SkyWise Current & Forecast Documentation


The SkyWise Current and Forecast API (Megafeed) represents an on-demand weather observation and forecast service via an authenticated web service (HTTP). The service provides comprehensive point-specific current and forecast conditions throughout the globe. Meteorological conditions are provided via HTTP using a properly formed URI comprising the location of interest and other optional query parameters. Each HTTP request provides convenient XML or JSON tagged format output which affords easy automated parsing using but not limited to Python, Perl and PHP.

Key Technical Features

  • Convenient XML or JSON format output
  • Units for numerical values may be specified in either SI (e.g. Celsius) or English (e.g. Fahrenheit) units or both.

Key Meteorological Features

  • Over 14,000+ surface weather observations around the globe
  • Weather observations in the United States are usually updated at least hourly while most global observations are updated at least every three hours.
  • Unique quality control to ensure the most reliable and representative surface weather observations.
  • 10-day forecasts (Hourly and 24 hour increments) are updated every 12 hours
  • Forecast weather conditions derived from a blend of numerical weather prediction models at the National Center of Environmental Prediction and internal at Weather Decision Technologies.

To retrieve the current and forecast weather conditions, a URI must be properly formed to access the web service and retrieve the current and forecast conditions.

It is important to note that while any global location can be requested, the density of observation stations outside of the United States is much lower and results may not be as accurate in more remote global locations.

Authentication

Requests must include Headers for authentication. The provided application ID will be entered as the value for the app_id header, and the application key will be entered as the value for the app_key header. Up to five application keys may be in use at any time. This allows old application keys to be disabled without any downtime.

Accepted Parameters

Required

  • Parameters require geographic information from any one of these three categories.
  • U.S. Locations
    • Zip
    • or
    • City & State
  • Global Cities
    • City & Country
  • Any Global Locations
    • LAT & Long

Optional

  • FORMAT - By default, all requests are returned in XML format.
    • FORMAT=json will return requests in JSON format.
  • Units - By default, all values are returned in SI units (e.g. Celsius).
    • Units=uswill return units in English units such as inches of mercury (Hg) and Fahrenheit.
    • Units=allwill return values in both English and SI units. Hence, the returned XML will be larger.
client id is provided by WDT.

URI Examples

  • https://skywisefeeds.wdtinc.com/feeds/api/mega.php?ZIP=76354
  • https://skywisefeeds.wdtinc.com/feeds/api/mega.php?LAT=34.1&LON=-98.57
  • https://skywisefeeds.wdtinc.com/feeds/api/mega.php?CITY=norman&STATE=ok
  • https://skywisefeeds.wdtinc.com/feeds/api/mega.php?CITY=tokyo&COUNTRY=jp
  • https://skywisefeeds.wdtinc.com/feeds/api/mega.php?ZIP=76354&UNITS=US

Error Messages

If a location cannot be found then the following response is returned:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>
- <Error>
    <message>Unable to geocode the location provided</message>
  </Error>

If the lat/lon coordinates are out of bounds (e.g. lat > 90 or lon < -90; lon> 180 or lon < -180) a response will be returned. However, the returned location will default to the maximum or minimum allowable latitude and/or longitude coordinate. For example, the following mega feed request

https://skywisefeeds.wdtinc.com/feeds/api/mega.php?LAT=-91&LON=181

returns the following location:

<location lat="-90" lon="180" timezone="UTC" city="" region="" country="" zipcode="" offset="0" local_offset_hours="12">

XML Description

The following sections describe each parameter contained in each section of the returned XML from the mega feed request.

