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# weatherapi External API
# weatherapi HTTP API
This document describes the public HTTP API exposed by `weatherapi` for external consumers.
This is the canonical public HTTP contract for `weatherapi`. The service is a
read-only API over the latest weather records available in the configured
weatherfeeder-populated Postgres database.
## Base URL
The service is typically served at your deployment host, for example:
- `https://weather.example.com`
All paths below are relative to the service root.
## Common Conventions
### Response envelope
All endpoints return a top-level envelope:
- `data`: endpoint payload or `null` when no current/latest resource is available.
JSON example:
```json
{
"data": {"...": "..."}
}
```
### Output format
Supported via `format` query parameter (case-insensitive):
- `json` (default)
- `xml`
- `text`
### Units
Supported via `units` query parameter (case-insensitive):
- `metric` (default)
- `us`
Endpoints that include unit-based numeric fields return either metric or US field variants depending on this value.
### Precision
Supported where documented via `precision` query parameter:
- integer range: `0` to `2`
- controls decimal rounding of numeric output fields
### Timezone (`tz` / `TZ`)
Supported where documented:
- accepted values include:
- IANA timezone names (example: `America/Chicago`)
- common US abbreviations (example: `CDT`, `EST`)
- UTC offsets in `±H`, `±HH`, or `±HH:MM` (example: `-5`, `+09:30`)
- aliases including `Chicago` and `Stl`
- `tz` and `TZ` are treated equivalently
- if both are provided, they must match exactly or the request fails
Timezone affects datetime rendering and day-slice filtering for `/today` and `/tomorrow` forecast routes.
It also affects weather story and discussion datetime rendering.
### Query validation
- Unknown query parameters are rejected with `400 Bad Request`.
- Invalid parameter values are rejected with `400 Bad Request`.
Error response body follows the service error envelope; exact fields may vary by error type.
## Endpoints
## `GET /observations`
Returns the latest weather observation.
Query parameters:
- `units`: `metric` | `us`
- `format`: `json` | `xml` | `text`
- `precision`: `0..2`
Response `data` fields:
- `stationId` (string, optional)
- `stationName` (string, optional)
- `timestamp` (RFC3339 datetime, required)
- `conditionCode` (integer WMO code, required)
- `isDay` (boolean, optional)
- `textDescription` (string, optional)
- Metric mode fields:
- `temperatureC`, `dewpointC`, `windSpeedKmh`, `windGustKmh`, `barometricPressurePa`, `visibilityMeters`, `relativeHumidityPercent`, `apparentTemperatureC` (number, optional)
- `windDirectionDegrees` (number, optional)
- US mode fields:
- `temperatureF`, `dewpointF`, `windSpeedMph`, `windGustMph`, `barometricPressureInHg`, `visibilityMiles`, `relativeHumidityPercent`, `apparentTemperatureF` (number, optional)
- `windDirectionDegrees` (number, optional)
- `presentWeather` (array, optional)
## `GET /alerts/active`
Returns the latest active alert run.
Query parameters:
- `units`: `metric` | `us` (accepted; does not materially alter alert payload)
- `format`: `json` | `xml` | `text`
Response `data` fields:
- Weather alert run object from canonical model (includes run metadata and active alerts list).
## `GET /conditions/current`
Returns current conditions synthesized from latest observation/forecast data.
Query parameters:
- `units`: `metric` | `us`
- `format`: `json` | `xml` | `text`
- `precision`: `0..2`
Response `data` fields:
- Common:
- `conditionText` (string, optional)
- `isDay` (boolean, optional)
- `relativeHumidityPercent` (number, optional)
- `windDirectionDegrees` (number, optional)
- Metric mode:
- `temperatureC`, `apparentTemperatureC`, `dewpointC`, `windSpeedKmh` (number, optional)
- US mode:
- `temperatureF`, `apparentTemperatureF`, `dewpointF`, `windSpeedMph` (number, optional)
## Forecast endpoints
- `GET /forecast/hourly`
- `GET /forecast/hourly/today`
- `GET /forecast/hourly/tomorrow`
- `GET /forecast/narrative`
- `GET /forecast/narrative/today`
- `GET /forecast/narrative/tomorrow`
Query parameters:
- `units`: `metric` | `us`
- `format`: `json` | `xml` | `text`
- `precision`: `0..2`
- `tz` or `TZ`: timezone selector
Day-slice routes:
- `/today` returns periods with `period.startTime` in the current calendar day for the resolved timezone.
