HD Weather Widget by The Waypoint
A beautiful HD weather widget with high-resolution 331dpi backgrounds, 5-day forecasts, and modern OpenWeatherMap integration.
Consider an alternative
HD Weather Widget by The Waypoi… shows warning signs in 2026 — compare the alternatives below before installing. It runs on 10+ sites, is rated 3.5/5 and was last updated 11 months ago, and scores 35/100 on our health check.
- Small user base (10+ active installs)
- Very few reviews so far
- Only tested up to WordPress 6.6 (latest is 7.1)
How does it stack up?
Side-by-side on installs, updates, ratings & support
Daily downloads
Download spikes usually follow a new release — each site that auto-updates counts as a download.
Rankings
Where HD Weather Widget by The Wa… stands todayWordPress.org search rankings
Live position in the plugin search, top 100| Keyword | Position |
|---|---|
| forecast | #49 |
| hd | #19 |
| openweathermap | #10 |
| weather | #41 |
| widget | >100 |
Version adoption
Share of active sites per release.
Rating breakdown
★★★★★★★★★★ 3.5 from 4 reviews
About HD Weather Widget by The Waypoint
From the official readme · v1.2.0Description
HD Weather Widget displays current weather conditions and multi-day forecasts with stunning high-definition backgrounds. Perfect for blogs, news sites, and local business websites.
Features:
- HD Quality: 331dpi weather condition backgrounds (48 unique conditions)
- 5-Day Forecast: Configurable forecast display (1-5 days or hide)
- Current Conditions: Temperature, humidity, wind speed and direction
- Multiple Locations: Unlimited widgets for different cities
- Modern API: OpenWeatherMap v2.5 with HTTPS security
- Responsive Design: Works beautifully on all screen sizes
- WebP Optimized: 92% smaller images with PNG fallback
- Shortcode Support: Easy integration into posts and pages
- Widget Ready: Drag-and-drop sidebar widget included
- Highly Cached: 30-minute cache for optimal performance
Modernized for 2025:
This plugin has been completely modernized with:
* PHP 8.2 compatibility
* WordPress 6.6.1 compatibility
* WebP image optimization (24 MB → 1.8 MB)
* Security hardening (output escaping, nonces, HTTPS)
* User-friendly error messages
* Comprehensive admin documentation
Easy Setup:
- Get a free API key from OpenWeatherMap
- Enter your API key in Settings → HD Weather Widget
- Use the shortcode generator or widget panel
- Copy and paste the shortcode into any post or page
Credits
- Original Plugin: John Grefe, James Steward – The Waypoint (2013)
- Based On: Awesome Weather Widget by Hal Gatewood
- Modernization: John Grefe & Evaline Grefe
- Weather Data: OpenWeatherMap API
- Weather Icons: HD backgrounds by The Waypoint
Installation
Automatic Installation:
- Log into your WordPress admin
- Go to Plugins → Add New
- Search for “HD Weather Widget by The Waypoint”
- Click “Install Now” then “Activate”
- Go to Settings → HD Weather Widget to configure
Manual Installation:
- Download the plugin ZIP file
- Log into WordPress admin
- Go to Plugins → Add New → Upload Plugin
- Choose the ZIP file and click “Install Now”
- Click “Activate Plugin”
- Go to Settings → HD Weather Widget to configure
Configuration:
- Get your free API key: https://openweathermap.org/appid
- Go to Settings → HD Weather Widget
- Enter your API key and save
- Use shortcode examples or widget panel to add weather
Frequently asked questions
Do I need an API key?
Yes. You need a free API key from OpenWeatherMap. Sign up at https://openweathermap.org/appid. The free tier includes 1,000 calls per day, which is more than enough for most sites.
How do I add weather to a post or page?
Use the shortcode: [waypoint-weather lat=”48.0624″ lon=”-114.0733″ units=”F” size=”tall” forecast_days=”hide” override_title=”Bigfork, Montana, US”] See Settings → HD Weather Widget for complete examples.
How do I add weather to a sidebar?
Go to Appearance → Widgets Drag “HD Weather Widget by The Waypoint” to your sidebar Configure the settings Save
Can I show multiple locations?
Yes! Add multiple shortcodes or widgets with different locations.
Why isn’t the weather showing?
Common fixes: * Make sure you saved your API key in Settings * Wait 10-15 minutes for new API keys to activate * Check city spelling (use exact names from OpenWeatherMap.org) * Clear your cache (weather updates every 30 minutes)
What units are supported?
