Privacy Policy
The short version: StormCast collects only what it needs to deliver weather alerts, push notifications, and emergency feeds. We do not sell your data, we do not show third-party ads today, and we do not share your information beyond the services required to run the app.
01Information we collect
Account information
StormCast requires a free account to access all features. When you create an account, we collect your email address and a hashed password. No other personal information is required at signup.
Location
The app requests your device location (GPS or network-based) to fetch local weather conditions, identify nearby USGS river gauges, and deliver NWS alerts relevant to your area. Location is used in real time to query weather APIs and is not stored on our servers beyond the scope of that request. You can enter a location manually instead of granting GPS access.
Push notification token
When you enable push notifications, your device is assigned a unique FCM (Firebase Cloud Messaging) token. We store this token on our servers so we can deliver weather alerts, flood stage warnings, and emergency notifications to your device even when the app is closed. This token is not linked to any personally identifiable information beyond your account.
User-configured data
The following is stored on our servers tied to your account, because it is required to deliver alerts:
- Saved locations and their coordinates
- USGS river gauge subscriptions you have added
- Local emergency alert feed URLs you have added
- Police, fire, EMS, or weather scanner stream URLs you have added
- Notification preferences (alert types, thresholds)
Usage and crash data
We do not collect analytics or behavioral tracking data. If the app crashes, no automatic crash report is sent to us unless you choose to report it manually.
02How we use your information
We use the information collected solely to operate StormCast:
- Delivering push notifications for severe weather alerts, flood warnings, and emergency feeds
- Fetching weather data, river gauge readings, and NWS alerts relevant to your saved locations
- Authenticating your account and maintaining your preferences across devices
- Monitoring your subscribed river gauges server-side every 5 minutes and sending alerts when thresholds are crossed
- Notifying you of critical app updates, downtime advisories, or new releases
We do not use your information for advertising, profiling, or any purpose unrelated to delivering the service you signed up for.
03Third-party services
StormCast relies on the following external services to function. Each has its own privacy policy:
| Service | Purpose | Data shared |
|---|---|---|
| Firebase (Google) | Push notification delivery (FCM) and authentication | FCM device token, email |
| National Weather Service | Official weather alerts and forecasts | Location coordinates only |
| USGS Water Resources | River gauge readings and flood stage data | Gauge site IDs you subscribe to |
| National Hurricane Center | Active storm tracks and forecasts | None (public API) |
| AirNow | Air quality (AQI) data | Location coordinates only |
| Open-Meteo | Current conditions, hourly forecast | Location coordinates only |
| Cloud infrastructure | Hosting, database, and server-side alert processing | Standard web request logs |
Scanner stream URLs you add are played back directly from the source you chose — no data is proxied through our servers. We do not sell, rent, or share your personal information with any third parties beyond what's listed above.
04Data storage & retention
Your account data (email, FCM token, saved locations, gauge subscriptions, feed URLs, and notification preferences) is stored on our secure cloud infrastructure.
We retain your data for as long as your account is active. If you delete your account, your data is removed from our systems within 30 days, except where retention is required by law.
Location data sent to weather APIs is used in real time and is not logged or stored on our servers.
05Your rights & choices
Push notifications
Disable push notifications any time in Android Settings → Apps → StormCast → Notifications, or in the app's own settings. Disabling notifications does not delete your account.
Location access
Revoke location permission any time in Android Settings → Apps → StormCast → Permissions. You can still use the app by entering a location manually.
Account deletion
You can delete your account instantly from within the app (Settings → Delete account), or by visiting our account deletion page. All associated data is removed within 30 days.
Data access and correction
You can view and update your saved locations, gauge subscriptions, and feed URLs directly inside the app at any time. For other data access requests, contact us below.
06Advertising & subscriptions
StormCast is free to download and may include advertising and optional paid subscription features. We will never use your personal data (email address, precise location, push token, or alert subscriptions) for ad targeting. Any advertising shown will be contextual or non-targeted only.
Any material change to our advertising or subscription practices will be flagged with an updated effective date and an in-app notice.
07Children's privacy
StormCast is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child under 13 has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we will delete it promptly.
08Changes to this policy
We may update this privacy policy from time to time. When we do, we will update the effective date at the top of this page. If changes are significant, we will make a reasonable effort to notify users via an in-app notice. Continued use of StormCast after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.
Contact
Questions, account deletion requests, or data concerns: email [email protected].