Ask HN: Weather API Recommendations?

8 pointsSiVal3y ago6 comments

With Dark Sky's API going dark, I'd like to find a good API for detailed weather data to (approximately) replace it. Low volume (personal) usage. Apple wants to present minimal data with maximum eye candy, but I want the details. I can build it for myself if I can get the data.

6 comments

Leftium3y ago

If you have access to an Apple developer account I would use the [WeatherKit REST API]. It's very similar to the Dark Sky API. (Presumably designed by the same devs). I'm going to ask one of my friends for an API key for their unused free quota.

OpenWeather's [One Call API] is almost a drop-in replacement for the DarkSky API. There are a few minor differences.

[Open-Meteo] is another really good API. Unfortunately it doesn't have the "minutely" forecast data, which I find really useful. (Is it going to start raining in the next few minutes? When will it stop?)

[WeatherKit REST API]: https://developer.apple.com/documentation/weatherkitrestapi

[One Call API]: https://openweathermap.org/darksky-openweather-3

[Open-Meteo]: https://open-meteo.com/

PenguinCoder3y ago

API wise I like and use PirateWeather[0]. Don't know if they have a front end but the API has been stable, reliable, and accurate.

[0] https://docs.pirateweather.net/en/latest/API/

halJordan3y ago

Often the national service will provide an api as a public good. Ex: https://www.weather.gov/documentation/services-web-api

gabrielsroka3y ago

I've had a bunch of 503 and 500 errors in the last few weeks. I reported them in the past. It doesn't seem very robust. Anyone else seen this?

phillipseamore3y ago

It really depends on where in the world you are. I always suggest using local data if possible as nothing comes close to local domain knowledge.

But here are some suggestions:

https://open-meteo.com/ (straight from the models)

https://openweathermap.org/

Depending on how much detail you want, you might even just want to download XyGrib (https://github.com/opengribs/XyGrib/) and download models for your area.

speedgoose3y ago

Yr.no and met.no are great. It’s more data if you are interested in the Norwegian area.

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