We’re contacting you today to tell you about some upcoming changes to the Weather Underground (WU) API and what these changes mean for you.
The WU API has been around since 2010 to help you develop apps and websites as well as manage your Personal Weather Station data. During that time, we’ve watched you build amazing products and visualize weather data with creativity and purpose.
Over the years, our infrastructure has struggled to keep up with the growing numbers of users coming to us for API data. We realized we needed to make changes to ensure the highest level of quality, performance and uptime for our API users.
As a result, we’ve made the difficult decision to retire the Weather Underground API. The Weather Company, which acquired WU back in 2012, offers a powerful suite of enterprise-grade APIs that might be better suited to meet your scale and performance needs while offering a broader range of weather data. You can see these products here.
Here’s what you need to know going forward:
We are grateful for your commitment to Weather Underground and appreciate your understanding and support as we work through this process. These changes will allow us to continually improve our services and develop new features to keep WU a thriving place for you for many years to come.
Thanks for being part of the community.
Sincerely,
The WU Team
The WU API has been around since 2010 to help you develop apps and websites as well as manage your Personal Weather Station data. During that time, we’ve watched you build amazing products and visualize weather data with creativity and purpose.
Over the years, our infrastructure has struggled to keep up with the growing numbers of users coming to us for API data. We realized we needed to make changes to ensure the highest level of quality, performance and uptime for our API users.
As a result, we’ve made the difficult decision to retire the Weather Underground API. The Weather Company, which acquired WU back in 2012, offers a powerful suite of enterprise-grade APIs that might be better suited to meet your scale and performance needs while offering a broader range of weather data. You can see these products here.
Here’s what you need to know going forward:
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Your subscriptions, and therefore access, will continue to work through 12/31/2018.
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If you are a paying WU API customer, you will receive a call from a representative from The Weather Company, and IBM business, to discuss transition options to other API services. If you’d like to have these conversations sooner, contact us.
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If you are a Personal Weather Station owner, you will receive more information about our plan to offer free access to the data you provide to Weather Underground. We’ll reach out once that plan has been finalized.
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The WU Forum will continue to be the best place to connect, keep you informed, share your feedback and get your questions answered as we go through this process.
We are grateful for your commitment to Weather Underground and appreciate your understanding and support as we work through this process. These changes will allow us to continually improve our services and develop new features to keep WU a thriving place for you for many years to come.
Thanks for being part of the community.
Sincerely,
The WU Team
Tim Roche, Official Rep
Posted 9 months ago
Wow. I am just finishing my first weather station and thought I'd get online here and send data and trade with locals. Too bad.
I'm collecting my data through node-red (running on a raspi), into graphite/carbon-cache and then charting it in Grafana (running on another raspi). I can send/publish to pretty much any API and I can subscribe via MQTT.
Anyone else have a weather api service?
Should we build a new one called the WeatherOrNot? Does anyone think we can build it for $20/year per account? Non-profit? Federated?
Maybe we could build a big broker; an exchange. The data is published from all stations and as it arrives it's routed to subscribers. No data is actually stored in this service; it's just made available as a live feed. Everyone becomes responsible for storing what they want.
Anyone have a guess at how many users there are on the existing service (which appears to be disappearing)?
Thoughts?
I'm collecting my data through node-red (running on a raspi), into graphite/carbon-cache and then charting it in Grafana (running on another raspi). I can send/publish to pretty much any API and I can subscribe via MQTT.
Anyone else have a weather api service?
Should we build a new one called the WeatherOrNot? Does anyone think we can build it for $20/year per account? Non-profit? Federated?
Maybe we could build a big broker; an exchange. The data is published from all stations and as it arrives it's routed to subscribers. No data is actually stored in this service; it's just made available as a live feed. Everyone becomes responsible for storing what they want.
Anyone have a guess at how many users there are on the existing service (which appears to be disappearing)?
Thoughts?
Chris,
Just a little digging and if you go to Open Weathermap
Pricing is here: https://openweathermap.org/price, and is free for up to 1 call a minute.
They support JSON, XML, or HTML format.
Just a little digging and if you go to Open Weathermap
Pricing is here: https://openweathermap.org/price, and is free for up to 1 call a minute.
They support JSON, XML, or HTML format.
30,000
That's a good number. If every one of those sent/published data on a per 1 minute basis and they sent 6 data points that would be 180000 data points per minute or 3000 per second. If we're just brokering it and not writing it to disk, should be fairly easy.
On the subscription side, 30,000 subscribers pulling 6 data points per minute for 100 stations would be 18,000,000 subscription calls. That would get a devops attention.
My math might be off but my assumptions are probably way off.
Thanks, Brian.
Chris.
On the subscription side, 30,000 subscribers pulling 6 data points per minute for 100 stations would be 18,000,000 subscription calls. That would get a devops attention.
My math might be off but my assumptions are probably way off.
Thanks, Brian.
Chris.
Is anyone in to setting something else or found another service, I understand most of us has a PWS that already has "harcoded" the url to report, seems that is a big issue, I have not seen much concern from places like AmbientWeather still offering PWS reporting to WU.
What are the odds that we will keep the current service as weather data providers, or what are the chances to get or build an alternative that could use our data to enhance their / our forecast with our data ?
What are the odds that we will keep the current service as weather data providers, or what are the chances to get or build an alternative that could use our data to enhance their / our forecast with our data ?
My app is not longer able to connect... and I am current on payment. The analytics show there is data flow, but I am getting many messages otherwise. Is there any support I can contact? The online form asked me to pay an automated system.
Victoria Gardner, Official Rep
Justin, is this still going on? If so could you please email me a screen shot? I don't see anything unusual in your account.
Victoria Gardner
victoria.gardner@ibm.com
phone: 978-552-1406
Victoria Gardner
victoria.gardner@ibm.com
phone: 978-552-1406
Victoria Gardner, Official Rep
Tim, I'm a little confused here. I've been sending you data for about 10 years, through an app called Ambient VWS, and you broke most of those apis a few years back (which was expected, time moves on.
I was doing a little digging about how I could rewrite some of the screen templates to use a little bit more modern templates, and it seems like now you want to continue to get my data for free and then sell it back to me if I want to use it on my personal site.
Am I understanding that correctly? Or did I'm completely misunderstand what you're saying?
I was doing a little digging about how I could rewrite some of the screen templates to use a little bit more modern templates, and it seems like now you want to continue to get my data for free and then sell it back to me if I want to use it on my personal site.
Am I understanding that correctly? Or did I'm completely misunderstand what you're saying?
Victoria Gardner, Official Rep
Hi, Tom.
Personal Weather Station users will likely be able to get their own data back. We're still working out the details, which is why you haven't been getting a lot of information.
Personal Weather Station users will likely be able to get their own data back. We're still working out the details, which is why you haven't been getting a lot of information.
(Edited)
I don't mean "getting it back" literally. I have every bit of my data. What I mean is it sounds like you expect me to continue to feed WU data at no cost, but pay to get the enriched and processed data back via API's..
I'm not sure of the value proposition of such a thing, but I'm open to your explaining it to me. I'm available for a phone call or an email or you can post it publicly..
Looking forward to hearing from you.
I'm not sure of the value proposition of such a thing, but I'm open to your explaining it to me. I'm available for a phone call or an email or you can post it publicly..
Looking forward to hearing from you.
(Edited)
Agreed. The simple text strings and forecast data that one can currently request when asking the WU API for data is great. It would really suck to lose that.
I'm trying to get into my account to change credit card info as the one on file is soon to be cancelled, but it says the email does not exist in the system. I guess it doesn't matter if the API is going to be closed anyway - just hope this doesn't cause any issues.
Victoria Gardner, Official Rep
Would you please email me with more details (like a screen shot) of what you're referring to? I can't find your account.
Thank you!
Victoria Gardner
victoria.gardner@ibm.com
Thank you!
Victoria Gardner
victoria.gardner@ibm.com
Useless. Like everything else IBM touches, WU is now broken.