Location Data
Tag Definition Value Range Units
<units> Weather parameter units all, si,us NA
<language> Language of returned XML content Various NA
<lat> Latitude of location -90 to +90 Degrees
<lon> Longitude of location +180 to -180 Degrees
<timezone> Time zone of observation UTC NA
<city> City location NA NA
<region> State, province or numeric code Various ISO 3166-1 alpha 2 NA
<country> Country location NA NA
<zipcode> Zip Code location    
<offset> Time offset    
<local_offset_hours> Local time offset +12 to -12 Hours
Current Weather Conditions
Tag Definition Value Range Units
<stn> Weather observation station identifier Variable NA
<stn_lat> Latitude coordinate of weather station -90 to +90 Degrees
<stn_lon> Longitude coordinate of weather station -180 to + 180 Degrees
<ob_time> Date and time weather observation was recorded   UTC
<day_of_week_local> Day of the week Sunday to Saturday NA  
<temp_C> Observed air temperature -95 to +60 Celsius
<dewp_C> Observed dewpoint temperature -25 to +35 Celsius
<rh_pct> Relative humidity 0 to 100 Percent (%)
<apparent_temp units="C">

Apparent (“feels like”) temperature. This is an approximation of how the air temperature might feel to a human observer.

Above 26.7C, this is the heat index which combines the effect of temperature and humidity.

Below 10C, this is the wind chill factor which combines the effect of the temperature and wind chill.

At temperatures from 10C - 26.7C where neither of these is true,it is just the air temperature.

-100 to +140 Degrees
<temp_F> Observed air temperature -140 to +140 Fahrenheit
<dewp_F> Observed dewpoint temperature -10 to +90 Fahrenheit
<rh_pct> Relative humidity 0 to 100 Percent (%)
<apparent_temp units="F">

Apparent (“feels like”) temperature. This is an approximation of how the air temperature might feel to a human observer.

Above 80F, this is the heat index which combines the effect of temperature and humidity.

Below 50F, this is the wind chill factor which combines the effect of the temperature and wind chill.

At temperatures from 50F - 80F where neither of these is true,it is just the air temperature.

-148 to +284 Fahrenheit
<wnd_dir> Observed wind direction represented by the direction from which the wind is blowing. N, NNE, NE, E, ESE, SE, SSE, S,SSW, SW, WSW, W, WNW, NW, NNW Direction (e.g. North [N], Southwest [SW])
<wnd_spd_kph> Observed wind speed 0 to 403 Kilometers Per Hour (kph)
<wnd_spd_mph> Observed wind speed 0 to 250 Miles Per Hour (mph)
<press_mb> Observed atmospheric pressure 850 to 1100 Millibars (mb)
<press_in> Observed atmospheric pressure 27 to 31 Inches of Hg (in)
<wx> Observed weather Weather Icons NA
<wx_code> Observed weather code Weather Code NA
<cld_cover> Observed cloud cover conditions

Clear

Mostly clear

Partly cloudy

Mostly cloudy

Cloudy

NA
<wx_icon_url> URL location for weather icon graphic NA NA
<day_night> Diurnal indicator of weather observation day or night NA
<visibility_m> Optical visibility NA Meters (m)
<visibility_ft> Optical visibility NA Feet (ft)
<moon_phase> Moon phase

New Moon (not visible) Waxing Crescent Moon

(Right 1-49% visible ) Quarter Moon (Right 50% visible) Waxing Gibbous Moon

(Right 51-99% visible) Full Moon(Fully Visible) Waning Gibbous Moon

(Left 51-99% Visible) Last Quarter Moon (Left 50% Visible) Waning Crescent Moon

(Left 1-49% Visible)

