Last modified October 14, 2011
Coded Weather
The weather for each period is provided in a coded format to allow for more custom implementations where the provided weather phrasing and icons are not desired. The weatherCoded field provides the complete listing of weather codes broken up by time periods within its parent period, which gives the start times when a particular weather type is expected to begin. A single weather code is given for the entire period in the weatherCodedPrimary field, which is the weather type across all periods with the highest priority.
The weather codes are given in the following standard format:
[coverage]:[intensity]:[weather]
For example, the following code suggests that there is a slight chance (S) for light (L) rain showers (RW) for the period:
S:L:RW
If a weather type is not expected for any period, then the clouds code will be provided in place of the weather field along with empty values for coverage and intensity:
::FW
The following tables describe the meaning of the various codes that can be used to determine the actual weather type for that period.
Cloud Codes
| CL | Clear | Cloud coverage is 0-7% of the sky. |
| FW | Fair/mostly sunny | Cloud coverage is 7-32% of the sky. |
| SC | Partly cloudy | Cloud coverage is 32-70% of the sky. |
| BK | Mostly cloudy | Cloud coverage is 70-95% of the sky. |
| OV | Cloudy | Cloud coverage is 95-100% of the sky. |
Coverage Codes
| AR | Areas of | |
| BR | Brief | |
| C | Chance of | |
| D | Definite | |
| FQ | Frequent | |
| IN | Intermittent | |
| IS | Isolated | |
| L | Likely | |
| NM | Numerous | |
| O | Occasional | |
| PA | Patchy | |
| PD | Periods of | |
| S | Slight chance | |
| SC | Scattered | |
| WD | Widespread |
Intensity Codes
| VL | Very light | |
| L | Light | |
| H | Heavy | |
| VH | Very heavy |
Weather Codes
| A | Hail | |
| BD | Blowing dust | |
| BN | Blowing sand | |
| BS | Blowing snow | |
| F | Fog | |
| FR | Frost | |
| H | Haze | |
| IC | Ice crystals | |
| IF | Ice fog | |
| IP | Ice pellets/sleet | |
| K | Smoke | |
| L | Drizzle | |
| R | Rain | |
| RW | Rain showers | |
| RS | Rain/snow mix | |
| SI | Snow/sleet mix | |
| WM | Wintry mix | |
| S | Snow | |
| SW | Snow showers | |
| T | Thunderstorms | |
| VA | Volcanic ash | |
| WP | Water spouts | |
| ZF | Freezing spray | |
| ZL | Freezing drizzle | |
| ZR | Freezing rain |