- `/tomorrow` returns periods with `period.startTime` in the next calendar day for the resolved timezone.
Response `data` fields:
- Run-level:
- `locationId` (string, optional)
- `locationName` (string, optional)
- `issuedAt` (RFC3339 datetime, required)
- `updatedAt` (RFC3339 datetime, optional)
- `product` (string, required; e.g. `hourly`, `narrative`)
- `latitude`, `longitude` (number, optional)
- Metric mode: `elevationMeters` (number, optional)
- US mode: `elevationFeet` (number, optional)
- `periods` (array, required)
- Period fields:
- `startTime`, `endTime` (RFC3339 datetime, required)
- `name` (string, optional)
- `isDay` (boolean, optional)
- `conditionCode` (integer WMO code, optional)
- `textDescription` (string, optional)
- Metric mode (optional):
- `temperatureC`, `temperatureCMin`, `temperatureCMax`, `dewpointC`, `windSpeedKmh`, `windGustKmh`, `barometricPressurePa`, `visibilityMeters`, `apparentTemperatureC`, `cloudCoverPercent`, `probabilityOfPrecipitationPercent`, `precipitationAmountMm`, `snowfallDepthMM`, `uvIndex`, `relativeHumidityPercent`, `windDirectionDegrees`
- US mode (optional):
- `temperatureF`, `temperatureFMin`, `temperatureFMax`, `dewpointF`, `windSpeedMph`, `windGustMph`, `barometricPressureInHg`, `visibilityMiles`, `apparentTemperatureF`, `cloudCoverPercent`, `probabilityOfPrecipitationPercent`, `precipitationAmountIn`, `snowfallDepthIn`, `uvIndex`, `relativeHumidityPercent`, `windDirectionDegrees`
Notes:
- Narrative periods may omit `conditionCode`.
- Text format uses forecast-specific templates (`hourly` and `narrative`).
## Discussion endpoints
- `GET /discussion`
- `GET /discussion/key-messages`
- `GET /discussion/short-term`
- `GET /discussion/long-term`
Query parameters:
- `units`: `metric` | `us` (accepted; does not materially alter discussion payload)
- `format`: `json` | `xml` | `text`
- `tz` or `TZ`: timezone selector
Response `data` fields:
- `/discussion`:
- `officeId` (string, optional)
- `officeName` (string, optional)
- `product` (string, required)
- `issuedAt` (RFC3339 datetime, required)
- `updatedAt` (RFC3339 datetime, optional)
- `keyMessages` (array of string)
- `shortTerm` (object, optional)
- `longTerm` (object, optional)
- `/discussion/key-messages`:
- `officeId`, `officeName`, `product`, `issuedAt`, `updatedAt`
- `keyMessages` (array of string)
- `/discussion/short-term`:
- `officeId`, `officeName`, `product`, `issuedAt`, `updatedAt`
- `shortTerm` (object, optional)
- `/discussion/long-term`:
- `officeId`, `officeName`, `product`, `issuedAt`, `updatedAt`
- `longTerm` (object, optional)
Discussion section object fields:
- `title` (string, optional)
- `narrative` (string, optional)
- `issuedAt` (RFC3339 datetime, optional)
## Weather Stories endpoints
- `GET /weatherstories`
- `GET /weatherstories/latest`
Query parameters:
- `units`: `metric` | `us` (accepted; does not materially alter weather story payloads)
- `format`: `json` | `xml` | `text`
- `tz` or `TZ`: timezone selector
Response behavior:
- `/weatherstories` returns the latest stored weather story run and its ordered stories.
