Free Astro Weather API?

[DaveHKent]

Does anyone have any recommendations for a free astro weather API?

I've been building a display screen at home for a few various sensors and have a bit of space at the bottom. Giving a rough indication of how clear the sky will be for either that night or the next 4 nights would be great. I found once reference to DarkSky, but it looks like earlier this year they were bought out by Apple and dropped all useful features. I have found a few, but not many of them give things like seeing that you get with some of the apps like AstroPanel.

[Jonk]

Openweathermap.org is one frequently used I believe?

[Moonshed]

Hi, this is my favourite for checking cloud cover and what may be heading my way if it looks clear at the moment. It’s an infrared satellite image covering Europe, simply stick your location in and you are up and running. Gives updates every 15 minutes but it does not give forecasts.

https://en.sat24.com/en

Edit. It does now give forecasts.

Edited December 10, 2020 by Moonshed

[Jonk]

Does it have a api for 3rd party software to use its data?

[Moonshed]

On 10/12/2020 at 14:45, Jonk said:

Does it have a api for 3rd party software to use its data?

Not sure who you are addressing this question to, but if it’s me I’m sorry but I don’t have a clue, I only look at it!

[Stu]

On 09/12/2020 at 11:01, DaveHKent said:

Does anyone have any recommendations for a free astro weather API?

I've been building a display screen at home for a few various sensors and have a bit of space at the bottom. Giving a rough indication of how clear the sky will be for either that night or the next 4 nights would be great. I found once reference to DarkSky, but it looks like earlier this year they were bought out by Apple and dropped all useful features. I have found a few, but not many of them give things like seeing that you get with some of the apps like AstroPanel.

Does this help Dave?

http://www.7timer.info/doc.php

[Jonk]

1 hour ago, Moonshed said:

Not sure who you are addressing this question to, but if it’s me I’m sorry but I don’t have a clue, I only look at it!

Yeh I was but don’t worry, no need to apologise!

I’ve used the openweathermap api to see weather information in Sgpro, and am curious to try some alternatives.

[Stu]

1 hour ago, Jonk said:

Yeh I was but don’t worry, no need to apologise!

I’ve used the openweathermap api to see weather information in Sgpro, and am curious to try some alternatives.

The 7timer link I posted has info on their api which might be of interest.

[The Admiral]

I'm not sure it will be worth it 😉. None of the sites are very accurate, and they often disagree with each other! Even disagree with the weather I've actually got 😀.

Ian

[Jonk]

30 minutes ago, Stu said:

The 7timer link I posted has info on their api which might be of interest.

I’ll have a nose, thanks.

17 minutes ago, The Admiral said:

I'm not sure it will be worth it 😉. None of the sites are very accurate, and they often disagree with each other! Even disagree with the weather I've actually got 😀.

Ian

I don’t trust many sites but then they’ll never be accurate, just close!

Best way is to have look yourself at the sky!

[Jm1973]

57 minutes ago, The Admiral said:

I'm not sure it will be worth it 😉. None of the sites are very accurate, and they often disagree with each other! Even disagree with the weather I've actually got 😀.

Ian

Yes, indeed. Clear outside will often be completely wrong even an hour ahead. Not quite sure how it manages that.

[Second Time Around]

17 minutes ago, Jm1973 said:

Yes, indeed. Clear outside will often be completely wrong even an hour ahead. Not quite sure how it manages that.

Possibly because the forecast was made some time before and not updated in the meantime.

This is the reason why I also check satellite images as they're bang up to date.

However, I do find the colour coding on Clear Outside to be rather pessimistic.  Often the red colour is used but looking in more detail the amount of cloud cover is worth setting up for.

Can I please ask that either the algorithm is tweeked, or a fourth colour is used?  Thanks.

[ShaunyC]

Didn't know there was dedicated astro weather sites will have a nosey through them....

I tend to just look at BBC weather and play the long forcast display to watch cloud cover moving in a direction.. Usually pretty accurate, often more accurate than the hour by hour display above it.. 

[Moonshed]

1 hour ago, ShaunyC said:

Didn't know there was dedicated astro weather sites will have a nosey through them....

I tend to just look at BBC weather and play the long forcast display to watch cloud cover moving in a direction.. Usually pretty accurate, often more accurate than the hour by hour display above it.. 

Watching the direction cloud cover is moving is the reason why I recommend this live satellite site, it’s not a forecast it’s actual.

https://en.sat24.com/en

Keith

[DaveHKent]

Thanks for the suggestions, a few to look at there, and I appreciate it will never be accurate. I think rather than knowing when will be good, I’m more interested in if there is a slight chance. If there is heavy cloud and rain I know it is probably worth not bothering.