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Directional 'nearest precipitation' is wind-derived, presented as radar #79

Description

@kellylford

From the product review (iOS/PRODUCT_REVIEW_2026-07-01.md, finding #4).

In the Open-Meteo radar path, RadarService.createDirectionalSectors returns the same status for all 8 directions (single-point data), and "nearest precipitation" distance/direction is computed as minutes × windSpeed with direction = opposite of surface wind (RadarService.swift ~414-467) — not a radar observation. So "Light rain, 12 mi west, moving east at 15 mph" is an inference from the local wind vector, presented in the summary card with radar-level confidence. Fronts don't move with surface wind, so it's often wrong.

Options:

  • Label it clearly as an estimate from wind, not an observation; and/or collapse the 8 identical sectors into one honest "precip approaching in ~N min" line.
  • Real directional nowcasting needs actual gridded radar (NEXRAD/MRMS/RainViewer) sampled at offset points — noted as dropped for licensing previously.

Team notes there are ideas for this on the nowcast branch — this issue tracks it.

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