Weather Underground API

New Weather Underground API
PHP Script

This page documents some PHP scripts I have written to work with the New Weather Underground API. Specifically, the scripts consist of a base script which contains functions to access the API, a user data include script that contains the user api key & settings, and several scripts to call the functions. At the time of this writing the scripts will access the conditions, forecast, or a combined conditions&forecast. I have also included a brief documentation file that outlines how to install and use the scripts. The documentation is displayed on this page.

Some notable features:

The main scripts will access the API by postal code.
Specific weather stations can be associated with postal codes for observed weather conditions.
The scripts can output a full web page OR output a JavaScript document.write () statement which can be used within an html page.
The script supports the full 5 day Weather Underground forecasts.
A cache file is used to minimize API accesses. Using the cache greatly reduces accesses.
The scripts include multiple icon sets for the forecast icons.
The scripts support CSS. The user specifies the css prefix and the returned html code contains class definitions.
The scripts include a Weather Underground/ IBM logo. The logo can be resized, turned off, or replaced by the user.
The scripts include an API driven weather sticker gadget that uses no Flash or JavaScript. Customize it!
The script uses cURL for http accesses and will work on almost all PHP configurations.
Output can be either English or Metric units. F temp., in/Hg baro, inch rain, mph wind -or- C temp, mb baro, mm rain, km/h wind.
Sun/Moon rise/set times and icons can be switched on or off in the forecast.
The code is extensively commented and can be modified by any competent PHP programmer.
Now shows a link to National Weather Service alerts for US zip codes if an alert is detected.
The new scripts are fairly compatible with my older WU API scripts. Install these scripts then place an uppercase N in front of the calling script names on your web pages. This new version only supports postal codes and provides a 5 day forecast. Some things in the old API were removed from the new API such as weather alerts, UV index, barometer trend, and weather condition text (Windy, Cloudy, etc.). With this version alerts for US zip codes have been restored using an NWS search. Icons are now hosted locally on your server and I have included many sets. Two icon sets are derived from the old API styles with one for light and one for dark backgrounds. The other sets consists of stock icons offered by IBM as well as variations on them and Weather Underground inspired designs. Astute users can now easily create their own icon set. The IBM Cloud servers and the local icons make the new API run a bit faster. The new API also supports many languages and postal codes. The full IBM Cloud documentation for it is here: CLICK
The free API key is only available to Weather Underground active weather station owners/uploaders. Get yours while they last!

The script requires PHP >= 5.3 be installed on your server. It also requires you have a valid Weather Underground API key.

Demonstration

The inline frame below is displaying the output from the combined conditions and forecast script.
You can also see this running live on my weather station site. Conditions: logo=on, Alerts=off --- Forecast: logo=off, icons=on.
Please note that you can display just conditions, just the forecast, or a combination using these scripts.
Note: Lately the WU API pws lookup has been returning bad results. If the demo doesn't return the conditions it is due to this bad data.
When using this script for your personal station you can specify your station ID for your zip code and bypass this lookup.

Documentation

New Weather Underground API scripts - Documentation.
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These scripts are copyright 2019 MRE Software.  The SALE or REDISTRIBUTION without the express written consent of Emery Wooten is prohibited.  Do not post any part of this source code for download on the Internet or transfer to any other party.  If someone wants the scripts please refer them to my website at www.mresoftware.com. You are free to use and modify this code but do so with knowledge of the disclaimer below.

USE AT YOUR OWN RISK!  THERE IS NO WARRANTY EITHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED.  THIS IS UNSUPPORTED SOURCE CODE.
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First things:
Step 1: Make a BACKUP copy of these files before you modify anything.  At least you will have a clean copy if you screw something up.
Step 2: Obtain your free API key from Weather Underground.  The scripts won't run without a key.
Step 3: Edit the Nwu_userData.php file placing your api key in the code near the top of the page.
Step 4: You will notice a few more user definables.  They are pretty self explanatory.  Play with them later.
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Included Files:
Nwu_api.php => This is the main code which includes the functions needed to make api calls.
Nwucond2html.php => A complete web page with current conditions from the location requested.
Nwucond2js.php => Returns a javascript document.write () statement with the generated html code for conditions from the location.
Nwufcst2html.php => A complete web page with forecast from the location requested.
Nwufcst2js.php => Returns a javascript document.write () statement with the generated html code for forecast from the location.
Nwucf2html.php => A complete web page with conditions and forecast from the location requested.
Nwucf2js.php => Returns a javascript document.write () statement with the generated html code for conditions and forecast from the location.
Nwu_gadget.php => Generates the API powered weather sticker gadget.
Nwu_api_images folder:
     wu_icons sub folder => contains the icon sets for the forecast	
     wunderground_logo.png => A transparent png image of one of the wunderground logos.  More available at their website.
     gadget_bg.png => The weather gadget background image.
     gadget_c0.png - gadget_c15.png => The 16 gadget compass point images.
wu.css => a sample style sheet file.
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Install:
Step 1: Copy all the files and sub folders to a folder on your server.
Step 2: Make the tmp subfolder writable. (permission 755)  This is for the cache files.
Step 3: At this point, use your browser to execute the Nwucf2html.php file on your server by typing its url.  If all is well you should see the conditions and forecast for Fairhope, AL.
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Options, switches, editing the defaults.

wu_zip => Use a postal code for the location.  For Canadian codes use just the first 3 characters (example: H1A)
wu_css => The css prefix.  Say you want to use "wx" as a prefix in your css file you would write styles for wxchannel, wxtitle, wxdesc, and wxcopyright
wu_icons => 0 for no icons, 1 for icons  (default is 1)
wu_logo => 0 for do not print Wunderground logo
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Internal switches and settings.
Inside the Nwu_userData file there is a block of user editable parameters.  They are listed below

