The next version of LuckGrib, version 1.1, has been submitted to the Apple App store. It normally takes around a week for them to review the app, after which it should be available on the App store.

First, I would like to thank all of the people who volunteered to become Beta testers for me. Without your help, this release would not have happened. Version 1.1 of LuckGrib is now using the GPU to draw its graphics. Without the test coverage I received on the various types of machines my Beta testers had, I would not have had confidence that LuckGrib was really working. There are a few of you who went above-and-beyond in your help in tracking down subtle OpenGL issues - thank you!

For those of you who were not part of the Beta program, I think you are going to like this next version. A lot. I’m really happy with how its turned out, and feel, with this new version, LuckGrib is now delivering what I wanted when I first thought about building it, a little over a year ago.

Its has been roughly 11 months since I first started working on LuckGrib. With this version now complete, I’ll start working on the next version.

I have some ideas on features I would like to add to the next version. If you have ideas for what you would like to see in a new version, please let me know.

As I write this, I’m on my sailboat, s/v Lucknesss, in Fiji, preparing for my passage to New Zealand. I’m studying the weather daily, sometimes downloading refreshes to the weather models twice a day. As a user of the application, I appreciate the effort “the developer” put in to make using it so easy. Comparing GFS and CMC models is trivial and intuitive. Planning on where I expect to be one day after leaving, two days out, three days out, etc is also very easy.

If you are a sailor and are reading this article without having yet purchased this application - do yourself a favor - buy it. You won’t regret it.

If you’re a weather enthusiast and are looking for a Mac application to study GRIB models, I don’t think you’ll find anything better - certainly not at the price.

Enjoy Version 1.1!

PS. The beta program for Version 1.1 is now closed. If you are interested in participating in the beta program for the next version, please let me know.