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No METAR Data Returned by FAA API. CLICK for Raw METAR

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(@kevin_404)
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Joined: 4 years ago
Posts: 0
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I'm getting the following error with a number of airports (KMBO being one) yet when I look at the METAR there is current data there.  Any idea what is causing it? [KMBO, KF00, KRWK]


   
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Mark Harris
(@markyharris)
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Joined: 5 years ago
Posts: 557
 

If you are referring to the data that is returned on the airport's editor page, this is something that is a timing issue. The FAA products used are different between the LED lights on the map and the editor page. And many times they won't be the same. I have no idea why this would be the case. So its not a bug, but rather a reality when using the FAA API data. - Mark


   
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(@kevin_404)
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Joined: 4 years ago
Posts: 0
Topic starter  

@markyharris the LED for a given airport does not light up despite the fact that FAA shows weather data (KMBO is an example).  Within the airport editor it gives the error copy/pasted in the title.  Let me know if when you put that airport in your map, the LED updates appropriately for the weather.  I am running 4.373.


   
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Mark Harris
(@markyharris)
Member Admin Registered
Joined: 5 years ago
Posts: 557
 

Here's the API call being made for each airport;

 https://www.aviationweather.gov/adds/dataserver_current/httpparam?dataSource=metars&requestType=retrieve&format=xml&hoursBeforeNow=1.5&stationString=KMBO 

You can change the airport ID at the end of the command to whatever airport you would like to test and enter the entire string into the URL box of your browser and you'll get the raw data returned by the FAA.

Here is the current output from the FAA for KMBO;

<response xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" version="1.2" xsi:noNamespaceSchemaLocation="http://www.aviationweather.gov/static/adds/schema/metar1_2.xsd">
<request_index>370480375</request_index>
<data_source name="metars"/>
<request type="retrieve"/>
<errors/>
<warnings/>
<time_taken_ms>2</time_taken_ms>
<data num_results="0"/>
</response>
 
By contrast, here is a partial output for KFLG;
<responsexmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema"xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"version="1.2"xsi:noNamespaceSchemaLocation="http://www.aviationweather.gov/static/adds/schema/metar1_2.xsd">
<request_index>370476320</request_index>
<data_sourcename="metars"/>
<requesttype="retrieve"/>
<errors/>
<warnings/>
<time_taken_ms>2</time_taken_ms>
<datanum_results="6">
<METAR>
<raw_text>KFLG 150057Z 00000KT 10SM SCT110 24/09 A3035 RMK AO2 SLP182 T02440089</raw_text>
<station_id>KFLG</station_id>
<observation_time>2023-08-15T00:57:00Z</observation_time>
<latitude>35.13</latitude>
<longitude>-111.67</longitude>
<temp_c>24.4</temp_c>
<dewpoint_c>8.9</dewpoint_c>
<wind_dir_degrees>0</wind_dir_degrees>
<wind_speed_kt>0</wind_speed_kt>
<visibility_statute_mi>10.0</visibility_statute_mi>
<altim_in_hg>30.351377</altim_in_hg>
<sea_level_pressure_mb>1018.2</sea_level_pressure_mb>
<quality_control_flags>
<auto_station>TRUE</auto_station>
</quality_control_flags>
<sky_conditionsky_cover="SCT"cloud_base_ft_agl="11000"/>
<flight_category>VFR</flight_category>
<metar_type>SPECI</metar_type>
<elevation_m>2134.0</elevation_m>
</METAR>
</data>
</response>
 
So for whatever reason, the FAA is not returning data for this particular airport. - Mark
 

   
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(@kevin_404)
Active Member
Joined: 4 years ago
Posts: 0
Topic starter  

@markyharris thanks for confirming... any idea who to reach out to at FAA to report something like this?


   
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Mark Harris
(@markyharris)
Member Admin Registered
Joined: 5 years ago
Posts: 557
 

I'm afraid I don't, but you can check out the admin page here;

 https://www.aviationweather.gov/dataserver 

There may be contact info that you can reach out to.

Also, while this may not be ideal, you can use KJAN's metar data in place of KMBO's for the time being. - Mark


   
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