NA
<sunrise_utc> Sunrise date and time NA UTC
<sunset_utc> Sunset date and time NA UTC
Daily Summaries
Tag Definition Value Range Units
<summary_date> Forecast date e.g. 11/01/2012 NA
<day_of_week> Day of the week for daily forecast weather conditions Sunday to Saturday  
<max_temp_C> Forecast maximum air temperature. -95 to +60 Celsius
<min_temp_C> Forecast minimum air temperature. -95 to +60 Celsius
<max_temp_F> Forecast maximum air temperature. -140 to +140 Fahrenheit
<min_temp_F> Forecast minimum air temperature. -140 to +140 Fahrenheit
<wnd_dir> Forecast wind direction represented by the direction from which the wind is blowing. N, NNE, NE, E, ESE, SE, SSE, S, SSW, SW, WSW, W, WNW, NW, NNW Direction (e.g. North [N], Southwest [SW])
<wnd_spd_kph> Forecast wind speed 0 to 402 Kilometers Per Hour (kph)
<wnd_spd_mph> Forecast wind speed 0 to 250 Miles Per Hour (mph)
<min_wnd_spd_kph> Forecast minimum wind speed 0 to 402 Kilometers Per Hour (kph)
<min_wnd_spd_mph> Forecast minimum wind speed 0 to 250 Miles Per Hour (mph)
<max_wnd_spd_kph> Forecast maximum wind speed 0 to 402 Kilometers Per Hour (kph)
<max_wnd_spd_mph> Forecast maximum wind speed 0 to 250 Miles Per Hour (mph)
<wnd_gust_kph> Forecast wind gust speed 0 to 402 Kilometers Per Hour (kph)
<wnd_gust_mph> Forecast wind gust speed 0 to 250 Miles Per Hour (mph)
<pop> Forecast probability of precipitation 0 to 100 Percent (%)
<wx> Forecast weather Weather Icons NA
<wx_code> Forecast weather code Weather Code NA
<wx_icon_text> Forecast weather icon type description Weather Icon Text NA
<wx_icon_url> URL location for forecast weather icon graphic NA NA
<text_description> Short forecast weather description NA NA
<sunrise_utc> Sunrise time NA UTC
<sunset_utc> Sunset time NA UTC
<qpf_24hr_mm> Quantitative Precipitation Forecast (liquid) expected in a 24 hour period 0 to 2540 Millimeters
<qpf_24hr_in> Quantitative Precipitation Forecast (liquid) expected in a 24 hour period 0 to 100 Inches
<cdd1> Cooling Degree Days 1 0 to 100 Celsius or Fahrenheit
<cdd2> Cooling Degree Days 2 0 to 100 Celsius or Fahrenheit
<hdd1> Heating Degree Days 1 0 to 100 Celsius or Fahrenheit
<hdd2> Heating Degree Days 2 0 to 100 Celsius or Fahrenheit
<gdd> Growing Degree Days 0 to 100 Celsius or Fahrenheit
<gdu> Growing Degree Units 0 to 1000 Celsius or Fahrenheit
<solunar_sunrise_utc> Sunrise date and time NA UTC
<solunar_sunset_utc> Sunset date and time NA UTC
<solunar_sun_state> Indicates when the sun is always up or always down in a 24 hour period NA  
<solunar_moonrise_utc> Moonrise date and time NA UTC
<solunar_moonset_utc> Moonset date and time NA UTC
<solunar_moon_state> Indicates when the moon is always up or always down in a 24 hour period NA  
Hourly Forecast
Tag Definition Value Range Units
<day_of_week> Day of the week for daily forecast weather conditions Sunday to Saturday  
<time_utc> Forecast date and time   UTC
<temp_C> Forecast air temperature. -95 to +60 Celsius
<dewp_C> Forecast dewpoint temperature. -25 to +35 Celsius
<temp_F> Forecast air temperature. -140 to +140 Fahrenheit
<dewp_F> Forecast dewpoint temperature. -60 to +130 Fahrenheit
<apparent_temp_c>

Apparent (“feels like”) temperature. This is an approximation of how the air temperature might feel to a human observer.

Above 26.7C, this is the heat index which combines the effect of temperature and humidity.

Below 10C, this is the wind chill factor which combines the effect of the temperature and wind chill.

At temperatures from 10C - 26.7C where neither of these is true,it is just the air temperature.

-100 to +140 Degrees
<apparent_temp_F>

Apparent (“feels like”) temperature. This is an approximation of how the air temperature might feel to a human observer.

Above 80F, this is the heat index which combines the effect of temperature and humidity.

Below 50F, this is the wind chill factor which combines the effect of the temperature and wind chill.

At temperatures from 50F - 80F where neither of these is true,it is just the air temperature.

