Forget your weather app: 15 reliable meteorologists and other sources for accurate ice storm updates

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ZDNET's key takeaways

• Your phone's built-in weather app is often unreliable.
• The biggest problem isn't data, but how the app interprets it.
• Instead, follow a reliable local meteorologist.

If you've ever glanced at your phone's weather app to check the day's forecast or to help plan for an upcoming storm, you've probably run across a scenario where you see an outrageous forecast. It happened to me earlier this week when I noticed my app was predicting more than 13 inches of snow for the Charlotte, NC area. Not only would that be a historic storm, but it would also be fairly apocalyptic for an area where even an inch of snow is a rarity. 

Also: How I'm preparing my winter emergency kit for the impending snow ...