Victoria Gardner, Official Rep
I'm sorry you feel that way, Robert. WU isn't broken, but like all things on the Internet, it is bound to change.
Indeed... Change for better or worse? Kind of like the NEXRAD page on WU. Doppler Radar Detected Storms list has not worked for over a year and a half and states, "There are no Doppler radar detected storms for (anywhere) at this time." Perhaps a dangerous statement, as anyone seeing this may not realize they are in the path of impending, potentially disastrous weather. Customer service has not responded to this issue in a few months. I think broken may be well described.
https://www.wunderground.com/radar/radblast.asp?ID=ffc&lat=34.143436&lon=-84.569412&labe...
https://www.wunderground.com/radar/radblast.asp?ID=ffc&lat=34.143436&lon=-84.569412&labe...
(Edited)
We are a research team at University of Cincinnati and have been using WU paid API to fetch the required data. I have been following up with the updates about new API and the prices associated. I want to know about new proposed cost per account, acceptable number of API calls, and benefits for research projects if any. It would be best if we could get documentation on API and pricing.
Victoria Gardner, Official Rep
Nikita, I assume you've filled out the form online? Can I have someone contact the person in charge of paying for the API usage?
Feel free to email me directly at victoria.gardner@ibm.com
Victoria
Feel free to email me directly at victoria.gardner@ibm.com
Victoria
Hi
Can you share the plans for historical data ?
Best
Tommy
Can you share the plans for historical data ?
Best
Tommy
Victoria Gardner, Official Rep
Hi, Tommy.
I don't mean to deflect, but your question is ambiguous. Do you mean
A) What are the cost plans for various levels of historical data calls in The Weather Company api? or
B) What does The Weather Company plan to do about providing access to data from the past?
If A, then the answer is going to have to come from the people who have access to all the plans and pricing for all the various regions. If you haven't filled out the form here (http://biz.weather.com/WU-Data-API_Data-Package-Demo-Request.html), then do so, and someone will get back to you. If you have filled it out, drop me an email with the contact info you provided so I can see where you are in the queue. If you have a key, tell me that in an email, too.
If B, then
B.i -- PWS owner: Personal Weather Station (PWS) owners will have access to their own data.
B.ii -- everyone else: Historical data is a possible option from The Weather Company, at a variety of price points. See A.
Does that help?
Victoria Gardner
victoria.gardner@ibm.com
voicemail: 978-552-1406
I don't mean to deflect, but your question is ambiguous. Do you mean
A) What are the cost plans for various levels of historical data calls in The Weather Company api? or
B) What does The Weather Company plan to do about providing access to data from the past?
If A, then the answer is going to have to come from the people who have access to all the plans and pricing for all the various regions. If you haven't filled out the form here (http://biz.weather.com/WU-Data-API_Data-Package-Demo-Request.html), then do so, and someone will get back to you. If you have filled it out, drop me an email with the contact info you provided so I can see where you are in the queue. If you have a key, tell me that in an email, too.
If B, then
B.i -- PWS owner: Personal Weather Station (PWS) owners will have access to their own data.
B.ii -- everyone else: Historical data is a possible option from The Weather Company, at a variety of price points. See A.
Does that help?
Victoria Gardner
victoria.gardner@ibm.com
voicemail: 978-552-1406
"For developers who use WU API data for non-commercial purposes, you will have access to a new plan for a personal use, low call volume API. Stay tuned for more details as we build this out."
When can this information be expected? I believe I'm currently using a low call volume but I'd like to understand sooner than December 31st what changes I can expect.
When can this information be expected? I believe I'm currently using a low call volume but I'd like to understand sooner than December 31st what changes I can expect.
Victoria Gardner, Official Rep
Is it going to be related in any way to the current wunderground API (in terms of sources and endpoints) or a completely different API altogether?
Victoria Gardner, Official Rep
I'm sorry, I really can't comment beyond the statements that have already been made. Picture me wiggling around, sitting on my hands, anxiously waiting.
Victoria
victoria.gardner@ibm.com
Victoria
victoria.gardner@ibm.com
Me too!
Me too!
I’m sitting on my hands anxiously worrying that the costs will be so far above and beyond what I can afford that it will no longer be feasible to keep my app running.
My worry is that the data will not be as good as it is for the existing wunderground API... remains to be seen.
Good Morning
First of all ask for forgiveness for my English, it is not my language.
I want to reach a good port to receive an API, because until a few months ago it was very useful for me to know the internal temperature, for greater control, which WU does not have this personal data on the web.
I am waiting for the new plan for private use.
First of all ask for forgiveness for my English, it is not my language.
I want to reach a good port to receive an API, because until a few months ago it was very useful for me to know the internal temperature, for greater control, which WU does not have this personal data on the web.
I am waiting for the new plan for private use.
Victoria Gardner, Official Rep
Hi, Quim!
First, might I ask what your preferred language is?
I'm not sure I understand what you are asking. If you want to be contacted about paying for data from The Weather Company, you should fill out the form here: http://biz.weather.com/WU-Data-API_Data-Package-Demo-Request.html
We are no longer providing free API access keys.
Sincerely,
Victoria Gardner
victoria.gardner@ibm.com
First, might I ask what your preferred language is?
I'm not sure I understand what you are asking. If you want to be contacted about paying for data from The Weather Company, you should fill out the form here: http://biz.weather.com/WU-Data-API_Data-Package-Demo-Request.html
We are no longer providing free API access keys.
Sincerely,
Victoria Gardner
victoria.gardner@ibm.com
"literally any day now"... still waiting three weeks later!
This is extremely disappointing. When the API access goes away I will no longer be uploading my weather data. This is a terrible choice. I don't want access to only my data but a few other local weather stations as well. If I cannot get access to that then my weather station will no longer provide you with free data.
Victoria Gardner, Official Rep
Hi, Dan!
I'm not completely clear what "this" in your note refers to, but I would like to hear about how "this" affects your specific needs. Could you either respond here or send me an email to victoria.gardner@ibm.com?
Thank you!
Victoria Gardner
victoria.gardner@ibm.com
I'm not completely clear what "this" in your note refers to, but I would like to hear about how "this" affects your specific needs. Could you either respond here or send me an email to victoria.gardner@ibm.com?
Thank you!
Victoria Gardner
victoria.gardner@ibm.com
I mean when you kill the API I will simply stop providing free weather data for you. That seems fair. The API costs money to support, my weather station costs money to support. When you take the free data and provide nothing in return when I will simply stop providing the data. This is so rediculous.
It's not at all clear to me from the scant information so far whether the new API is a complete fresh start, with a completely new model, not relying at all on data from individual weather stations... in which case IBM presumably won't care less if users stop providing data. It's possible that IBM merely acquired WU for the branding and goodwill. Even if not, and personal data is used in the new API I would argue that a generous free quota should be offered even for those not directly supplying data, since this would be in the spirit of the whole arrangement. I can fully understand that charges are necessary for higher usage... servers and infrastructure don't come free. Even something along the lines of what darksky do would be fine imho... charge based on actual usage, with a free quota of 1000 calls a day. Fair to both sides imho.
If you take a look at what they claim, the bulk of their data comes from PWS's. Unless they're going to invest in a lot to expand their own capability, they'll almost certainly continue to use the free data provided to them now.
What they're trying to figure out at the moment is how to charge PWS owners for enhanced data without losing access to the raw data those same people give them today.
Maybe they're using Watson to help them figure out how to pull that off.
What they're trying to figure out at the moment is how to charge PWS owners for enhanced data without losing access to the raw data those same people give them today.
Maybe they're using Watson to help them figure out how to pull that off.
Victoria Gardner, Official Rep
No one here has enough extra time on their hands here to throw it away.
Mike, I feel like you're talking about apples and oranges. People who have switched to The Weather Company API have switched. They're using that data. Now. They're waving good-bye to us in their rear-view mirror.
I have said that we will offer ongoing, uninterrupted access to individual PWS users. I am listening to people who have shared on the forum about what purposes they use various forecasts for.
If you're not a PWS owner, then let's get you on the phone with a sales rep and get you negotiating a deal so that you, too, can wave good-bye.
