FAQ

Already use Big Sky? Find topics to help you get the most out of the skill.

Weather Info

Can I make Big Sky my default weather on Alexa?

Yes! You can have Big Sky answer all of your weather queries. And, best of all, you won't have to say "ask Big Sky....." all the time!

"Alexa, I prefer Big Sky for my weather updates."

Important Note: If you get your weather report in a routine, you'll need to move the weather to the end of the routine.

How to get a daily forecast

Try any of these commands:

  • "Open Big Sky"
  • "Ask Big Sky for the weather"
  • "Ask Big Sky for the weather tomorrow"
  • "Ask Big Sky for the weather on Friday"
Weekly & Weekend Forecasts

"Alexa, ask Big Sky for the weekend report"

"Alexa, ask Big Sky for the weekly forecast"

Hourly Weather Info

You can get hourly information for up to 48 hours out. Available info includes:

  • Precipitation
  • Temperature
  • Apparent temperature (feels like)
  • Dew point/humidity
  • Barometric pressure
  • UV index
  • Wind

You can specify by hour, duration, or day and hour.

Daily Weather Info

You can get daily information for one week out. Available info includes:

  • Precipitation (with amounts)
  • Temperature (highs and lows)
  • Dew point/humidity
  • Air quality
  • Barometric pressure
  • UV index
  • Wind speed
  • Sunrise/sunset
How do I set up a Big Sky routine?

Routines let you customize your weather requests with your own wording, like "Will it rain on my drive home?"

"Alexa, ask Big Sky how do I set up a routine?"

I think I agreed to a routine, but it's waking me up. How do I turn it off!?

To disable a routine:

  1. Open the Alexa app
  2. Tap the home screen
  3. Tap "more" at the bottom right
  4. Tap "routines"
  5. Find the Big Sky routine
  6. Disable it
Where does Big Sky get its weather data?

Big Sky is powered by Apple Weather.

Big Sky Screensaver

What is Big Sky Screensaver?

The Big Sky Screensaver replaces those annoying Alexa home screen ads with an informative weather forecast. It features beautiful, informative backgrounds and a red progress bar that shows you when the forecast was last updated (every 15 minutes).

This feature is part of Big Sky Premium Edition.

How Do I Use It?

The screensaver has two modes:

Automatic Mode: The screensaver starts automatically after your weather report. You can toggle this on and off with a voice command.

Manual Mode: "Alexa, tell Big Sky to start the screensaver"

The red progress bar shows how much time has elapsed since the last forecast update.

How Do I Get It?

The screensaver is part of Big Sky Premium Edition. See the Premium section below for more information.

Big Sky Premium

What is Big Sky Premium Edition?

Big Sky Premium Edition includes:

  • Screensaver - Replace ads with weather
  • Customizable forecasts - Choose your detail level, add air quality, or even get sarcastic weather quips
  • Four additional addresses with custom labels
  • Five custom weather alerts - Get notifications when it's hot, freezing, windy, rainy, or high UV
  • Radar animation - Worldwide coverage with 3 zoom levels
  • Premium widgets - Two locations on your home screen
How Do I Use It?

Examples with custom labeled locations:

"Alexa, ask Big Sky for the weather at the beach house"

"Alexa, ask Big Sky if it will rain at mom's house tomorrow"

Set up custom weather alerts to get notifications when conditions match your preferences.

How Much Is It?

$1.60/month for Amazon Prime members

$1.99/month for non-Prime members

Includes a free 1-week trial. Cancel anytime.

How Do I Get It?

"Alexa, ask Big Sky about Premium Edition"

How Can I Cancel?

"Alexa, tell Big Sky I want to cancel Premium Edition"

Setup Options

What's a Basic Report?

A basic report includes:

  • Weather for the next hour
  • Day's forecast
  • Precipitation probabilities (if applicable)
  • Brief alert summary

You'll be prompted if you want more details. Premium users can configure which additional details to include.

What's a Detailed Report?

A detailed report includes everything in the basic report, plus:

  • Sunrise/sunset times
  • Precipitation report
  • Current wind speed
  • Humidity and dew point

Premium users have additional configuration options including air quality, daylight reports, and more.

How do I change from Celsius to Fahrenheit?

Big Sky follows your Alexa device temperature unit preferences.

"Alexa, set my temperature units to Fahrenheit" (or Celsius)

You can also change this in the Alexa app under 'device preferences'.

How do I customize my weather report? Add Labeled Locations?

You're in the right place!

You can customize your report here.

Weather Notifications

Custom Weather Notifications

Schedule notifications for the next 24 hours when the weather is:

  • Hot (>85°F)
  • Freezing
  • Windy (sustained winds >15 mph)
  • Sunny (UV index >9)
  • Rainy (>80% chance)

"Alexa, tell Big Sky to add a custom weather alert"

Notifications can be scheduled on the hour.

Scheduling Notifications

Use Alexa's "do not disturb hours" feature to control when you receive notifications. This can be set on a per-device basis.

Turning off Notifications

To turn off all notifications: Go to Alexa app → Settings → Notifications → Skills

To turn off severe weather alerts only: "Tell Big Sky to turn off severe weather alerts"

Launch on Alexa