Top 6 Best Free Weather APIs to Access Global Weather Data (Updated for 2020)

The OpenWeatherMap API currently provides a wide variety of weather data including (but not limited to) current weather, forecasts, historical, weather stations, and weather alerts.

The API also provides current and historical air pollution data such as carbon monoxide (CO), ozone (O3), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and nitrogen dioxide (NO2). This feature is currently in beta and air pollution historical information goes back to November 2015.

The API documentation is comprehensive, easy to follow, and includes many examples of API requests and the responses returned. Numerous unofficial OpenWeatherMap API client libraries and wrappers are available on GitHub.

How to get an OpenWeatherMap API Key?

When connecting an API to a project or application, you must have an API key to authenticate your request. Creating an app within RapidAPI generates an API key (X-RapidAPI-Key) specific to that application. You can view analytics based on the API calls you make using this app key.

Learn how to use the weather API in python. Sign up today for free!

Example API Call (jQuery)

var settings = {
  "async": true,
  "crossDomain": true,
  "url": "https://community-open-weather-map.p.rapidapi.com/weather?q=san%20francisco%2Cus",
  "method": "GET",
  "headers": {
    "x-rapidapi-host": "community-open-weather-map.p.rapidapi.com",
    "x-rapidapi-key": "SIGN-UP-FOR-KEY"
  }
}

$.ajax(settings).done(function (response) {
  console.log(response);
});

Take a look of our detailed OpenWeatherMap vs Dark Sky API Comparison here.

The Weatherbit API provides basic access to the Weatherbit.io Weather API. With just latitude and longitude coordinates, you can get weather forecast data returned in JSON format.

The API has 5 endpoints:

• Current Weather Data
• 5 Day Forecast
• Severe Weather Alerts
• 48 Hour Forecast
• 16 Day Forecast

The Weatherbit weather API, while not completely free, does offer a freemium basic plan that allows developers 150 requests/day.

View the pricing page for more details.

Example API Call (Node.js)

var http = require("https");

var options = {
	"method": "GET",
	"hostname": "weatherbit-v1-mashape.p.rapidapi.com",
	"port": null,
	"path": "/current?lang=en&lon=37.7749&lat=122.4194",
	"headers": {
		"x-rapidapi-host": "weatherbit-v1-mashape.p.rapidapi.com",
		"x-rapidapi-key": "SIGN-UP-FOR-KEY"
	}
};

var req = http.request(options, function (res) {
	var chunks = [];

	res.on("data", function (chunk) {
		chunks.push(chunk);
	});

	res.on("end", function () {
		var body = Buffer.concat(chunks);
		console.log(body.toString());
	});
});

req.end();

AccuWeather currently provides a set of nine weather APIs which includes:

• Forecast API
• Current Conditions API
• Alerts API
• Imagery API

The AccuWeather API delivers detailed current, historical, and forecasted weather information for locations all over the world. Developers could build a wide range of innovative and engaging weather data-powered applications using AccuWeather.

There is even an Indices API that provides flight delays, mosquito activity, stargazing, and dozens of other daily index values for a specific location. The API documentation is nicely designed, comprehensive, and includes interactive documentation to try out API endpoints and see the responses (using the weather API key).

The free trial and paid plans include current conditions, 24-hour historical current conditions, forecasts, and indices.

AccuWeather API Pricing

The paid packages vary when it comes to the forecast in days/hours as well as indices, alerts, imagery, and other advanced weather features. An enterprise solution is available which provides historical weather data going back 60 years.

Example API Call (Python)

import http.client

conn = http.client.HTTPSConnection("accuweatherstefan-skliarovv1.p.rapidapi.com")

payload = ""

headers = {
    'x-rapidapi-host': "AccuWeatherstefan-skliarovV1.p.rapidapi.com",
    'x-rapidapi-key': "SIGN-UP-FOR-KEY",
    'content-type': "application/x-www-form-urlencoded"
    }

conn.request("POST", "/get24HoursConditionsByLocationKey", payload, headers)

res = conn.getresponse()
data = res.read()

print(data.decode("utf-8"))

The Dark Sky app is one of the most accurate sources of hyperlocal weather information. The Dark Sky API (formerly Forecast.io) allows developers to access Dark Sky's weather data through the API (and was recently mentioned as one of the best weather APIs on reddit). The API provides:

• Current weather conditions
• Minute-by-minute forecasts out to one hour
• Hour-by-hour and day-by-day forecasts out to seven days
• Hour-by-hour and day-by-day observations going back decades
• Severe weather alerts in the US, Canada, European Union member nations, and Israel

Developers have two basic API requests to choose from, Forecast and Time Machine. The Forecast Request returns the current weather forecast for the next week, and the Time Machine Request returns weather conditions (observed or forecast) for a given date (past or future).

In some locations, historical weather data goes back 100 years. The API doesn’t come with any weather icons so that developers can use third-party icons or their own custom icons.

The one-page documentation is detailed, easy to follow, and includes several example requests in JSON. Developers can also find many unofficial Dark Sky API wrapper libraries on GitHub.

DarkSky API Pricing

The API pricing is very simple; the first 1,000 API calls per day are free. After that, calls are $0.0001 each. Enterprise volume discount pricing is also available at this time.

How to use the Dark Sky API with Node.js (JavaScript)

Example API Call (Java)

OkHttpClient client = new OkHttpClient();

Request request = new Request.Builder()
  .url("https://dark-sky.p.rapidapi.com/37.774929,-122.419418?lang=en&units=auto")
  .get()
  .addHeader("x-rapidapi-host", "dark-sky.p.rapidapi.com")
  .addHeader("x-rapidapi-key", "SIGN-UP-FOR-KEY")
  .build();

Response response = client.newCall(request).execute();

The Weather2020 API is the most popular long-range weather forecast API that provides forecasts up to 12 weeks by:

• Latitude & Longitude
• Zip Code
• City & State

Used by popular mobile apps like 1Weather, and already serving over 10 million forecasts a day, the Weather2020 long range weather forecasts give you something new and unique for your weather, travel or outdoor applications.

The Weather2020 Basic freemium plan provides 1000 free API requests/day. View all pricing plans for more info.

Example API Call (C#)

var client = new RestClient("https://weather2020-weather-v1.p.rapidapi.com/zip/e8ecee8ff60c478f8a36280fea0524fe/94105");
var request = new RestRequest(Method.GET);
request.AddHeader("x-rapidapi-host", "weather2020-weather-v1.p.rapidapi.com");
request.AddHeader("x-rapidapi-key", "SIGN-UP-FOR-KEY");
IRestResponse response = client.Execute(request);

ClimaCell has a popular weather API powered by its MicroWeather technology.

Optimized for low latency, high accuracy, and integration with our MicroWeather Operating System tools. Weather data optimized to solve complex business problems.

Use this API to:

• Get the right information
• Generate invaluable insights
• and drive actions

- in just a few lines of code.

Example API Call (Node.js)

var unirest = require("unirest");

var req = unirest("GET", "https://climacell-microweather-v1.p.rapidapi.com/weather/nowcast");

req.query({
  "fields": "precipitation",
  "unit_system": "si",
  "lat": "42.8237618",
  "lon": "-71.2216286"
});

req.headers({
  "x-rapidapi-host": "climacell-microweather-v1.p.rapidapi.com",
  "x-rapidapi-key": "SIGN-UP-FOR-KEY"
});


req.end(function (res) {
  if (res.error) throw new Error(res.error);

  console.log(res.body);
});