- `/weatherstories/latest` returns the single story with the greatest `updatedAt`.
- When no weather story data exists, `data` is `null`.
`/weatherstories` response `data` fields:
- `officeId` (string, optional)
- `asOf` (RFC3339 datetime, required)
- `stories` (array, required)
Weather story fields:
- `officeId` (string, optional)
- `startTime` (RFC3339 datetime, required)
- `endTime` (RFC3339 datetime, required)
- `updatedAt` (RFC3339 datetime, required)
- `title` (string, optional)
- `description` (string, optional)
- `altText` (string, optional)
- `priority` (boolean, required)
- `order` (integer, required)
- `downloadUrl` (string, optional)
## Examples
### Observation (JSON, metric)
```http
GET /observations?format=json&units=metric&precision=1
```
```json
{
"data": {
"stationId": "KSTL",
"timestamp": "2026-05-29T14:00:00Z",
"conditionCode": 3,
"isDay": true,
"textDescription": "Partly cloudy",
"temperatureC": 24.4,
"windSpeedKmh": 17.2,
"relativeHumidityPercent": 56.0
}
}
```
### Alerts (JSON)
```http
GET /alerts/active?format=json
```
```json
{
"data": {
"asOf": "2026-05-29T14:00:00Z",
"alerts": []
}
}
```
### Current conditions (JSON, US)
```http
GET /conditions/current?format=json&units=us&precision=1
```
```json
{
"data": {
"conditionText": "Partly cloudy",
"isDay": true,
"temperatureF": 75.9,
"apparentTemperatureF": 76.1,
"windSpeedMph": 10.7,
"relativeHumidityPercent": 56.0
}
}
```
### Forecast narrative (JSON, optional `conditionCode`)
```http
GET /forecast/narrative?format=json&units=metric&precision=1&tz=America/Chicago
```
```json
{
"data": {
"locationId": "nws-lsx-grid-90-74",
"issuedAt": "2026-05-29T10:30:00-05:00",
"product": "narrative",
"periods": [
{
"startTime": "2026-05-29T13:00:00-05:00",
"endTime": "2026-05-29T19:00:00-05:00",
"name": "Today",
"isDay": true,
"textDescription": "Partly sunny, with a high near 81.",
"temperatureC": 27.2,
"windSpeedKmh": 18.0,
"probabilityOfPrecipitationPercent": 10.0
}
]
}
}
```
### Forecast hourly today (text)
```http
GET /forecast/hourly/today?format=text&units=us&precision=1&tz=CDT
```
All paths are relative to the deployment root:
```text
<plain text forecast output>
http://localhost:8080
```
### Discussion key messages (JSON)
Use your deployment host in production.
```http
GET /discussion/key-messages?format=json&tz=Chicago
```
## Authentication
`weatherapi` does not implement authentication or authorization. Put access
control in front of the service when a deployment requires it.
## Response Envelope
Successful JSON and XML responses use a top-level envelope:
```json
{
"data": {
"officeId": "LSX",
"product": "discussion",
"issuedAt": "2026-05-29T09:25:00-05:00",
"keyMessages": [
"Scattered showers possible this evening.",
"Warmer temperatures this weekend."
]
}
"data": {}
}
```
### Weather stories (JSON)
When no latest/current resource exists, the request still succeeds and returns
`data: null`.
```http
GET /weatherstories?format=json&tz=America/Chicago
```
Text responses are rendered from endpoint-specific templates. When the payload
is missing, the templates return a short no-data message.
