An iconic weather app from Linux’s historical landscape has made a comeback — Typhoon is back in action! This app’s main function is straightforward: it displays the current weather conditions and a four-day forecast against a customizable colored backdrop.
Typhoon was originally a fork of the earlier app Stormcloud, which garnered widespread popularity between 2012 and 2013, becoming one of the top-selling apps on Ubuntu. However, the development of Typhoon halted after the original developer was unable to keep up with changes in its weather API backend.
Now, Typhoon has been revived by its developer, Archisman Panigrahi, who has transferred the source code from Launchpad to GitHub, revamped it, and switched to the Open-Meteo API, which many other Linux weather apps also utilize.
Why Use a Weather App?
Linux users have a range of options for checking the weather. Some might prefer specialized apps like Mousam, while others opt for simpler solutions like GNOME Weather. Many users choose to check forecasts via their browsers, smartphones, or smartwatches. Still, for those who enjoy seeing weather forecasts on their Linux desktop, Typhoon adds to the variety and taps into nostalgia for users familiar with Stormcloud.
Typhoon offers a vibrant and customizable interface with features such as:
- Current weather data, including temperature, wind speed, and humidity
- A four-day forecast with temperature highs and lows
- Simple location searches
- Customizable background colors and window opacity
- Choice of temperature and wind speed units
- Capability to run multiple instances with different locations/colors
- An optional Unity Launcher icon showing a temperature badge
- A new chameleonic background color feature
- Resizable windows (fixed ratio)
However, there are a few limitations in the current version (v0.9.3), particularly related to Wayland compatibility, concerning opacity and other visual features.
Installation Instructions
Users of Ubuntu, Linux Mint, and other Debian-based distributions can install Typhoon via an official PPA, which supports versions from Ubuntu 18.04 LTS to Ubuntu 25.04. To add the PPA, open a terminal and execute the following commands:
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:apandada1/typhoonsudo apt update && sudo apt install typhoonFor those who prefer not to use PPAs, a DEB package or Flatpak build can be downloaded from the project’s GitHub releases page.
Configuration
To configure Typhoon, click the gear icon in the app’s header. You can set the location for which you want the weather, choose a background color, and select temperature units. The search should only include the main part of the location name for accurate results.
In conclusion, while many open-source applications may fade into obscurity, it’s refreshing to see Typhoon brought back to life, catering to users’ nostalgic preferences while offering a modern take on weather forecasting for Linux desktops.