Weather Underground Reviews

Pros

Lots of data to work with

Cons

Inundated with corporate bureaucracy

Pros

Everyone I worked with directly were so excited to make new products and change the industry. When employees were left to create on their own, without management meddling, the outcomes were fantastic and our users appreciated the products. Everyone wanted to help each other and the community that was created was strong. There was a great culture of fun and getting the work done collaboratively. However after time, the employees have left en masse and the culture/people Pro is no longer.

Cons

The company has been notorious in not paying it's employees near any standard of San Francisco pay. Management changed to a boys club in the past year and half, and no longer cared about employees, just the bottom line. Senior management get their roles by friendship with higher management, without any real weather know-how. Management refused to listen to the employees and micro managed them all until no product was left. They only care about giving impassioned speeches to "rally" the troops "be a viking not a victim". In the end those speeches are hollow and management never actually works on fixing any issues with the website, company or employees.

Pros

Before it's 2 acquisitions in 5 years, Weather Underground was the most amazing place to work. The culture, the work, and the communities that were built were inspiring and made me proud to call Weather Underground my employer. Then the first acquisition by The Weather Channel happened. Although our offices grew our opportunities for growth, both professionally and as a company, were being sequestered. The old-school management style of The Weather Channel, based out of Atlanta, were hierarchical and often was a "boys club". A lack of direction coupled with a constant stream of outsiders being brought in with lofty titles like "VP of Corporate Internal Pivotal Strategy" and "General Manager of the Head of International Growth" created chaos. But through it all the people who worked Weather Underground were passionate, creative, and knew who the Weather Underground user was. They saw through the corporate BS and kept beating to their own drum. They were like family and I was proud to have worked with each and every one of them.

Cons

A long, long time ago Weather Underground stood as beacon of informative weather data in the sea of clickbait, full screen takeovers, and reality TV shows that the competition was producing. After two acquisitions---first by The Weather Channel (aka the makers of the clickbait and reality TV shows) and then a second by IBM, the world's largest technology company, the fiery soul of Weather Underground has been officially put out. Gone are the days when Weather Underground fostered communities of weather nerds to share their passion for weather data. Nowadays it's all about "the data" and how much they can suck it from their users. Innovation has stopped. Roles have been cut. If you're looking for a workplace that will give you the opportunity to grow this is not the place for you. If you're looking for a workplace that will give you autonomy this is not the place for you. WU is a white dwarf, slowly dying as the space around it consumes it whole.

Pros

Small company, closely knit, fun yet professional environment. Deadline driven but cool about it, don't look over your shoulders every minute.

Cons

Sometimes slightly dysfunctional. Office not very well organized with little structure - but that was part of the fun of it sometimes.