Will this affetc WXSim data gathering?

[broadstairs]

Saw this on the WXforum and wondered if it might affect WXSim data gathering?

https://www.weather.gov/media/notification/pdf_2023_24/pns24-66_potential_api_outage.pdf

Stuart

[administrator]

Not as far as I know. I don’t use the API (directly). I download bulk data and process it myself. The API would be useful to get data for a single location or small number of locations, but I’m processing data for over 60,000 spots globally and making 60,000+ API calls would probably be pretty slow and possibly even break the NWS T&Cs for level of access.

I say ‘directly’ because it’s possible that the API is used to create the data I download. I don’t think that’s the case though and if it was I feel sure they’d comment that it also affected bulk data downloads too.

I’m not sure about the Bohler data though. I know Sam uses a different method to me. I don’t think he uses the API (directly) though.

[broadstairs]

Thanks for the reassurance I know Ken True has seen the original post and it does affect one of his scripts and is handling it. It’s not one I use as I think it is just for the USA.

Stuart

[ktrue]

Yes, the api.weather.gov API is for USA data only and WXSIMATE doesn’t use that API at all (AFAIK).

The NWS API service has been having outage issues (500 returns) for quite some time now. It is complicated by using Akamai cacheing and some of the cache refreshes fail.
Hopefully the patches to be applied before December will cure the longstanding issues.