Show the time that it will rain
This could be and option to display 'light rain at 2.33pm' rather than 'light rain in 44 minutes'.
I’m concerned with this behaviour as I have noticed it only serves to make the app seem more inaccurate – particularly when the storm is over 20 minutes away, as there can be several minutes of variation between each update. Using a relative time scale allows the app to fine tune the prediction without the penalty of being seen to be making such changes. Also having tested both I find a relative time scale more useful than the absolute time.
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Ben commented
In fact, this morning I missed the notification. This means looking at the relative time (34 mins til rain) subtracting the time since the notification (11 mins) and adding this number to the present time (8.50) to give the expected time of rain to be 9.13. If the app simply told me that in the first place it would be easier.
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Ben commented
I guess I can put it more simply.
Currently, to know the predicted time it will rain I need to look at the notification (relative time) and the time and add them together. This time is still approximate.
It would be good if I only needed to look at the notification (time). -
Ben commented
The point that such a change makes it seem more inaccurate is exactly why such an option is required. It is because it currently takes more effort to determine the predicted time that it will rain (by adding 34 mins to the current time, for example). If I actually do that, then the app will seem just as inaccurate, but it's just been harder to do than if it told me the time in the first place.
Furthermore, I'm not going to see the refinements that the app makes to the time prediction. It gives me one notification a certain time before the rain. If I don't then work out the time it will rain, the relative time is irrelevant to me next time I look at a clock.