Author here!

There's definitely a taste / opinion component to any deep design critique. I think for many (for whom the post resonated), the ability to quickly glance at Dark Sky and understand relevant weather contextually was THE game changer.

It's a hard thing to discuss, because until you've felt the experience, it doesn't seem like a "big deal".

Some apps do use text to talk about the current / upcoming rain, but showing it visually makes it even easier. The ease of use is important because weather apps aren't meant to be that interactive (like a game). They're meant to be context-sensitive information graphics that let you drop in and out very very quickly.

http://worrydream.com/MagicInk/#inferring_context_from_the_e...