This document assumes you already have a valid key that grants you access to this API. If you don't yet have one, head over to our site and fill out the API Access Request Form. We have varying levels of access available but you can certainly just request a free key and give it all a whirl. So let's pretend that's all out of the way. It all begins with this:
Feel free to use the latitude/longitude pair of 39.09972,-94.57856 to get a quick start. That will get you the forecasts for Kansas City, MO. But please note, if you're using a free account you'll be limited to lat/long pairs within your chosen zip code bounds. So get yourself a valid lat/long pair to go with your valid API key, build the URL, and paste it right in your browser to see a live response. Nothing fancy required.
When a successful API call is made, a JSON formatted array of weekly forecast objects is returned. Depending on your key type the size of that array will either be 4 or 12 weeks in length. Each of those forecast objects contain the data listed below.
regionAffectedheadlineforecastDescstartDaterevisioneventstitleslugtypedateiconconditionsdisplaytagforecastLengthInHourstemperatureHightemperatureLowtemperatureHighCelciustemperatureLowCelciusAs general walkers of the Earth, weather enthusiasts, and/or potentially avid consumers of API data, it may be hard to shake the expectation that all forecasting should be purely numerical pieces of data meant to tell you the exact measurement of temperature and precipitation for a single moment in time. Our forecasts aren't meant to tell you that it will rain precisely one half inch with the wind blowing at 9mph on Thursday at 9:34AM at a specific street crossing in Detroit. Now this doesn't necessary preclude the possibility of getting somewhat specific in week's forecast description. But that just shouldn't be your consistent expectation with this API data. It's meant more as a broad overview of what's coming to give you an advantage in whatever decision making processes in which you may be involved.
{
'blowing-dust': 'Blowing Dust',
'blowing-snow': 'Blowing Snow',
'clear': 'Clear',
'drifting-snow': 'Drifting Snow',
'drizzle': 'Drizzle',
'dust-storm': 'Dust Storm',
'fog': 'Fog',
'freezing-drizzle': 'Freezing Drizzle',
'freezing-fog': 'Freezing Fog',
'freezing-rain': 'Freezing Rain',
'hail': 'Hail',
'haze': 'Haze',
'heavy-drizzle': 'Heavy Drizzle',
'heavy-rain': 'Heavy Rain',
'heavy-snow': 'Heavy Snow',
'heavy-thunderstorm': 'Heavy Thunderstorm',
'light-drizzle': 'Light Drizzle',
'light-fog': 'Light Fog',
'light-freezing-drizzle': 'Light Freezing Drizzle',
'light-freezing-rain': 'Light Freezing Rain',
'light-hail': 'Light Hail',
'light-rain': 'Light Rain',
'light-rain-and-snow': 'Light Rain and Snow',
'light-rain-and-snow-shower': 'Light Rain and Snow Shower',
'light-rain-shower': 'Light Rain Shower',
'light-snow': 'Light Snow',
'light-snow-shower': 'Light Snow Shower',
'mostly-clear': 'Mostly Clear',
'mostly-cloudy': 'Mostly Cloudy',
'overcast': 'Overcast',
'partly-cloudy': 'Partly Cloudy',
'patchy-fog': 'Patchy Fog',
'rain': 'Rain',
'rain-and-snow': 'Rain and Snow',
'rain-and-snow-shower': 'Rain and Snow Shower',
'rain-shower': 'Rain Shower',
'severe-dust-storm': 'Severe Dust Storm',
'sleet': 'Sleet',
'smoke': 'Smoke',
'snow': 'Snow',
'snow-shower': 'Snow Shower',
'squall': 'Squall',
'thunderstorm': 'Thunderstorm'
}