```json
{
"data": {
"officeId": "LSX",
"asOf": "2026-05-30T04:00:34-05:00",
"stories": [
{
"officeId": "LSX",
"startTime": "2026-05-30T03:46:00-05:00",
"endTime": "2026-05-31T06:00:00-05:00",
"updatedAt": "2026-05-30T04:00:34-05:00",
"title": "Several Chances for Rain Through Monday",
"description": "Scattered showers and thunderstorms remain possible.",
"altText": "This slide shows the forecast for today through Tuesday.",
"priority": false,
"order": 1,
"downloadUrl": "https://api.weather.gov/offices/LSX/weatherstories/download/3228e499-2aae-45a8-9ff9-1c060311026f"
}
]
}
}
```
## Formats
### Latest weather story (JSON)
Every implemented endpoint can produce:
```http
GET /weatherstories/latest?format=json&tz=CDT
```
| Format | Media type |
| --- | --- |
| `json` | `application/json` |
| `xml` | `application/xml` |
| `text` | `text/plain` |
```json
{
"data": {
"officeId": "LSX",
"startTime": "2026-05-30T03:46:00-05:00",
"endTime": "2026-05-31T06:00:00-05:00",
"updatedAt": "2026-05-30T04:00:34-05:00",
"title": "Several Chances for Rain Through Monday",
"description": "Scattered showers and thunderstorms remain possible.",
"priority": false,
"order": 1
}
}
```
Format selection is:
### Invalid timezone error example
1. `format` query parameter;
2. `Accept` header;
3. configured `server.default_format`.
```http
GET /forecast/narrative?tz=not-a-timezone
```
`format` values are case-insensitive. Unsupported formats return `406
Not Acceptable` with an error envelope.
## Shared Query Rules
Unknown query parameters are rejected with `400 Bad Request`.
| Parameter | Values | Default | Supported on |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `format` | `json`, `xml`, `text` | configured default | all endpoints |
| `units` | `metric`, `us` | `metric` | all endpoints |
| `precision` | integer `0` through `2` | `0` | observations, current conditions, forecasts |
| `tz` or `TZ` | timezone selector | UTC/no conversion | forecasts, discussions, weather stories |
`units`, `format`, and `precision` values are normalized case-insensitively
where applicable. `units=metric` returns metric field names; `units=us` returns
US-customary field names for unit-bearing payloads. Alerts, discussions, and
weather stories accept `units` but their current payload fields are not
materially changed by it.
`precision` controls numeric rounding. The default `0` rounds to whole numbers.
`precision` is rejected on alerts, discussions, and weather stories.
Timezone selectors accepted by `tz` / `TZ`:
- IANA timezone names such as `America/Chicago`;
- common US abbreviations such as `CDT`, `CST`, `EDT`, `EST`, `MDT`, `MST`,
`PDT`, and `PST`;
- UTC offsets in `+H`, `+HH`, `+HH:MM`, `-H`, `-HH`, or `-HH:MM` form, bounded
to `-14:00` through `+14:00`;
- aliases `Chicago` and `Stl`, both mapped to `America/Chicago`.
If both `tz` and `TZ` are provided, their values must match
case-insensitively. Timezone conversion affects rendered timestamps and forecast
`/today` and `/tomorrow` day-slice filtering. Without a timezone parameter,
day-slice routes use UTC.
## Errors
API errors use a stable error envelope:
```json
{
"error": {
"code": "invalid_parameter",
"message": "tz must be a valid timezone"
"message": "..."
}
}
```
Implemented API error statuses:
| Status | Code | Cause |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `400 Bad Request` | `invalid_parameter` | unknown query parameter, invalid parameter value, invalid timezone, conflicting `tz` / `TZ`, or unsupported parameter on a route |
| `406 Not Acceptable` | `unsupported_format` | requested response format is not supported by the endpoint/renderers |
Unhandled service or database errors are returned as server errors by the
runtime.
## Behavior Not Implemented
`weatherapi` does not implement pagination, cache-control headers, rate-limit
headers, idempotency keys, retries, writes, or historical browsing outside the
implemented latest-resource and forecast day-slice routes.
## Endpoints
### Observations
```http
GET /observations
```
Returns the latest weather observation.
Query parameters: `format`, `units`, `precision`.
