The people have spoken. The Weather Channel has officially announced a new look rolling out across both its website and on its appâone with a distinctly nostalgic, Y2K-esque vibe to it.
âThis is not an April Foolâs joke. Youâve asked (a lot) and weâve listened,â the meteorological source wrote in a social media post.
RetroCast Now gives viewers the current local conditions and upcoming forecasts a throwback look nearly identical to what viewers saw on The Weather Channel during the late-90s and early 2000s. And yes, that even includes a relaxing smooth jazz soundtrack to accompany the experience.
Similar to previous fan-sourced projects, RetroCast Now harkens back to a much more pixelated time and technology. In 1982, the Weather Channel debuted WeatherStar to boost its forecasting abilities. âStarâ is short for Satellite Transponder Addressable Receiver, and consists of a computer attachment known as a headend installed in a cable systemâs central broadcasting facility. This lets The Weather Channel receive and send out localized weather info, as well as potentially lifesaving alerts if severe storms are nearby.Â
Although the visual aesthetics have changed, the broadcast technology is largely similar to early incarnations. But according to The Weather Channel, people have also been clamoring for the matching artwork.
âThe idea came from listening to our users. In an era where on-demand weather data is at everyoneâs fingertips, we want to celebrate the nostalgia and the innovation of the 90âs,â Mark Fredo, Â executive creative director at The Weather Channel digital properties, explains to Popular Science. âThis was the moment local weather storytelling was first delivered at scale, transforming a simple forecast into a communal experience.â
Inspired by this history, Fredoâs team redesigned the overall look in a way to fit todayâs screensâboth big and small. Itâs not a passing fad, either. Fredo confirmed that RetroCast Now will be available for the foreseeable future. An option to toggle between website vibes will soon become available on The Weather Channelâs homepage. There are also plans for additional thematic projects down the line, although that forecast (pun intended is a bit murky.
âWhile we have more surprises in development, our focus remains on delivering the most engaging and intuitive weather storytelling in the world,â says Fredo.
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