Victoria Gardner
victoria.gardner@ibm.com
Mike, I feel like you're talking about apples and oranges. People who have switched to The Weather Company API have switched. They're using that data. Now. They're waving good-bye to us in their rear-view mirror.
I have said that we will offer ongoing, uninterrupted access to individual PWS users. I am listening to people who have shared on the forum about what purposes they use various forecasts for.
If you're not a PWS owner, then let's get you on the phone with a sales rep and get you negotiating a deal so that you, too, can wave good-bye.
Victoria Gardner
victoria.gardner@ibm.com
Victoria, I'm seriously confused. When you say "waving good bye to us"... who is "us"? Do you represent WU, IBM or The Weather Company? Does The Weather Company API use personal weather station data at all? If the WU API is being shut down, is the weather station data being used for any purpose whatsoever? What really is left of WU?? Why can't big companies like IBM or The Weather Channel or whoever just leave smaller enterprises alone... this sounds very much to me like yet another case of a big company gobbling up a littler company and then just dumping whatever the little company had to offer.
From the announcement at the top: "If you are a Personal Weather Station owner, you will receive more information about our plan to offer free access to the data you provide to Weather Underground". What does this mean? The weather station owner already has their data, before providing it to WU. Why do they need free access to the data they provide to WU, when they already have free access to the data... because it is their own data?
From the announcement at the top: "If you are a Personal Weather Station owner, you will receive more information about our plan to offer free access to the data you provide to Weather Underground". What does this mean? The weather station owner already has their data, before providing it to WU. Why do they need free access to the data they provide to WU, when they already have free access to the data... because it is their own data?
The ambiguity you point out has been at the heart of all the back-and-forth around here. It's so carefully worded that you get the sense they're hinting what they want to provide without committing to anything.
I'm not blaming them, everybody is under pressure to produce positive revenue these days.
I'm not blaming them, everybody is under pressure to produce positive revenue these days.
But the WU API was already operating as a paid-for service, i.e. presumably generating revenue. If the pricing structure was being abused somehow, all it required was a change to the pricing structure (e.g. using a usage-based model like darksky), rather than just dumping the API altogether. I really don't understand what WU is after this... just being ground into the dirt?
A guess is they see value is making this a true enterprise-grade commercial service that treats PWS owners as IoT data generators, utilize the Watson, and position these APIs as a premium service.
As I said, the trick is to keep their most valuable assets (the PWS owners) happy without undermining the commercial value of these enriched APIs.
Obviously IBM sees the value of having 70,000 data points in the US generated for free. If IBM/TWC had more of a startup mentality, they'd be clearer about creating a value proposition for the PWS owners and they would never have put out a communication like this.
As I said, the trick is to keep their most valuable assets (the PWS owners) happy without undermining the commercial value of these enriched APIs.
Obviously IBM sees the value of having 70,000 data points in the US generated for free. If IBM/TWC had more of a startup mentality, they'd be clearer about creating a value proposition for the PWS owners and they would never have put out a communication like this.
Victoria Gardner, Official Rep
Sorry, Mike, you're right. "Us" meant Weather Underground API. I truly do identify with WU users, no matter what my email domain name is.
Keep in mind that business deals require a seller and a buyer. The Weather Company couldn't have bought WU without WU selling. I wasn't there, I don't know any more about it than anyone else who was a WU user at the time. I don't want to point fingers -- it seems pointless to keep rehashing it, when it happened years and years ago now.
The problem with "leaving it alone" is that you can't really do that with anything on the web and have it continue to work. Storage, changes in HTML, security, all require updating and coding. In these conversations on the forum I see people complaining that "things don't work right", and "just leave it alone". We can't do both, and resources needed to make an old piece of digital architecture work are resources that are needed elsewhere.
There are lots of different sorts of PWS owners. I know that sounds kind of trite, but I end up talking to all kinds of people who are doing all sorts of things with one or multiple PWSs. I'm not deliberately trying to be vague. I am simply not sure I know all the variants at play, and I don't want someone to hear "no" when that might not actually be the correct answer.
WU continues to be a web site/mobile app for people who like weather. It has more data, more complexity than other "popular" weather sites/apps. I don't know about you, but I pretty much live on the 10-day forecast page. That's going to continue. What's being phased out is many uses of the API, which compete with the parent company's API. The Weather Company's API will continue to improve on the quality of the data worldwide in ways that the resources of WU couldn't. And for those sitting in the US, keep in mind this really is a worldwide network.
--Victoria
Keep in mind that business deals require a seller and a buyer. The Weather Company couldn't have bought WU without WU selling. I wasn't there, I don't know any more about it than anyone else who was a WU user at the time. I don't want to point fingers -- it seems pointless to keep rehashing it, when it happened years and years ago now.
The problem with "leaving it alone" is that you can't really do that with anything on the web and have it continue to work. Storage, changes in HTML, security, all require updating and coding. In these conversations on the forum I see people complaining that "things don't work right", and "just leave it alone". We can't do both, and resources needed to make an old piece of digital architecture work are resources that are needed elsewhere.
There are lots of different sorts of PWS owners. I know that sounds kind of trite, but I end up talking to all kinds of people who are doing all sorts of things with one or multiple PWSs. I'm not deliberately trying to be vague. I am simply not sure I know all the variants at play, and I don't want someone to hear "no" when that might not actually be the correct answer.
WU continues to be a web site/mobile app for people who like weather. It has more data, more complexity than other "popular" weather sites/apps. I don't know about you, but I pretty much live on the 10-day forecast page. That's going to continue. What's being phased out is many uses of the API, which compete with the parent company's API. The Weather Company's API will continue to improve on the quality of the data worldwide in ways that the resources of WU couldn't. And for those sitting in the US, keep in mind this really is a worldwide network.
--Victoria
I don't follow why the WU API cannot continue to be offered, whether on a commercial basis or a non-commercial basis. You refer to competition with the API from The Weather Company. Shutting down a competing API just sounds like anti-competitive behaviour. If WU API was costing money to maintain, surely changes to the pricing structure for the WU API is all that is really required, so that it generates at least as much money as it uses. Then, IBM / The Weather Company have two sources of revenue, and users still have a genuine choice. What is wrong with a very simple usage-based pricing structure like darksky? Personal usage will remain under quota and will therefore be free (I understand that the plan is for non-commercial use of the WU API to be an option going forward), while still leaving open the option of commercial usage... just set the per-request charge to whatever is needed to satisfy the IBM bean counters.
Victoria Gardner, Official Rep
An API for WU will be offered -- you said this yourself -- but only a very limited one. Why not have two -- because it literally costs twice as much, and you have no idea how much confusion it causes. If you could spend a day dealing with my email, you would understand. 'Nuff said.
Costs twice as much but generates twice the revenue... if the pricing model is right.
Thank you @Victoria for clearify that you are "Us", since you need to have the full picture of different uses/users of PWS network I will provide you with my use/feedback as a 10+yrs pws user sending data from Central America, advocating for this network in Latin America where we don ́t have the best official met services as you in the USA has. (Sorry if my english is not good)
0. I am just a wx geek from this part of the world, loving what WU did from the beginning (Ask Jeff Masters, Bob Henson and John Celenza if still around, guess not)
1. PWS network / site is the only source of realtime data where you can verify where is generated
2. We have more coverage as private weather stations owners than the official met services
3. In my perception in this part of the world, WU forecast API seems to improve after we setup a PWS in the location. so is a win/win we deploy a new station, give you the data, receive a better forecast. so is not a matter of sending but also receiving
4. in the region there are mostly operations or uses of this data that can afford commercial weather services as it can be the case for USA / Europe or Worldwide operations, most of what I have done with my data is public service
5. As of WU services for our case (radar: no radar info for my region, Satellite: NOAA/other sources ok, current conditions for a place: WU, forecast for that place: WU (5d ok),
I Hope this insights could be of some use or give you some hints to tell us if we are still in a position of hoping for the best finale out of this.
0. I am just a wx geek from this part of the world, loving what WU did from the beginning (Ask Jeff Masters, Bob Henson and John Celenza if still around, guess not)
1. PWS network / site is the only source of realtime data where you can verify where is generated
2. We have more coverage as private weather stations owners than the official met services
3. In my perception in this part of the world, WU forecast API seems to improve after we setup a PWS in the location. so is a win/win we deploy a new station, give you the data, receive a better forecast. so is not a matter of sending but also receiving
4. in the region there are mostly operations or uses of this data that can afford commercial weather services as it can be the case for USA / Europe or Worldwide operations, most of what I have done with my data is public service
5. As of WU services for our case (radar: no radar info for my region, Satellite: NOAA/other sources ok, current conditions for a place: WU, forecast for that place: WU (5d ok),
I Hope this insights could be of some use or give you some hints to tell us if we are still in a position of hoping for the best finale out of this.
Victoria Gardner, Official Rep
Hi, Eric! Yay for weather geeks! Your English is lovely, no need to be shy.
Thank you for all this. I think the team I work with is aware of and concerned about PWS users who are providing this sort of public service. I can't say more than that right now.
--Victoria
Thank you for all this. I think the team I work with is aware of and concerned about PWS users who are providing this sort of public service. I can't say more than that right now.
--Victoria
Thanks, just to clear my point 4. in english just that word means the opposite, this Is what I was trying to say.. Sorry.
4. in the region most of operations or uses of this data CANNOT afford commercial weather services as it can be the case for USA / Europe or Worldwide operations, most of what I have done with my data is public service
4. in the region most of operations or uses of this data CANNOT afford commercial weather services as it can be the case for USA / Europe or Worldwide operations, most of what I have done with my data is public service
It's been interesting following all of this for the last few months, same issues over and over. I left WU after my API stopped working for my weather station and got no response. I looked back at that time, and reviewed what I knew WU had killed off or degraded and saw no real future here. How long has this API issue been going on? Do we have anything more concrete from what we knew a few months ago? The attitude seems to be that IBM is working on something, but were not going to tell you, or work with you on it. But when we are done, then you'll find out what it is. Oh, and at that point whats done is done, take it or leave it, and you got a week to decide. I would hope IBM would not do that, but I have direct experience with IBM on a product they released nationwide that wasn't completed, and had no documentation. Only time will tell, and until their ready, don't expect to learn much.
I agree that if I'm providing you data, you want, for free, I should get something in return. Especially since the PWS station owner is providing their data at an expense to themselves in obtaining, maintaining, and running their stations. Even providing data to CWOP you get something back. It may not be much but you can QC your site for accuracy. But keep in mind, if you are providing data to CWOP, WU still get's your station data. So if you stop sending to WU, but keep your CWOP feed active, WU still gets it. The only thing WU loses is the rapid fire update. So I don't think WU/IBM really cares if you stop feeding them your data.
At this point it's time to sit back and wait. IBM isn't going to tell you anything until they are ready. Pushing and prodding them won't make a difference. Victoria is probably telling you all she can for what she has access to. There are a lot levels of management involved, and IBM doesn't communicate well from the top to the bottom.
Hopefully I'm wrong, and WU/IBM does something good here. I liked what I had when it worked. Now it's just time to wait and see as time is running out on this issue.
I agree that if I'm providing you data, you want, for free, I should get something in return. Especially since the PWS station owner is providing their data at an expense to themselves in obtaining, maintaining, and running their stations. Even providing data to CWOP you get something back. It may not be much but you can QC your site for accuracy. But keep in mind, if you are providing data to CWOP, WU still get's your station data. So if you stop sending to WU, but keep your CWOP feed active, WU still gets it. The only thing WU loses is the rapid fire update. So I don't think WU/IBM really cares if you stop feeding them your data.
At this point it's time to sit back and wait. IBM isn't going to tell you anything until they are ready. Pushing and prodding them won't make a difference. Victoria is probably telling you all she can for what she has access to. There are a lot levels of management involved, and IBM doesn't communicate well from the top to the bottom.
Hopefully I'm wrong, and WU/IBM does something good here. I liked what I had when it worked. Now it's just time to wait and see as time is running out on this issue.
Wise advice. I'd only add that you should look out for your own self-interest. WU was thought of as a community sponsored project when it was part of UM, and now it's part of IBM.
Act as if you're dealing with a large multinational corporation.
Act as if you're dealing with a large multinational corporation.
(Edited)
We provide a simple weather forecast app as part of a hospitality interactive TV solution for cruise ships and hotels, where the operator subscribes to your (minimal) paid service. The usage is incredibly basic - three days forecast of weather type and temperature across 5 locations. The forecast results are locally cached so hits to your site are minimal.
Any cost increase will be a matter for the service operator / hotel, but we need the new API as soon as possible. Alternatively, if you realistically are no longer interested in this kind of low volume business, we need to know...
Please advise
Thanks
Paul Clark
Packet Ship
Any cost increase will be a matter for the service operator / hotel, but we need the new API as soon as possible. Alternatively, if you realistically are no longer interested in this kind of low volume business, we need to know...
Please advise
Thanks
Paul Clark
Packet Ship
I am in a similar situation as this. I have started evaluating new weather APIs since wunderground has taken so long to provide details about a new plan.
I am in the same boat either, our university is providing 10-day forecast service to the farmers in a national level for free. We get the forecast for our 20 PMS from WU part of a project. At this time, we are in a limbo on whether we are still going to upload our weather data to WU or find another alternative since TWC has not finalized the API. Also we have an upcoming project review and planning for the next year
Hi Nelio, I have a similar endeavour I am working on to give simple forecasts and advices to small farmers in Central America, what stations are you using? are you storing data on your side too ?
I would like to know more about your experience and what are the alternatives with this? maybe we can help each other..
I would like to know more about your experience and what are the alternatives with this? maybe we can help each other..
Hi Eric,
I am using Davis VantagePro2+ with Vantage Connect datalogger. Our data (15-minute interval) is stored locally to several computers and at the university server. I am looking at OpenWeatherMap as an alternative to WU. You may visit our site sarai.ph for more information.
Nel
I am using Davis VantagePro2+ with Vantage Connect datalogger. Our data (15-minute interval) is stored locally to several computers and at the university server. I am looking at OpenWeatherMap as an alternative to WU. You may visit our site sarai.ph for more information.
Nel
Hi, thank you for your reply and the link, Just a comment on the Forecast api, I have you assessed quality of OWM ? I have tested here in Central America, (similar latitude, tropical weather and crops you want to cover) and seems less accurate, we have different climate due to elevation in small areas and there is where more issues we have.
I personally assessed the quality of WU forecast after I put a pws and send data, the forecast seems to enhance after some time, maybe is just a perception.. ¿?
I personally assessed the quality of WU forecast after I put a pws and send data, the forecast seems to enhance after some time, maybe is just a perception.. ¿?
Hi,
I am a university student who required historical Chinese city weather data for our research assignment. I tried to reach the sale; however, I did not get responses yet. Could you advise the pricing?
Thank you very much for the help!
Regards,
Bo
I am a university student who required historical Chinese city weather data for our research assignment. I tried to reach the sale; however, I did not get responses yet. Could you advise the pricing?
Thank you very much for the help!
Regards,
Bo
Victoria Gardner, Official Rep
Hi, Bo!
There are too many variables for me to be able to suggest a price. If you email me the name or email you used on the data form, I can ask that you be moved up in the queue.
Victoria Gardner
victoria.gardner@ibm.com
There are too many variables for me to be able to suggest a price. If you email me the name or email you used on the data form, I can ask that you be moved up in the queue.
Victoria Gardner
victoria.gardner@ibm.com
Sorry but I fail to see why there can't be a transparent pricing structure that we can all see.
Or something like this.... https://darksky.net/dev
Having to get in contact with a sales representative to access an API is so last century.
Having to get in contact with a sales representative to access an API is so last century.
Well it's big business, and their not going to list their pricing, and probably their pricing is way above the others. Also, you will have to talk to a salesperson that will want to add on options, and raise the price. But as most big business anymore, they will offer you a big discount for the first year. That way you develop you app around their data. When year two comes, the price will go up, no discount, and you will be left with changing and redoing you app, or stay with them and pay the price.
It is also interesting their ready to talk about pricing, but say they don't have the api ready to share. Isn't that a bit backwards. Set a price, and then develop the api????
It is also interesting their ready to talk about pricing, but say they don't have the api ready to share. Isn't that a bit backwards. Set a price, and then develop the api????
It sounds like what WU's value proposition is to use the data from thousands of PWS's that they can use to provide instant data and detailed analytics for research and commercial purposes. It's not going to be for hobbyist anymore. There's no money in that.
It feels like they're struggling to find a model where they still get all that PWS data for free, and then not over-commit to those same PWS owners for enriched data. Which I don't get. You can put servers up in AWS, push all the forecast data for PWSs users to grab (because it costs them almost nothing to provide at that point).
With the pricing from other sites that have been mentioned already (it's basically almost free) I'm not sure it will work for anybody, particularly since there would be no long-term commitment to PWS owners on price or API structure.
I don't have any hard feelings over that, but if I was a developer, I'd abstract away from anybody's API and that would let me snap a new provider in very quickly if I found something better/cheaper. . I wouldn't over commit to anyone with so many choices in the market for weather data
It feels like they're struggling to find a model where they still get all that PWS data for free, and then not over-commit to those same PWS owners for enriched data. Which I don't get. You can put servers up in AWS, push all the forecast data for PWSs users to grab (because it costs them almost nothing to provide at that point).
With the pricing from other sites that have been mentioned already (it's basically almost free) I'm not sure it will work for anybody, particularly since there would be no long-term commitment to PWS owners on price or API structure.
I don't have any hard feelings over that, but if I was a developer, I'd abstract away from anybody's API and that would let me snap a new provider in very quickly if I found something better/cheaper. . I wouldn't over commit to anyone with so many choices in the market for weather data
(Edited)
The fact that an actual person has to be involved tells be it’s going to be rediculously expensive. A web page can show me prices and take my sign up information for basically free. An actual slalesperson needs to be paid for their time, and it’s unlikely I’ll be able to afford that.
Providing a web service is not something that you set up once and never have to touch again. There are security patches to apply, updates to software packages that may break you code. If you to move to a different platform that's not fun either as there's always some little difference you didn't plan on years later. Then there's the database in the background and that's no picnic either. And your in for a heap of trouble if your original developers leave or retire or move on to other projects.
I'm a developer, I have to deal with sysadmins pushing for security patches, migrations to different databases, hardware failures, etc. while trying to keep data producers and consumers happy, so I get it. Latest push is to move more and more of our processing into the cloud but we had serious problems with data latency so we had to scrap an earlier migration. The cost for bandwidth going into and out of the cloud, cpu power, memory footprint ain't cheap. It's worse if you have dynamic data that can't be cached.
I push my weather data to multiple websites and as long as I am able to compare my data to neighbors I'm happy so I'm willing to give WU time to get it right.
I'm a developer, I have to deal with sysadmins pushing for security patches, migrations to different databases, hardware failures, etc. while trying to keep data producers and consumers happy, so I get it. Latest push is to move more and more of our processing into the cloud but we had serious problems with data latency so we had to scrap an earlier migration. The cost for bandwidth going into and out of the cloud, cpu power, memory footprint ain't cheap. It's worse if you have dynamic data that can't be cached.
I push my weather data to multiple websites and as long as I am able to compare my data to neighbors I'm happy so I'm willing to give WU time to get it right.
" The cost for bandwidth going into and out of the cloud, cpu power, memory footprint ain't cheap."
Actually it's not bad. There are weather data providers willing to do 10,000 RESTful calls for $1 (referenced earlier in this thread, with the first 1,000 free).
Actually it's not bad. There are weather data providers willing to do 10,000 RESTful calls for $1 (referenced earlier in this thread, with the first 1,000 free).
We are a week into November folks. If I am going to rewrite scripts or change APIs I would like to know what I am up against so I can keep my sites running. It is past time to let us PWS owners know the specifics and start testing the replacement if there is one.
I was told "literally any day now" 2 weeks ago. I'm fairly confident we are not going to receive any new information.
My googling led me here....I'm just a stupid mechanical engineer, stumbling around, trying to find an answer to the question....Does WU still supply weather data to IFTTT?, because none of the applets that use WU, as the service, are working?...Thank you for your help.
Victoria Gardner, Official Rep
URL? Happy to try to help, but it does not sound like something that we had anything to do with. Nothing has been cut off, to my knowledge.
Victoria Gardner
victoria.gardner@ibm.com
Victoria Gardner
victoria.gardner@ibm.com
Hi, I am an amateur programmer and a uni student. I want to make an android app showing pollen load maps with pollen count, as my graduation project(it is like dissertation). I am South Korean and there's no api or data referring pollen count in Korea so this is the only api I can use at the moment. Is there anyway I can use this api? or when are you planning to resume the access to this api for developers?
Victoria Gardner, Official Rep
Hi there!
Sadly, I do not have any good news for you. This API will not be reopening for developers, and pollen information is not going to be available in the WU ecosystem. Perhaps someone else on the forum might know of it elsewhere?
Victoria Gardner
victoria.gardner@ibm.com
Sadly, I do not have any good news for you. This API will not be reopening for developers, and pollen information is not going to be available in the WU ecosystem. Perhaps someone else on the forum might know of it elsewhere?
Victoria Gardner
victoria.gardner@ibm.com
Now that there's only a couple of weeks left before deprecation, you have clearly not given us enough time to migrate to your supposedly-coming new API. I've begun moving all of my Wunderground API queries to the new NWS GeoJSON API. If you're in the United States, it's worth a look.
https://forecast-v3.weather.gov/documentation
Dark Sky also has some nice features, as others have mentioned.
https://darksky.net/dev
Wunderground, you should be embarrassed by the timeframe you've chosen for this and how it's all being handled.
https://forecast-v3.weather.gov/documentation
Dark Sky also has some nice features, as others have mentioned.
https://darksky.net/dev
Wunderground, you should be embarrassed by the timeframe you've chosen for this and how it's all being handled.
Victoria Gardner, Official Rep
PWS owners who upload their data to WU will continue to have uninterrupted access to their own data and additional options such as conditions, 3-day forecasts, and their history. If a PWS owner is drawing on an API key for data, that key should stay active. This transition will likely happen after the end of December.
For all other users who have not made prior arrangements through The Weather Company/IBM, keys will be turned off after December 31, 2018. That includes developer keys. Individuals who are not PWS owners and use only a small amount of data will likely need to find a new platform to use.
Victoria Gardner
victoria.gardner@ibm.com
For all other users who have not made prior arrangements through The Weather Company/IBM, keys will be turned off after December 31, 2018. That includes developer keys. Individuals who are not PWS owners and use only a small amount of data will likely need to find a new platform to use.
Victoria Gardner
victoria.gardner@ibm.com
Hello Victoria!
Does this mean that the key included in this WordPress plugin will be disabled too? I just checked, there is a hardcoded "universal" key... And it's used by more than 20 000 websites.
Thanks for your answer.
Pierre
Does this mean that the key included in this WordPress plugin will be disabled too? I just checked, there is a hardcoded "universal" key... And it's used by more than 20 000 websites.
Thanks for your answer.
Pierre
Victoria Gardner, Official Rep
Good question! Checking.
Thanks for the reply, Victoria. That's great and all, but if you're planning on giving us details on what work we all need to do to implement your changes... We need time to make the switch. Like, more than a month.
Victoria Gardner, Official Rep
xd1936, I'm not sure I follow. What "we" are you talking about? PWS owners, smaller users? We're doing everything we can to make sure PWS owners will have a smooth transition; for them the current API will not go *poof* at the end of the year. For everyone else, go to the top of this thread and read it all again. You've got to move to The Weather Company API or somewhere else. Because the WU API isn't going to be of any use in about six weeks.
The Weather Company API exists right now. People have been and are switching. Calls and emails have been made/are going out to subscribers. If you haven't gotten either one, go to this link and get yourself on the list.
Victoria Gardner
victoria.gardner@ibm.com
The Weather Company API exists right now. People have been and are switching. Calls and emails have been made/are going out to subscribers. If you haven't gotten either one, go to this link and get yourself on the list.
Victoria Gardner
victoria.gardner@ibm.com
Sorry for my lack of clarity. "We", meaning, people like myself that currently use the Wunderground API for various projects (digital signage at my work, our work intranet website, severe weather alerts). We happen to contribute PWS data with a weather station as well.
All that it says up above is there some kind of access to the data we contribute, and some other kind of access to a low-call API. Are these two new endpoints, or one service? Will the data structure be the same as before? Are these new APIs coming from TWC data or traditional Wunderground algorithms? Where will we find documentation on this/these new API(s)? How low is "low-call volume"? These are the kind of things that I (and I assume others) need to know if we don't want a disruption of service.
All that it says up above is there some kind of access to the data we contribute, and some other kind of access to a low-call API. Are these two new endpoints, or one service? Will the data structure be the same as before? Are these new APIs coming from TWC data or traditional Wunderground algorithms? Where will we find documentation on this/these new API(s)? How low is "low-call volume"? These are the kind of things that I (and I assume others) need to know if we don't want a disruption of service.
Victoria Gardner, Official Rep
Ah.
For the moment, until the build-out is complete, PWS owners will be able to use the current API. The new API will be from TWC data. The legacy WU API has creaky knees and aching, arthritic hands, and desperately wants to go home and sit in front of the TV.
I really do hear you about wanting all that information RIGHT NOW. Perhaps what might help at this point is hearing how long PWS owners want to transition from one API to another, once the documentation for the new API is available?
But no, we're not talking about two separate, new APIs. The Weather Company's API is out there now. Access for legacy WU PWS holders isn't quite ready, which is why I wanted to be clear about the difference between PWS owners and everyone else in terms of the end of the year. We'll make the creaky-kneed, achey WU API work while the PWS holders transition.
Low call volume, I'm guessing, is about 500 calls/day, 10 calls/min. But I will check on that.
For the moment, until the build-out is complete, PWS owners will be able to use the current API. The new API will be from TWC data. The legacy WU API has creaky knees and aching, arthritic hands, and desperately wants to go home and sit in front of the TV.
I really do hear you about wanting all that information RIGHT NOW. Perhaps what might help at this point is hearing how long PWS owners want to transition from one API to another, once the documentation for the new API is available?
But no, we're not talking about two separate, new APIs. The Weather Company's API is out there now. Access for legacy WU PWS holders isn't quite ready, which is why I wanted to be clear about the difference between PWS owners and everyone else in terms of the end of the year. We'll make the creaky-kneed, achey WU API work while the PWS holders transition.
Low call volume, I'm guessing, is about 500 calls/day, 10 calls/min. But I will check on that.
Hello Victoria.
Almost the same questions for me (thanks xd1936)... What about all "small" developers who rely their work on your APIs? Price and plans is one thing. But end-points is maybe most important for us... Is my application will continue to work (only for paid API key consumers) or are there new end-points, new call methods.... And so, am I going to have to rewrite my application?
(oh, and of course, if you have answer about the WordPress plugin mentioned above,... :) )
(*) by "small" developers I want to speak about OSS devs who does not earn a penny with their work... (in opposite to paying app or services).
Almost the same questions for me (thanks xd1936)... What about all "small" developers who rely their work on your APIs? Price and plans is one thing. But end-points is maybe most important for us... Is my application will continue to work (only for paid API key consumers) or are there new end-points, new call methods.... And so, am I going to have to rewrite my application?
(oh, and of course, if you have answer about the WordPress plugin mentioned above,... :) )
(*) by "small" developers I want to speak about OSS devs who does not earn a penny with their work... (in opposite to paying app or services).
This wordpress plugin has not been kept up to date for 2 years now ...
Thanks for the info and for your patience with me, Victoria. I'm sad to hear that the new APIs will be based off of TWC data. In the past, I've found Wunderground "BestForecast" data to be much more accurate in my area (west Michigan). Ah well.
Does that mean that the Wunderground website and mobile apps are switching to IBM Cloud TWC data as well?
Does that mean that the Wunderground website and mobile apps are switching to IBM Cloud TWC data as well?
Victoria Gardner, Official Rep
We're going to have to leave the WordPress discussion aside for the moment, it's being discussed over my head. I'll let you know when there's an answer.
In terms of developers, large and small, it's pay as you go, or shift to another platform. I know a lot of people are going to be unhappy with that answer, but there it is. There will no longer be a WU "developer key".
If you're building out apps for the future, you will probably want to consider the price point of your users. If they're likely to have the volume and desire the high quality data of The Weather Company, then build around that. If they are likely to want free access only, you're going to need to look for another platform.
I think the short answer is, yes, you're going to have to rewrite your app. The Weather Underground API ecosystem as it has been known will be ending for all but PWS owners who upload their data to WU and subscription customers who have contracts to transition to TWC data. And even they will eventually be shifting.
Will your application continue to work? If the application is used by a PWS owner who already has a key, it will work for a while, until the transition to the new API is complete, at which point it will also stop working. The calls to the new API may be similar, but they will not be identical. And poor old legacy WU API will be able to head home to watch TV.
Victoria
In terms of developers, large and small, it's pay as you go, or shift to another platform. I know a lot of people are going to be unhappy with that answer, but there it is. There will no longer be a WU "developer key".
If you're building out apps for the future, you will probably want to consider the price point of your users. If they're likely to have the volume and desire the high quality data of The Weather Company, then build around that. If they are likely to want free access only, you're going to need to look for another platform.
I think the short answer is, yes, you're going to have to rewrite your app. The Weather Underground API ecosystem as it has been known will be ending for all but PWS owners who upload their data to WU and subscription customers who have contracts to transition to TWC data. And even they will eventually be shifting.
Will your application continue to work? If the application is used by a PWS owner who already has a key, it will work for a while, until the transition to the new API is complete, at which point it will also stop working. The calls to the new API may be similar, but they will not be identical. And poor old legacy WU API will be able to head home to watch TV.
Victoria
Victoria Gardner, Official Rep
WU website and mobile apps are outside my domain. I can go down the hall to metops and tell them you don't like the forecasts, however.
Thanks Victoria.
It's finally an answer that seems clear to me. Even if it saddens me ...
I wish you good luck for the future.
Pierre
(and of course, I look forward to your reply regarding the WordPress plugin)
It's finally an answer that seems clear to me. Even if it saddens me ...
I wish you good luck for the future.
Pierre
(and of course, I look forward to your reply regarding the WordPress plugin)
(Edited)
Victoria Gardner, Official Rep
I wish you all the best as well, Pierre!
Victoria Gardner, Official Rep
We have an answer on the WordPress plug-in: Its key will also be deactivated. If its developer wants to develop it on The Weather Company's platform, then they'll need to get a new key on that API.
Thanks for the link to the NWS API. Till now I've been using the API described at http://graphical.weather.gov/xml/ -- has that long since been superseded by the one you mention??
And yes, wunderground should really be embarrassed.
And yes, wunderground should really be embarrassed.
The forecast-v3.weather.gov (and associated api.weather.gov) have been in 'Beta' for well over 1 year, and still exhibit some 'growing pains'. I'd released a PHP script for that quite a while ago (https://saratoga-weather.org/scripts-carterlake.php ). Use the api.weather.gov functions with caution as they are still subject to outages when the GFS upload fails for a particular WFO/gridpoint.
I, too, am looking at DarkSky as a WU forecast replacement and I'm really disappointed that Wunderground hasn't released a replacement API for the masses (only for the $$$ few). Grrrr.
I, too, am looking at DarkSky as a WU forecast replacement and I'm really disappointed that Wunderground hasn't released a replacement API for the masses (only for the $$$ few). Grrrr.
OK thanks for the info. Is the current "stable" API the one described at http://graphical.weather.gov/xml/ ? Personally I find even that quite flaky... requests often time out.
The XML version has been around for multiple years. It's the 'production' version (I think). The api.weather.gov version is still Beta.
I have some scripts that check the new GeoJSON API for active Severe Weather Alerts every 5 minutes. I've had a couple of times over the last month where a request times out for a bit, but it usually bounces back relatively quickly. It seems to be getting more stable as time goes on.
I got tired of waiting for a description/pricing for what the successor WU API might be and wrote a replacement script using DarkSky.net API for the weather source.
https://saratoga-weather.org/scripts-DSforecast.php
Other than alerts being only in English and only full-day forecasts (no night-specific forecast), it seems to support all the other needs that the WU-forecast.php script had (free-limited-use API key, international locations by lat/long, multilingual forecasts). I'm ready to kill the WU-forecast.php script when WU deprecates the API.
https://saratoga-weather.org/scripts-DSforecast.php
Other than alerts being only in English and only full-day forecasts (no night-specific forecast), it seems to support all the other needs that the WU-forecast.php script had (free-limited-use API key, international locations by lat/long, multilingual forecasts). I'm ready to kill the WU-forecast.php script when WU deprecates the API.
if you're so inclined, would be awesome to have it uploaded to GitHub so the rest of the community can contribute and help, but either way, great work!!
Alas, I'm not using GitHub for distribution at this time, but feel free to use/share/modify the script(s) as you see fit with downloads from my website. Maybe in the future, I'll figure out how to package the multiple scripts/website templates to GitHub, but that's for another day :)
Hi all
I m a new anrdoid weather developer and I m using this successful service with free limited account but I there is uncertainty sitution nowadays. I think there won't be enough time to change service settings in my application so I want to be inform if it will be free type or not and what will be limits also limits and features of paid version
I m a new anrdoid weather developer and I m using this successful service with free limited account but I there is uncertainty sitution nowadays. I think there won't be enough time to change service settings in my application so I want to be inform if it will be free type or not and what will be limits also limits and features of paid version
Victoria Gardner, Official Rep
Hi, Mcinhany,
Free developer keys will cease to function on the Weather Underground's API on December 31, 2018. If you want free data only, you will need to find another source.
If you want to explore the options for paying for data, you should fill out the form at http://biz.weather.com/WU-Data-API_Data-Package-Demo-Request.html
The only people who will have continuing access to the Weather Underground's API after December 31 are PWS owners who upload their data, and those who have made prior contractual arrangements with IBM/The Weather Company.
Victoria Gardner
victoria.gardner@ibm.com
Free developer keys will cease to function on the Weather Underground's API on December 31, 2018. If you want free data only, you will need to find another source.
If you want to explore the options for paying for data, you should fill out the form at http://biz.weather.com/WU-Data-API_Data-Package-Demo-Request.html
The only people who will have continuing access to the Weather Underground's API after December 31 are PWS owners who upload their data, and those who have made prior contractual arrangements with IBM/The Weather Company.
Victoria Gardner
victoria.gardner@ibm.com
Victoria I am a PWS owner currently uploading data. I also hold a developer key for the API. As I recall when I signed up for the API it wasn't really connected to my weather station ID although I can access both my API statistics and weather station with one login to WU. I guess my question/concern is that I have received zero information from WU via email about any of this transition. If I had not stumbled across it a few weeks ago on the API stat page I wouldn't know it was even happening. Is there anything I need to do to insure that my API developer key doesn't get zapped on Dec. 31? Can I safely assume that WU knows who the PWS owners are in relation to the API keys? I don't want to bring in the new year trying to get a key turned back on because I was unaware of some form I needed to fill out or box I needed to check.
This is a good point. How do we know if WU knows the association between the weather station uploads and the keys. Could WU send an email to the owner of each key that will continue to work after 12/31?
Victoria Gardner, Official Rep
We have done everything we could to contact API key holders. Unfortunately, some people set up their keys without putting in an email address. We have actually sent at least three emails to the 120,000 most recently active keyholders for whom we have email addresses. So basically, if you're a keyholder and you haven't gotten an email from us already, it's because we don't know how to reach you.
I can spare you a form: just email me your key and PWS station ID, that way I can respond to you personally and you know you've been heard, and I know for sure I have a good email address. We will be doing what we can to link PWS's and keys, and that you're able to access both with one login is a good sign, but nothing is infallible. I have already had a few users email me directly wanting to be sure nothing goes wrong, so I have a checklist already started that I will attend to myself.
Victoria Gardner
victoria.gardner@ibm.com
I can spare you a form: just email me your key and PWS station ID, that way I can respond to you personally and you know you've been heard, and I know for sure I have a good email address. We will be doing what we can to link PWS's and keys, and that you're able to access both with one login is a good sign, but nothing is infallible. I have already had a few users email me directly wanting to be sure nothing goes wrong, so I have a checklist already started that I will attend to myself.
Victoria Gardner
victoria.gardner@ibm.com
Thanks. I will send you my information by email. My email address is certainly associated with my account, in fact it is my username. I get emails when my data stops sending for two hours (which is good) but I sure never received zilch about the API.
hi again, I send info via form which you mentioned above it was 6 days ago but no one return me also time is running out :(
Victoria Gardner, Official Rep
I am happy to try to expedite contact, but I cannot find any variation of the handle you're using here in the form. Please email me directly.
Victoria Gardner
victoria.gardner@ibm.com
Victoria Gardner
victoria.gardner@ibm.com
Hi Victoria I sent an email to you via mcyeter@gmail.com but I coulnd't get answer. Unfortunately time is runnig out and I think you should give us more time to be adapted new system which really secret for us we have no idea about it.
Victoria Gardner, Official Rep
Mcihany, I don't know what you're playing here, but I answered your emails. I find it reprehensible that you pretend otherwise here, on a public forum.
Victoria Gardner
victoria.gardner@ibm.com
Victoria Gardner
victoria.gardner@ibm.com
No no you didn't answer my email I don't play anything. İf you answer my email plase write my words and post an screenshot here beauce I can post screenshot. why you are so angry I don't understand
Repost because my original thread got hijacked...
--
We provide a simple weather forecast app as part of a hospitality interactive TV solution for cruise ships and hotels, where the operator subscribes to your (minimal) paid service. The usage is incredibly basic - three days forecast of weather type and temperature across 5 locations. The forecast results are locally cached so hits to your site are minimal.
Any cost increase will be a matter for the service operator / hotel, but we need the new API as soon as possible. Alternatively, if you realistically are no longer interested in this kind of low volume business, we need to know...
When will the new forecast API be available and who do I point my customers to to discuss pricing? This is now (because of your short notice) very urgent!
Please advise
Thanks
Paul Clark
Packet Ship
--
We provide a simple weather forecast app as part of a hospitality interactive TV solution for cruise ships and hotels, where the operator subscribes to your (minimal) paid service. The usage is incredibly basic - three days forecast of weather type and temperature across 5 locations. The forecast results are locally cached so hits to your site are minimal.
Any cost increase will be a matter for the service operator / hotel, but we need the new API as soon as possible. Alternatively, if you realistically are no longer interested in this kind of low volume business, we need to know...
When will the new forecast API be available and who do I point my customers to to discuss pricing? This is now (because of your short notice) very urgent!
Please advise
Thanks
Paul Clark
Packet Ship
Victoria Gardner, Official Rep
Hi, Paul.
The new API is available, under The Weather Company. The API pricing is available, but you need to talk to a sales representative. If you have not yet filled out the form at http://biz.weather.com/WU-Data-API_Data-Package-Demo-Request.html, you should do so. Pricing includes discounts for current WU API keyholders.
A Weather Underground branded API will not be in use after December 31, 2018 except for PWS owners who upload their data to WU and those who have made prior contractual arrangements with IBM.
I'm sorry you feel this is sudden, but the notice has been up for months now.