Metric `data` fields:
| Field | Type | Notes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `stationId`, `stationName` | string | optional |
| `timestamp` | RFC3339 datetime | required when `data` is not null |
| `conditionCode` | integer | WMO weather code |
| `isDay` | boolean | optional |
| `textDescription` | string | optional |
| `temperatureC`, `dewpointC`, `apparentTemperatureC` | number | optional |
| `windDirectionDegrees`, `windSpeedKmh`, `windGustKmh` | number | optional |
| `barometricPressurePa`, `visibilityMeters` | number | optional |
| `relativeHumidityPercent` | number | optional |
| `presentWeather` | array | optional |
US mode replaces unit-bearing fields with `temperatureF`, `dewpointF`,
`apparentTemperatureF`, `windSpeedMph`, `windGustMph`,
`barometricPressureInHg`, and `visibilityMiles`. Direction and percentage
fields keep the same names.
Example:
```http
GET /observations?units=us&precision=1
```
### Current Conditions
```http
GET /conditions/current
```
Returns current conditions aggregated from recent `observations` rows. The
implemented observation window is 30 minutes.
Query parameters: `format`, `units`, `precision`.
Common `data` fields:
| Field | Type | Notes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `conditionText` | string | optional text derived from WMO code and day/night flag |
| `isDay` | boolean | optional |
| `relativeHumidityPercent` | number | optional |
| `windDirectionDegrees` | number | optional |
Metric fields: `temperatureC`, `apparentTemperatureC`, `dewpointC`,
`windSpeedKmh`.
US fields: `temperatureF`, `apparentTemperatureF`, `dewpointF`,
`windSpeedMph`.
Example:
```http
GET /conditions/current?format=json&precision=0
```
### Active Alerts
```http
GET /alerts/active
```
Returns the latest active-alert snapshot.
Query parameters: `format`, `units`.
Run `data` fields:
| Field | Type | Notes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `locationId`, `locationName` | string | optional |
| `asOf` | RFC3339 datetime | required when `data` is not null |
| `latitude`, `longitude` | number | optional |
| `alerts` | array | active alerts, possibly empty |
Alert fields include `id`, `event`, `headline`, `severity`, `urgency`,
`certainty`, `status`, `messageType`, `category`, `response`, `description`,
`instruction`, `sent`, `effective`, `onset`, `expires`, `areaDescription`,
`senderName`, and `references`. Most alert fields are optional except `id` when
an alert item is present.
Reference fields are `id`, `identifier`, `sender`, and `sent`.
Example:
```http
GET /alerts/active?format=text
```
### Forecasts
```http
GET /forecast/hourly
GET /forecast/hourly/today
GET /forecast/hourly/tomorrow
GET /forecast/narrative
GET /forecast/narrative/today
GET /forecast/narrative/tomorrow
```
Returns the latest hourly or narrative forecast run. `/today` and `/tomorrow`
return a copy of the latest run with `periods` filtered by each period's
`startTime` in the resolved timezone. If no periods match, `data` remains an
object and `periods` is an empty array.
Query parameters: `format`, `units`, `precision`, `tz` / `TZ`.
Run `data` fields:
| Field | Type | Notes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `locationId`, `locationName` | string | optional |
| `issuedAt` | RFC3339 datetime | required when `data` is not null |
| `updatedAt` | RFC3339 datetime | optional |
| `product` | string | `hourly` or `narrative` for implemented routes |
| `latitude`, `longitude` | number | optional |
| `elevationMeters` or `elevationFeet` | number | optional, depends on `units` |
| `periods` | array | ordered forecast periods |
Metric period fields:
`startTime`, `endTime`, `name`, `isDay`, `conditionCode`,
`textDescription`, `temperatureC`, `temperatureCMin`, `temperatureCMax`,
`dewpointC`, `relativeHumidityPercent`, `windDirectionDegrees`,
`windSpeedKmh`, `windGustKmh`, `barometricPressurePa`, `visibilityMeters`,
`apparentTemperatureC`, `cloudCoverPercent`,
`probabilityOfPrecipitationPercent`, `precipitationAmountMm`,
`snowfallDepthMm`, and `uvIndex`.