Both Fahrenheit (F) and Celsius (C) are supported.
Can I customize the appearance?
Yes, via shortcode parameters: * units – F or C * size – tall (default) * forecast_days – 1-5 or hide * hide_stats – 0 or 1 * show_link – 0 or 1 * override_title – Custom text * background – Custom image URL
Is this plugin responsive?
Yes, the widget adapts to all screen sizes.
What browsers are supported?
All modern browsers. WebP images are used in Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari 14+, with PNG fallback for older browsers.
Does this work with caching plugins?
Yes. Weather data is cached for 30 minutes via WordPress transients, compatible with all caching plugins.
Changelog
Major modernization update! This version is compatible with PHP 8.2 and WordPress 6.6.1, includes 92% smaller images (WebP), enhanced security, and requires an OpenWeatherMap API key. If upgrading from 1.0.0, please get a free API key from openweathermap.org/appid.
1.2.0 – October 24, 2025
Geocoding & Shortcode Builder Update
- NEW: Interactive Shortcode Builder: Build custom shortcodes with live preview in admin
- NEW: Geocoding Integration: Automatically convert city names to lat/lon coordinates using OpenWeatherMap Geocoding API
- NEW: Location Search: Find any city in the world with suggestions and selection
- Improved Admin UI: Step-by-step wizard for creating weather widgets
- Enhanced Documentation: Real-time shortcode generation with copy-to-clipboard
- Better UX: No more manual lat/lon lookups – just type a city name!
1.1.0 – October 24, 2025
Major Modernization Update
- PHP Compatibility: Updated for PHP 7.4 through 8.2
- WordPress Compatibility: Tested with WordPress 6.6.1
- Image Optimization: Converted all images to WebP (92.4% size reduction: 24 MB → 1.8 MB)
- API Update: Migrated from defunct API v2.1 to current v2.5 with HTTPS
- Security Hardening: Added comprehensive output escaping, nonce verification, secure API calls
- Performance: Implemented 30-minute caching with configurable filters
- User Experience: Added admin settings page with comprehensive documentation
- Code Quality: Removed all deprecated PHP code (create_function, PHP 4 constructors)
- Error Handling: User-friendly error messages instead of fatal errors
- Layout: Standardized to tall mode (size parameter preserved for compatibility)
- Documentation: In-admin shortcode examples and troubleshooting guide
1.0.0 – December 5, 2013
- Initial release by John Grefe (The Waypoint)
- 331dpi HD weather backgrounds
- OpenWeatherMap integration
- Widget and shortcode support
Screenshots
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Best HD Weather Widget by The Wayp… alternatives
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FAQ
HD Weather Widget by The Waypoint: quick answers
Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.
Live data from WordPress.org · checked Sep 30, 2026
Is HD Weather Widget by The Waypoi… free?
Yes. HD Weather Widget by The Waypoi… is free to download and use from the official WordPress.org plugin directory.
Is HD Weather Widget by The Waypoi… safe to use in 2026?
HD Weather Widget by The Waypoi… shows warning signs in 2026 — compare the alternatives below before installing. It runs on 10+ sites, is rated 3.5/5 and was last updated 11 months ago, and scores 35/100 on our health check.
How many websites use HD Weather Widget by The Waypoi…?
HD Weather Widget by The Waypoi… is active on 10+ WordPress websites and has been downloaded 8,155 times since it launched in May 2013. It was downloaded 59 times in the last 30 days.
Does HD Weather Widget by The Waypoi… work with WordPress 7.1?
HD Weather Widget by The Waypoi… is officially tested up to WordPress 6.6.9, while the latest release is 7.1.2. It may still work, but try it on a staging site first.
What PHP version does HD Weather Widget by The Waypoi… need?
HD Weather Widget by The Waypoi… requires PHP 7.4 or higher. Most hosts run PHP 8.x today, so it works on any modern WordPress hosting.
When was HD Weather Widget by The Waypoi… last updated?
The latest version, 1.2.0, was released on October 24, 2025 (11 months ago).
Who makes HD Weather Widget by The Waypoi…?
HD Weather Widget by The Waypoi… is developed and maintained by JohnGrefe.
What are the best alternatives to HD Weather Widget by The Waypoi…?
The most popular alternatives to HD Weather Widget by The Waypoi… are Weather Atlas Widget (8K+ installs), wp-forecast (4K+ installs) and Ventus (3K+ installs).
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