-148 to +284 Fahrenheit
<rh_pct> Relative humidity 0 to 100 Percent (%)
<wx> Forecast weather Weather Icons NA
<wx_code> Forecast weather code Weather Code NA
<wx_icon_url> URL location for forecast weather icon graphic NA NA
<day_night> Diurnal indicator of weather observation day or night NA
<pop> Forecast probability of precipitation 0 to 100 Percent (%)
<sky_cov_pct> Sky cover percentage 0 to 100 Percent (%)
<wnd_dir_degs> Forecast wind direction represented by the direction from which the wind is blowing. 0 to 355 (5 degree increments; e.g. 0 = north, 180 = south, 270 = west)  
<wnd_dir> Observed wind direction represented by the direction from which the wind is blowing. N, NNE, NE, E, ESE, SE, SSE, S,SSW, SW, WSW, W, WNW, NW, NNW Direction (e.g. North [N], Southwest [SW])
<wnd_spd_kph> Forecast wind speed 0 to 402 Kilometers Per Hour (kph)
<wnd_spd_mph> Forecast wind speed 0 to 250 Miles Per Hour (mph)
<qpf_01hr_mm> Quantitative Precipitation Forecast (liquid) expected in a 1 hr period 0 to 2540 Millimeters
<qpf_01hr_in> Quantitative Precipitation Forecast (liquid) expected in a 1 hour period 0 to 100 Inches
<wnd_spd_80m_kph> 80m Hub Height Wind Speed Forecast 0 to 241 Kilometers Per Hour (kph)
<wnd_spd_80m_ms> 80m Hub Height Wind Speed Forecast 0 to 70 Meters Per Second
<wnd_spd_80m_mph> 80m Hub Height Wind Speed Forecast 0 to 150 Miles Per Hour (mph)
<wnd_spd_100m_kph> 100m Hub Height Wind Speed Forecast 0 to 100 Kilometers Per Hour (kph)
<wnd_spd_100m_ms> 100m Hub Height Wind Speed Forecast 0 to 100 Meters Per Second
<wnd_spd_100m_mph> 100m Hub Height Wind Speed Forecast 0 to 1000 Miles Per Hour (mph)

XML Response

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>
- <locations>
  <units>all</units>
  <language>en</language>
- <location lat="35.2373" lon="-97.4998" timezone="CDT" city="Norman" region="OK" country="United States of America" zipcode="73072" offset="0" local_offset_hours="-5">

- <sfc_ob>
  <stn>KOUN</stn>
  <stn_lat>35.25</stn_lat>
  <stn_lon>-97.467</stn_lon>
  <ob_time>2016-02-10 21:15:00</ob_time>
  <day_of_week_local>Wednesday</day_of_week_local>
  <temp_C>21</temp_C>
  <temp_F>70</temp_F>
  <dewp_F>36</dewp_F>
  <dewp_C>2</dewp_C>
  <rh_pct>28</rh_pct>
  <apparent_temp_F>70</apparent_temp_F>
  <apparent_temp_C>21</apparent_temp_C>
  <wnd_dir>SW</wnd_dir>
  <wnd_spd_mph>19</wnd_spd_mph>
  <wnd_spd_kph>31</wnd_spd_kph>

  <press_in>30.02</press_in>
  <press_mb>1016.6</press_mb>
  <wx>Clear</wx>
  <wx_code>100</wx_code>
  <cld_cover>Clear</cld_cover>
  <wx_icon_url> `<http://weather.wdtinc.com/images/wxicons/day/clear.jpg>`_ </wx_icon_url>
  <day_night>day</day_night>
  <visibility_ft>52800</visibility_ft>
  <visibility_m>16093</visibility_m>
  <moon_phase>Waxing Crescent Moon</moon_phase>