The full WU/IBM Cloud documentation for the API is here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1eKCnKXI9xnoMGRRzOL1xPCBihNV2rOet08qpE_gArAY/edit

// EASY USER EDITABLE PARAMETERS
$apiKey="xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx"; //Your Weather Underground api key
$ccode = "US"; // Your ISO country code.  Determines which zip code format to use.
$lang = "en-US"; // language default = english-us
//---
$logo_pf = "wu_api_images/wuIBM_logo.png"; // the path and filename of the Weather Underground logo image(can be "http://..." which works well on javascripts)
$gadget_path = "wu_api_images/gadget_images/"; // the path from this script to the gadget images
$icon_path = "wu_api_images/wx_icons/"; // the path to the forecast icon images
$icon_set = "g"; // icon image set
$icon_size="40px"; // specify displayed icon size (these are originally 50x50 images)
$micon_size = "14px"; // moon phase icon size
$tbl_width = "100%"; // specify table width
$time_Zone = 'America/Chicago';	// time zone to use.  See http://php.net/manual/en/timezones.php for more zones.
$round_temp = false;	// setting this true will round off current condition temperatures to whole numbers
$metric = false; // set to true for temperatures in celsius and wind in km/h
$astro = true; // set to false if you don't want sun and moon rise/set times in the forecast.
$micons = true; // moon icons on or off when astro is true
$NWS_alerts = true; // if true will detect NWS alerts and display a link - set to false to disable alerts
$NWS_zones = true; // if true will use zoneID to detect alerts instead of countyID
$NWS_customLink = false; // user can define a custom link for the NWS alerts here.  example: "http://mysite.com/my_alerts_page.htm"
//---
// User can associate zip codes with particular weather stations to force the conditions to be observed from the station of your choice.
// If the station is down or the id invalid the script will auto revert to the default station for that zip code.
// Edit/build the array below with format: "zipcode" => "station code"
$zip2station = array("36532" => "KALFAIRH6", "39773" => "KMSWESTP2");
//---
// Parameters used for caching.
$use_cache = true;		// Setting to true will greatly reduce accesses to the api. Highly recommended!
$ca_cond = 15;			// minutes to cache condtion queries - default 15 min
$ca_fcst = 60;			// minutes to cache forecast queries - default 60 min
$ca_zips = 10080;		// minutes to cache zip code lookups - default 10080 min = 1 week
$cache_folder="tmp";	// this folder needs to have write permissions on your server
// END OF EASY USER EDITABLE PARAMETERS
// User written functions can be added to this include file.
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In each calling file you will find the block of code below.  You can modify it to set your own defaults and/or you can just specify them in the url.

if(isset($_GET['wu_zip'])){
	$zipcode=$_GET['wu_zip']; // if zipcode is passed it overides all and the city, state is looked up
	}else{ $zipcode=""; // Set your default zip code here
}
if(isset($_GET['wu_css'])){
	$cssprefix=$_GET['wu_css'];
	}else{ $cssprefix="wuapi_"; // Set your default css prefix here
}
if(isset($_GET['wu_logo'])){
	$logo_display=$_GET['wu_logo'];
	}else{$logo_display=true;	// The default is logo on
}
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Some examples:
http://YourSite.com/yourFolder/wufcst2html.php?wu_zip=39701&wu_icons=0
This would return a web page with the extended forecast for Columbus, MS. without any icons.

The API powered weather gadget (sticker) is produced using the wu_gadget.php file.  It only accepts wu_zip, and wu_css in the url.  A look at the source code of the wu_gadget file will illustrate the use of defaults much like the other scripts.  One can also edit paths and timing.

The gadget DOES NOT use Adobe Flash or JavaScript.  It produces a complete, modern, CSS layout, HTML page which has a default refresh rate of 15 minutes (900 seconds).  It is intended to be displayed in an iframe and should work on devices that do not support Flash.  Users adept in CSS can edit the styles associated with the gadget in wu_css to change colors, fonts, etc.

Since the gadget generating code is part of wu_api.php it uses the same url structure, cache timing, and zip2station as the conditions.  This will reduce API calls but of course it does not update in realtime like the Weather Underground Flash stickers.  On the other hand, it outputs more detailed weather data and works on an iPad.

------------Example basic html page will produce a sticker for Chicago----------
<html>
<head>
<style type="text/css">
iframe {
	border-width: 0px;
	background-color: #E2FAE3;
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<iframe id="I1" name="I1" src="http://www.yoursite.com/yourpath/wu_gadget.php?wu_zip=60601" scrolling="no">
		Your browser does not support inline frames or is currently configured not to display inline frames.
		</iframe>
</body>
</html>
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This is an unsupported script but it was tested and works.  ENJOY!

Emery Wooten - MRE Software

Where's the beef? --- How to get the code...

I offer most of the code on this site free and allow it to be downloaded directly from the site. All I ask for in return is an unspecified small donation. The problem is, I get lots of downloads but very few donations. I put a lot of time into developing this API code so I am using a different method for delivering it to the public. For a PayPal donation of just $10.00, which is a processing fee, I will email you the code and documentation as a zip file attachment.

NEW POLICY! The code for this script can now be freely downloaded. If you use this script please do consider a donation.
To download a complete package of files for the New WU API script

DON'T FORGET, YOU ALSO GET...
This cool, API powered weather sticker gadget that uses no Flash or JavaScript.

USE AT YOUR OWN RISK!

Questions / Comments? Email me.