions