To improve our services and enhance the relationship with our users, we will no longer provide free weather API keys as part of our program. If you have been directed to download our Weather Underground free API key by a third party provider, please contact your vendor for resolution.
Tim Roche, Official Rep
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Posted 2 years ago
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Victoria Gardner, Official Rep
- 658 Posts
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If you are a PWS owner who uploader their data to WU, then you will be able to A) continue to use the current API past December 31, while we continue building the new API, and B) use the new API when it is ready.
Are you saying that you just missed getting the key for the old API? Email me directly if you really want to program everything twice. The new API will not have identical calls, and the reason we stopped giving new keys was because we did not want people having to write code for the old API and then just do it again for the new API. If you want to do that, let me know.
So far as I know, no one has suggested that any PWS owner pay $850 (to IBM?) for data. I don't know where that's coming from, but it's not correct.
It sounds like you're happy with your current set-up, but if not, my email is below.
Victoria Gardner
victoria.gardner@ibm.com
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I sincerely hope others here will follow and get others to stop their sharing.
Good luck and bye bye asshat IBM
Long Live weeWX
Victoria Gardner, Official Rep
- 658 Posts
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Victoria Gardner
victoria.gardner@ibm.com
- 22 Posts
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And SmartThings had an agreement with the new owners that our SmartThings hub would not be affected by this API change.... LIARS
This is the worse thing TWC/IBM has done. Why ????? Do they hate everyone that much ???
Victoria Gardner, Official Rep
- 658 Posts
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--Victoria
Victoria Gardner, Official Rep
- 658 Posts
- 93 Reply Likes
--Victoria
victoria.gardner@ibm.com
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The only big disappointment is the lack of Normal/Record temperatures but I realized I have 3 years of Wunderground's "almanac" API already in my database so I just made my own almanac table and I can figure the records out by checking the airport temps.
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There appears to be one hell of a lot confusion over the Wunderground API services and what is available, what, if anything is going to stop working, what will no longer be free etc. etc.
Please can you provide some clarification. I think what we need to know (or I do personally) is the following.
For those API users who
1) Upload data from their PWS on a regular basis to Wunderground
2) Had access to the free API prior to any announcement that it may stop
3) Who do so purely for non-profit purposes, like myself, who use it on a purely personal interest basis, as information for my weather website
Will they still have free access to the Wunderground API so they may continue to download data as they have done before?
If not, will there be any API services available in return for providing Wunderground with free data and images from our PWS's?
Many Thanks
Andy
- 7 Posts
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from what I understand this will be available to us once the new API is available.
There doesn't appear to be any clear answer when that will be, and the transition between the two is still lacking details on timing and how similar those APIs will be. Frustrating, but we're told for PWS users, we'll still get access to our data
Brian
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The existing WU API keys will not work with the Weather.com API. New keys will be required, but they've not announced a mechanism to obtain new keys nor issued new keys yet.
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I think this PWS owner API is a last minute "uh oh" reaction.
IBM wants to target large commercial use of weather data (although there's already a well established one mostly catering to the agricultural industry so I don't think they're going to have an easy time), and while disappointing that's their decision to make -- but weather data is greatly enhanced by PWS owners and as they saw data vanishing someone went "oh no, we need to give them free API access" but instead of using what they already have their making a new one, still intending to leave hobbyists that use weather data high and dry. So I think IBM has made a large tactical error which they will, ultimately, pay for (and absorb - probably selling wunderground to AccuWeather or something).
My own use case for weather data is very minor and specific and while I'm a bit annoyed that now I have to pay for API usage over at Aeris I've re-written my application. So even if IBM said "we've changed our minds, we're keeping the free API up for PWS owners and hobbyists", it's too late and I'm probably not the only one with that view.
(BTW, Aeris is in the process of re-writing their PWS site.)
So congrats, IBM, you killed wunderground.
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Now I get my weather data, for free, from OpenWeatherMap. So, they are the ones who now get the credit for providing the data. Thank you OpenWeatherMap.
http://www.mgnewman.com/chaamkam.html
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From Windy.com, 21 January 2019: https://community.windy.com/topic/7551/would-you-like-to-report-your-weather-station-data-to-windy/1@ivo said:Please provide some feedback over on their forum using the above link.
Would you like to report your weather station data to Windy?
Are you owner of personal weather station? Are you maintainer of network of weather stations?
We plan to create API endpoints so you could send your weather station data to us. Please help us to do this project by answering following questions:
1) What type of weather station you have
2) Do you report your data to some other Internet website?
3) How technically do you send your reports to this other website. Which software or protocol do you use.
4) Do you have any tips and ideas, how should our reporting API look like?
5) Would you be willing to offer your station data to anyone else (not only windy.com) as open data?
Victoria Gardner, Official Rep
- 658 Posts
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We'd like to remind our PWS owners/contributors:
- Your past data will always be available to you for viewing and download in a web browser on wunderground.com, just like it always has.
- If you are in the small minority of people who use the WU API and a corresponding WU API key to obtain data in .json format, here's what's happening:
- You'll sign up and get a new API key for the new API
- Once the registration page is open, we'll keep the old API and your old API key active for 2 weeks to allow transition time to your new key
We'll announce in the forum when the registration page opens.
Or, email victoria.gardner@ibm.com to receive an email notification once it's ready.
- The new API will provide access to
- Current observations from the PWS network
- 5 day daily forecast
- PWS historical data
- PWS lookup by geocode, zip code and location
- Call volume: 1500/day, 30/minute
The documentation for the new API is available here.
Victoria Gardner
victoria.gardner@ibm.com
- 11 Posts
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is the above data available for free or is some of that only via a paid plan etc?
Victoria Gardner, Official Rep
- 658 Posts
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If you're talking about the note immediately above yours, that plan is free for PWS owner/uploaders to Weather Underground.
If you have more questions, feel free to let me know!
Victoria Gardner
victoria.gardner@ibm.com
- 11 Posts
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looks like the main things are still available (your data that you upload, available at a rate of a call a minute (yes?) and a 5 day forecast)
Victoria Gardner, Official Rep
- 658 Posts
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--Victoria
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looking forward to being able to get the api key and test etc :)
Victoria Gardner, Official Rep
- 658 Posts
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--Victoria
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I'm a WU user who currently uploads my PWS data to WU who is not happy with the forced API change. My weather station is the only station on WU in my small town.
I use the current free API key to have access via KODI (which is used on a few of my and my family members TVs) and it's integrated weather plugin to see my own personal PWS weather information and also my hourly AND 10 day forecast (not limited to 5 days as the new API will be limited to).
I am not a developer and have no ability to change the code of the free (open source, KODI developers/volunteers nor their plugin developers make any money off of the software) KODI app (and it's Weather plug in which can pull data from the current WU API) which I have been using for a couple of years now with no problems. When the change is made, I will lose this functionality. Anyone in the world who uses the KODI app on any device who choose to point it to WU will lose their weather data. Each and every person (end user/personal home users) who used the app has (previously had to as they no longer can) to sign up for their own free API key as it is a non-commercially/free app and plugin and the developers don't have the ability to pay for an API license.
I'm afraid this will fall on deaf ears, but IBM is alienating 1,000's of of personal and hobby users who will loose access to the weather data they have previously had access to. It is not just developers and corporations, (or even PWS data uploaders) but all of the users who use free and open source apps that may use the free API MANY of these users have signed up for a free key to set the application up, who knows hoe long ago, and will have no idea they are losing access until their weather data just stops working in t app they are using. These people are not developers and will not be signed up for a newsletter or be following threads such as this and will just be upset when their "weather quits working". You will probably never hear from most of them.
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I'm a WU user who currently uploads my PWS data to WU who is not happy with the forced API change. My weather station is the only station on WU in my small town.
I use the current free API key to have access via KODI (which is used on a few of my and my family members TVs) and it's integrated weather plugin to see my own personal PWS weather information and also my hourly AND 10 day forecast (not limited to 5 days as the new API will be limited to).
I am not a developer and have no ability to change the code of the free (open source, KODI developers/volunteers nor their plugin developers make any money off of the software) KODI app (and it's Weather plug in which can pull data from the current WU API) which I have been using for a couple of years now with no problems. When the change is made, I will lose this functionality. Anyone in the world who uses the KODI app on any device who choose to point it to WU will lose their weather data. Each and every person (end user/personal home users) who used the app has (previously had to as they no longer can) to sign up for their own free API key as it is a non-commercially/free app and plugin and the developers don't have the ability to pay for an API license.
I'm afraid this will fall on deaf ears, but IBM is alienating 1,000's of of personal and hobby users who will loose access to the weather data they have previously had access to. It is not just developers and corporations, (or even PWS data uploaders) but all of the users who use free and open source apps that may use the free API MANY of these users have signed up for a free key to set the application up, who knows hoe long ago, and will have no idea they are losing access until their weather data just stops working in t app they are using. These people are not developers and will not be signed up for a newsletter or be following threads such as this and will just be upset when their "weather quits working". You will probably never hear from most of them.
Victoria Gardner, Official Rep
- 658 Posts
- 93 Reply Likes
Change is hard.
Have you tried speaking to KODI about this? I know of several companies that are switching to The Weather Company's data and including their users' data needs in their switch. They push out an update and things continue to work. This is something that's under their control, not ours.
We are attempting to move out of an old architecture into a new one. The old API needs to be retired.
We're glad to host a place for open discussion about the WU API transition.
We'd like to remind our PWS owners/contributors:
- Your past data will always be available to you for viewing and download in a web browser on wunderground.com, just like it always has.
- If you are in the small minority of people who use the WU API and a corresponding WU API key to obtain data in .json format, here's what's happening:
- We'll open a registration page for you to get a new API key to get your data in .json format
- You'll sign up and get a new API key for the new API
- Once the registration page is open, we'll keep the old API and your old API key active for 2 weeks to allow transition time to your new key
The new API will provide access to:
- Current observations from the PWS network
- 5 day daily forecast
- PWS historical data
- PWS lookup by geocode, zip code and location
- Call volume: 1500/day, 30/minute
The documentation for the new API is available here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1eKCnKXI9xnoMGRRzOL1xPCBihNV2rOet08qpE_gArAY/edit
Victoria Gardner
Victoria.gardner@ibm.com
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Victoria Gardner, Official Rep
- 658 Posts
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If you want to get on the list, please send me your PWS id and your API key, and I'll add you.
Victoria Gardner
victoria.gardner@ibm.com
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Victoria Gardner, Official Rep
- 658 Posts
- 93 Reply Likes
As I have said often before, the API for the PWS users will be completely free of charge.
The new API will provide access to:
- Current observations from the PWS network
- 5 day daily forecast
- PWS historical data
- PWS lookup by geocode, zip code and location
- Call volume: 1500/day, 30/minute
The documentation for the new API is available here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1eKCnKXI9xnoMGRRzOL1xPCBihNV2rOet08qpE_gArAY/edit
I have just sent out an update for PWS owners who have joined the email list for the new PWS API.
If you want to get on the list, please send me your PWS id and your API key (if you have one), and I'll add you.
Victoria Gardner
victoria.gardner@ibm.com
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I see that there will be a way for me to continue doing this, but aside from the new documentation is there a way to sign up yet? A couple of these threads are pretty long and I don't have the time to sift through all the "I'm mad" posts to find the info I need. I've already re-written my scripts to pull data from the new API, I guess I just need to know how to sign up and verify whether or not I can deploy it.
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OK, shoot. NP. I'll switch to another service. Sorry. Looks like DarkSky is the popular one everyone is migrating to?
Victoria Gardner, Official Rep
- 658 Posts
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The API for Weather Underground PWS uploaders isn't quite open yet, but Mike is correct that it is limited at this time to PWS uploaders. So if you're only drawing data, he is correct, there is no longer a free option for that unless you're uploading from a PWS.
If you ARE uploading from a PWS, please email me directly, and I can spare you all the posts and email updates to you directly.
Victoria Gardner
victoria.gardner@ibm.com
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Victoria Gardner, Official Rep
- 658 Posts
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--Victoria
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Victoria Gardner, Official Rep
Victoria Gardner
victoria.gardner.ibm.com