The Weather Channel Goes Open Source

Project Overview

The Weather Channel is one of the most visited sites in the world. With forecasts for more than 3 million locations across the globe and a massive library of maps, images and articles, The Weather Channel needed a platform that could match its current and future scale.

We partnered with The Weather Channel to support their transition to an Open Source CMS with a stable, secure and flexible Drupal installation — creating the highest trafficked Drupal site in the world. We streamlined multiple systems into one single platform, making their editing and support teams happier and more efficient.

Optimized Editorial Process

To speed up the editorial process and give content editors more control, we used a structure that provided more front-end flexibility without adding back-end complexity. In fact, the publishing workflow was reduced from 14 clicks in the process to as few as one. These improvements made it easier for editors to collaborate and publish even more content.

Improved Performance and Scalability

Weather.com gets visits from all over the world from devices of all types, in situations where accurate and accessible data is of paramount importance to visitors. We improved page load times by increasing efficiency through a content delivery network. Users from across the globe had vastly improved access, even when they had lower connectivity.

Reduced Costs & Overhead

Moving to an Open Source platform like Drupal means an organization isn’t locked into a proprietary product’s cycle of improvements and updates. By moving to Drupal, The Weather Channel had the freedom to continue evolving on their own platform, at their own pace, investing their resources in innovation instead of licensing fees.