US mode uses the same non-unit fields and replaces unit-bearing fields with
`temperatureF`, `temperatureFMin`, `temperatureFMax`, `dewpointF`,
`windSpeedMph`, `windGustMph`, `barometricPressureInHg`, `visibilityMiles`,
`apparentTemperatureF`, `precipitationAmountIn`, `snowfallDepthIn`, and
`elevationFeet` at run level.
`startTime` and `endTime` are required for each period. Other period fields are
optional, including `conditionCode`; narrative forecasts may omit it.
Examples:
```http
GET /forecast/hourly?units=us&precision=1&TZ=-5
GET /forecast/narrative/tomorrow?format=text&tz=Chicago
```
### Forecast Discussions
```http
GET /discussion
GET /discussion/key-messages
GET /discussion/short-term
GET /discussion/long-term
```
Returns the latest forecast discussion or a focused subresource.
Query parameters: `format`, `units`, `tz` / `TZ`.
Full discussion `data` fields:
| Field | Type | Notes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `officeId`, `officeName` | string | optional |
| `product` | string | currently `afd` from weatherfeeder data |
| `issuedAt` | RFC3339 datetime | required when `data` is not null |
| `updatedAt` | RFC3339 datetime | optional |
| `keyMessages` | array of strings | optional |
| `shortTerm`, `longTerm` | object | optional section objects |
Discussion section fields are `qualifier`, `issuedAt`, and `text`, all
optional.
Subresources return the same metadata plus only their focused field:
`keyMessages`, `shortTerm`, or `longTerm`.
Example:
```http
GET /discussion/short-term?format=text&tz=CDT
```
### Weather Stories
```http
GET /weatherstories
GET /weatherstories/latest
```
`/weatherstories` returns the latest weather-story run and its ordered stories.
`/weatherstories/latest` returns the latest individual story.
Query parameters: `format`, `units`, `tz` / `TZ`.
Run `data` fields:
| Field | Type | Notes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `officeId` | string | optional |
| `asOf` | RFC3339 datetime | required when `data` is not null |
| `stories` | array | ordered story objects |
Story fields:
| Field | Type | Notes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `officeId` | string | optional |
| `startTime`, `endTime`, `updatedAt` | RFC3339 datetime | required when a story is present |
| `title`, `description`, `altText`, `downloadUrl` | string | optional |
| `priority` | boolean | required when a story is present |
| `order` | integer | required when a story is present |
Examples:
```http
GET /weatherstories?tz=America/Chicago
GET /weatherstories/latest?format=xml
```
## Copyable Requests
See [`examples/requests.http`](../examples/requests.http) for a compact set of
requests covering the implemented endpoint families.

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@baseUrl = http://localhost:8080
### Latest observation
GET {{baseUrl}}/observations?units=metric&precision=1
Accept: application/json
### Current conditions
GET {{baseUrl}}/conditions/current?units=us&precision=0
Accept: application/json
### Active alerts as text
GET {{baseUrl}}/alerts/active?format=text
### Hourly forecast in US units
GET {{baseUrl}}/forecast/hourly?units=us&precision=1&tz=Chicago
Accept: application/json
### Hourly forecast for today
GET {{baseUrl}}/forecast/hourly/today?tz=CDT
Accept: application/json
### Narrative forecast for tomorrow as text
GET {{baseUrl}}/forecast/narrative/tomorrow?format=text&tz=America/Chicago
### Full forecast discussion
GET {{baseUrl}}/discussion?tz=CDT
Accept: application/json
### Forecast discussion key messages as text
GET {{baseUrl}}/discussion/key-messages?format=text
### Forecast discussion short term
GET {{baseUrl}}/discussion/short-term?tz=CDT
Accept: application/json
### Forecast discussion long term
GET {{baseUrl}}/discussion/long-term?TZ=-5
Accept: application/json
### Weather stories
GET {{baseUrl}}/weatherstories?tz=America/Chicago
Accept: application/json
### Latest weather story as XML
GET {{baseUrl}}/weatherstories/latest?format=xml