Victoria Gardner
victoria.gardner@ibm.com
The new API is available, under The Weather Company. The API pricing is available, but you need to talk to a sales representative. If you have not yet filled out the form at http://biz.weather.com/WU-Data-API_Data-Package-Demo-Request.html, you should do so. Pricing includes discounts for current WU API keyholders.
A Weather Underground branded API will not be in use after December 31, 2018 except for PWS owners who upload their data to WU and those who have made prior contractual arrangements with IBM.
I'm sorry you feel this is sudden, but the notice has been up for months now.
Victoria Gardner
victoria.gardner@ibm.com
Hi Victoria,
Thanks, I will follow that up. In terms of timing, the first I heard of this was an email on 1st November, which directed me here; I posted the same day but got no response.
Paul
Thanks, I will follow that up. In terms of timing, the first I heard of this was an email on 1st November, which directed me here; I posted the same day but got no response.
Paul
Victoria Gardner, Official Rep
I'm sorry about your not getting a response before. If you have any concerns about speed in the future, please do just email me directly.
Victoria Gardner
victoria.gardner@ibm.com
Victoria Gardner
victoria.gardner@ibm.com
Regarding this: "I'm sorry you feel this is sudden, but the notice has been up for months now. "
The third bullet point in the original post states the following: "For developers who use WU API data for non-commercial purposes, you will have access to a new plan for a personal use, low call volume API."
Two weeks ago, this position has changed to the following: "Individuals who are not PWS owners and use only a small amount of data will likely need to find a new platform to use. "
I'm grateful for the free service WU has provided for the last few years, and I do understand why it has to end, but this deprecation could've been handled better. Like many instances in life, I'd rather have had the complete extent of bad news in one shot, three months ago.
The third bullet point in the original post states the following: "For developers who use WU API data for non-commercial purposes, you will have access to a new plan for a personal use, low call volume API."
Two weeks ago, this position has changed to the following: "Individuals who are not PWS owners and use only a small amount of data will likely need to find a new platform to use. "
I'm grateful for the free service WU has provided for the last few years, and I do understand why it has to end, but this deprecation could've been handled better. Like many instances in life, I'd rather have had the complete extent of bad news in one shot, three months ago.
Victoria Gardner, Official Rep
Mike, this may be entirely my fault.
I was tempted to go back and delete my previous responses, but it felt like I would be gaslighting you (all), so I didn't. But I now think my pronouncement was in error.
I am trying to get additional clarifications.
We wish all of this had gone more smoothly. I wish I could keep track of all the many stakeholders better.
If I could present myself for you to kick me in the shins, I would. Please, in lieu of that, accept my sincere apologies.
Victoria Gardner
I was tempted to go back and delete my previous responses, but it felt like I would be gaslighting you (all), so I didn't. But I now think my pronouncement was in error.
I am trying to get additional clarifications.
We wish all of this had gone more smoothly. I wish I could keep track of all the many stakeholders better.
If I could present myself for you to kick me in the shins, I would. Please, in lieu of that, accept my sincere apologies.
Victoria Gardner
Thanks for the response.... I've been on both sides of this sort of issue (I work in IT) and have been kicked in the shins myself enough to sympathize. :-) Good luck with the balance of the transition.
Can you help direct me to the equivalent of the Wunderground Radar Image API that TWC/IBM offers?
https://www.wunderground.com/weather/api/d/docs?d=layers/radar
I'm having trouble finding it.
https://www.wunderground.com/weather/api/d/docs?d=layers/radar
I'm having trouble finding it.
(Edited)
Has anything been announced about the "personal use, low call volume API."? I'm a current user of the free API (temperature polling every 15 minutes for two locations) and am looking for a replacement.
Thanks,
Mike
Thanks,
Mike
Yes, same here. I display WU weather information on my computer's desktop with help of GeekTool.
Wow. IBM sure knows how to alienate their customers. Not only do I send my station data to Weather Underground, but I'm also a paying member for their ad-free service. As of sometime this morning, my access to the website was revoked without any warning or explanation. This is no way to run a business!
I'm not sure if it was revoked or it's just a glitch. I tried to log in this morning and it just sits there fat, dumb and happy and never moves beyond the login. Try it.
https://www.wunderground.com/login
I'll have to check my logs to see if they're still accepting my data. And I'm curious if this is a general issue with everyone.
https://www.wunderground.com/login
I'll have to check my logs to see if they're still accepting my data. And I'm curious if this is a general issue with everyone.
(Edited)
Victoria Gardner, Official Rep
Yes. Unfortunately you're on the API website, not the Web site's help desk.
This is totally a general issue with everyone. It was happening to me, too, this morning on my home computer. So no conspiracy theories, please, it's just a web-wide glitch. I have not had a chance to get over to the web side of things yet to see if there's an ETA for fixing it.
Victoria Gardner
victoria.gardner@ibm.com
This is totally a general issue with everyone. It was happening to me, too, this morning on my home computer. So no conspiracy theories, please, it's just a web-wide glitch. I have not had a chance to get over to the web side of things yet to see if there's an ETA for fixing it.
Victoria Gardner
victoria.gardner@ibm.com
As a PWS owner and an API user, how can I check if my developer key is correctly connected to my own PWS? I do understand I will have to change my own software somewhere after new year's eve, but I do a few hours at least to get that up and running again :p
Victoria Gardner, Official Rep
Inge, the very best thing I can suggest is to email me your key and PWS ID, and I will add you to my list to verify. This will also add you to my list to contact directly with updates for PWS owners.
Victoria Gardner
victoria.gardner@ibm.com
Victoria Gardner
victoria.gardner@ibm.com
If you are a Personal Weather Station owner, you will receive more information about our plan to offer free access to the data you provide to Weather Underground. We’ll reach out once that plan has been finalized.
when will I receive a message email to know what changes must i will do to my code?
in around 1 month the api stops and what next?
i will receive a message at 31 december to resolve the changes in some hours?
when will I receive a message email to know what changes must i will do to my code?
in around 1 month the api stops and what next?
i will receive a message at 31 december to resolve the changes in some hours?
Victoria Gardner, Official Rep
Hi, Babis!
Let me try to clarify this a bit.
1. PWS owners who upload their data will continue to be able to access the WU API past December 31. If you want to ensure that you are first in line with information, you can email me your API key, PWS ID, and I will add you to my list of people to inform/keep track of as we move forward.
2. When the new API is ready, we will give you transition time. No one has contacted you about the new code because the new code is not ready yet.
Does that help?
Victoria Gardner
victoria.gardner@ibm.com
Let me try to clarify this a bit.
1. PWS owners who upload their data will continue to be able to access the WU API past December 31. If you want to ensure that you are first in line with information, you can email me your API key, PWS ID, and I will add you to my list of people to inform/keep track of as we move forward.
2. When the new API is ready, we will give you transition time. No one has contacted you about the new code because the new code is not ready yet.
Does that help?
Victoria Gardner
victoria.gardner@ibm.com
What a shitshow, i.e. a situation characterized by a growing number of unsatisfied users, a company that does no communicate openly, and a representative that is unable to commit to binding statements. Six months have gone by since the initial announcement to end the service, and still no information about the upcoming transition provided to the PWS owners. The resulting exasperation will not magically go away.
(Edited)
It actually WILL go away. Once all the disgruntled users that helped them with their data to get where they are are all pissed off to the point that they stop wondering if wunderground/weather.com/ibm will ever be usable again, stop submitting them their data and take away the base that made wunderground.
Pretty easy - simply stop supporting the joke that they play here by stopping to send them your data. Let's see who needs whom...
Pretty easy - simply stop supporting the joke that they play here by stopping to send them your data. Let's see who needs whom...
I've been saying to stop giving them data for a long time.
Doesn't seem to help, people still think they are the only game in town and WU/IBM is glad of that. People that stay with this sorry service will just get sorry service. It's been really bad for years. I have no expectation that it will get any better. Probably worse.
Doesn't seem to help, people still think they are the only game in town and WU/IBM is glad of that. People that stay with this sorry service will just get sorry service. It's been really bad for years. I have no expectation that it will get any better. Probably worse.