  </sfc_ob>

- <daily_summaries>
- <daily_summary>
  <summary_date>2/10/2016</summary_date>
  <day_of_week>Wednesday</day_of_week>
  <max_temp_F>72</max_temp_F>
  <max_temp_C>22</max_temp_C>
  <min_temp_F>47</min_temp_F>
  <min_temp_C>8</min_temp_C>
  <wnd_spd_mph>11</wnd_spd_mph>
  <wnd_spd_kph>18</wnd_spd_kph>
  <min_wnd_spd_mph>7</min_wnd_spd_mph>
  <max_wnd_spd_mph>21</max_wnd_spd_mph>
  <wnd_gust_mph>29</wnd_gust_mph>
  <min_wnd_spd_kph>12</min_wnd_spd_kph>
  <max_wnd_spd_kph>33</max_wnd_spd_kph>
  <max_wnd_spd_mph>21</max_wnd_spd_mph>
  <wnd_gust_kph>46</wnd_gust_kph>
  <wnd_dir>WSW</wnd_dir>
  <pop>0</pop>
  <wx>Clear</wx>
  <wx_code>100</wx_code>
  <wx_icon_text>day/clear</wx_icon_text>
  <wx_icon_url> `<http://content.wdtinc.com/images/wxicons/day/clear.jpg>`_ </wx_icon_url>
  <wx_icon_url_png> `<http://content.wdtinc.com/images/wxicons_png/day/clear.png>`_ </wx_icon_url_png>
  <text_description>Clear</text_description>Clear
  <qpf_24hr_mm>0</qpf_24hr_mm>
  <qpf_24hr_in>0</qpf_24hr_in>
  <cdd1>0</cdd1>
  <cdd2>0</cdd2>
  <hdd1>5.37</hdd1>
  <hdd2>5.56</hdd2>
  <gdd>11.16</gdd>
  <gdu>89.1</gdu>
  <solunar_sunrise_utc>2016-02-10 13:21:00</solunar_sunrise_utc>
  <solunar_sunset_utc>2016-02-11 00:07:00</solunar_sunset_utc>
  <solunar_sun_state></solunar_sun_state>
  <solunar_moonrise_utc>2016-02-10 14:38:00</solunar_moonrise_utc>
  <solunar_moonset_utc>2016-02-11 02:45:00</solunar_moonset_utc>
  <solunar_moon_state></solunar_moon_state>
  </daily_summary>

  (9 more daily summaries)

  </daily_summaries>

- <hourly_summaries>
- <hourly_summary>
  <day_of_week_utc>Wednesday</day_of_week_utc>
  <time_utc>2016-02-10 22:00:00</time_utc>
  <temp_C>22</temp_C>
  <dewp_C>0</dewp_C>
  <app_temp_C>22</app_temp_C>
  <temp_F>72</temp_F>
  <dewp_F>31</dewp_F>
  <app_temp_F>72</app_temp_F>
  <rh_pct>21</rh_pct>
  <wx>Clear</wx>
  <wx_code>100</wx_code>
  <wx_icon_url>http://content.wdtinc.com/images/wxicons/day/clear.jpg</wx_icon_url>
  <wx_icon_url_png>http://content.wdtinc.com/images/wxicons_png/day/clear.png</wx_icon_url_png>
  <day_night>day</day_night>
  <qpf_01hr_mm>0.0</qpf_01hr_mm>
  <qpf_01hr_in>0</qpf_01hr_in>
  <pop>0</pop>
  <sky_cov_pct>2</sky_cov_pct>
  <wnd_dir_degs>240</wnd_dir_degs>
  <wnd_dir>WSW</wnd_dir>
  <wnd_spd_kph>27</wnd_spd_kph>
  <wnd_spd_mph>17</wnd_spd_mph>
  <wnd_spd_80m_kph>42</wnd_spd_80m_kph>
  <wnd_spd_80m_ms>12</wnd_spd_80m_ms>
  <wnd_spd_80m_mph>26</wnd_spd_80m_mph>
  <wnd_spd_100m_kph>44</wnd_spd_100m_kph>
  <wnd_spd_100m_ms>12</wnd_spd_100m_ms>
  <wnd_spd_100m_mph>27</wnd_spd_100m_mph>
  </hourly_summary>

  (239 more hourly summaries)

  </hourly_summaries>
  </location>
  </locations>

Response Status Codes

Status Description
200 OK the request succeeded
400 Bad Request the request body is syntactically invalid
401 Unauthorized the authentication credentials are invalid, expired, or missing
403 Forbidden the authentication credentials do not provide access to specified resource
404 Not Found the specified resource does not exist
422 Unprocessable Entity one or more request parameters are invalid
429 Too Many Requests the request has been rate-limited (retry later)
500 Internal Server Error something is wrong on the server (contact support if the issue persists)
503 Service Unavailable the API is unavailable (contact support if the issue persists)