Introduction to weather API
A weather API is an Application Programming Interface that enables individuals, companies, and governments to access historical, forecast, and real-time weather data. Weather APIs provide information on weather metrics like temperature, precipitation, wind rates, snow storms, and more in real time.
Weather APIs also provide access to large forecast and historical databases that helps in predicting weather conditions. Weather APIs can seamlessly be integrated into websites, apps, devices, and solutions to get a clear picture of weather data for a particular location.
Weather data is vital since they directly impact day-to-day decision-making for businesses and individuals. People rely on weather information to plan their activities, clothing, and more. The weather directly impacts industries such as logistics, aviation, outdoor sports, mining, and agriculture. Weather is also an essential indicator of the climate of a location.
Which vendors provide accurate weather API?
Multiple vendors provide weather APIs, but finding the perfect one for you depends on your requirements and use cases. Having said that, there are still things that one needs to keep in mind while selecting an API:
Compatibility and ease of implementation
Responsiveness and reliability
Cost
Thorough documentation to refer
In this blog, we’ve curated a list of 15 weather API providers that can help you achieve your business goals.
- Ambee
- Tomorrow.io
- OpenWeatherMap
- MeteoGroup
- Weatherstack
- Weatherbit API
- AccuWeather
- Weather2020
- AerisWeather
- Stormglass
- The Weather Company
- National Weather Service API
- Visual Crossing
- WeatherBug
1. Ambee
Ambee’s weather APIs provide information on real-time, historical, and forecast weather data, along with severe weather alerts for any location on earth. Ambee’s weather API results from vigorous research, multiple algorithms, numerous rounds of scientific validations, and proprietary technology. It gives access to real-time local weather data for parameters such as temperature, pressure, humidity, wind, cloud coverage, visibility, and dew point. The APIs are easy to integrate and can be used to add value to a variety of industries and business outcomes.
2. Tomorrow.io API
Tomorrow.io’s global weather API includes historical, real-time, and global forecast weather data. They have comprehensive documentation and unique functionality and features, like location selection through polygons, alerts, and real-time and forecast maps.
3. OpenWeatherMap
OpenWeatherMap offers weather data APIs for different types of timeline data. They collect weather data from meteorological broadcast services worldwide and over 40,000 weather stations. They have an option that allows access to free API usage for five days, weather alerts, and a weather map. OpenWeatherMap, however, only provides limited access to data in free accounts.
4. MeteoGroup
MeteoGroup offers four APIs: Nautical API, point forecast, point observations, and radar precipitation forecast. They specialize in UK-specific nautical weather and environmental data, and for anyone looking to get such data sets, the MeteoGroup API is a solid option.
5. Weatherstack
WeatherstackAPI uses reliable data sources and provides data for cities across the world. Weatherstack API gives you weather data of your desired location by simply attaching the location to the API’s ‘current’ endpoint. They also provide weather forecast data for as many as 14 days into the future and historical data for the past decade. They also have documentation that explains different API features and endpoints in detail.
6. Weatherbit API
Weatherbit API gets data from multiple weather stations to give you current, historical, and forecast weather data. The API allows you to access weather data by latitude and longitude, city name, weather station ID, postal zip code, and more. Weatherbit API provides temperature, precipitation, solar irradiance, snowfall, and UV index data.
7. AccuWeather
AccuWeather has no free plans for their customers, but they offer a limited trial option with up to 50 calls per day. The AccuWeather API is known for its imagery endpoints. Their weather parameters include rainfall, snowfall, and other variables such as evapotranspiration and solar radiation. Weather patterns and software solutions by AccuWeather generate maps that best match the weather conditions according to the user’s requirements.
8. Weather2020
Weather2020 aims to provide a 12-week forecast on weather through their APIs. If you require long-range weather forecasts, Weather2020 is an option for you. They use famed meteorologist Gary Lezak’s forecasting model to deliver their outcomes.
9. AerisWeather
AerisWeather API provides access to current and forecast weather data. Their premium plans include storm reports, earthquake warnings, and other unique data. They have comprehensive documentation and developer toolkits for easier integration.
10. Stormglass
The Stormglass API offers global weather forecasts and other special datasets on marine data, such as weather, tides, and chemical compositions. They also provide data for renewable energy like wind and solar indexes and agricultural data like soil moisture and surface temperature.
11. The Weather Company
IBM operates The Weather Company data packages that include weather data APIs. They provide current and historical weather data in hourly, daily, and intra-daily forecasts. You can get the data of your requirements by simply looking up your location via name or geocodes.
12. National Weather Service API
The National Weather Service (NWS) API, based out of the USA, allows developers access to weather forecasts, alerts, and observations. They provide reliable weather, water, climate, and environmental information to support the Nation’s social and economic development.
13. Visual Crossing
The Visual Crossing global weather database provides easy access to weather data. Available parameters are temperature, rainfall, wind speed, snow, humidity, and pressure. They provide weather data by ZIP code or by address. Visual Crossing’s weather API is easy to integrate into applications, back-end systems, websites, and other development projects.
14. Storm geo
Storm geo provides location-specific weather forecast data to reduce weather uncertainty. They forecast data for extreme weather events such as a hurricane, typhoons, wildfires, and more. They help businesses with site-specific monitoring.
15. WeatherBug
The WeatherBug by Earth Networks delivers real-time localized weather information, weather alerts, and critical atmospheric data. WeatherBug Pulse APITrack allows customers to incorporate real-time weather and lightning-detection network data into third-party applications.
Learn more about Ambee’s best-in-class weather data here and get weather API for all your business needs today!
A creative writer from the heart, a content writer by profession. I spend most of my time reading about something if I’m not outside discovering it. I’m a nature lover and an environmental enthusiast. I believe that every human has a social responsibility to protect the environment they live in, and we must all play our part, however small it may be.
