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
Cloud codes indicate the percentage of the sky that is covered by clouds.
| 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/Overcast | Cloud coverage is 95-100% of the sky. |
Coverage codes are used with coded weather strings to provide information regarding the coverage of precipitation or other weather types. This can be used to determine how widespread a specific weather type will be, from isolated to definite.
| 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 | |
| VC | In the vicinity/Nearby | |
| WD | Widespread |
Intensity codes indicate how heavy or light the accompanying weather type is or will be.
| VL | Very light | |
| L | Light | |
| H | Heavy | |
| VH | Very heavy | |
| Moderate (if no intensity is provided, moderate weather type is assumed) |
Weather codes indicate the type of weather that is observed or forecasted. These codes are typically combined with the Coverage and Intensity codes to provide more specifics regarding the weather conditions.
| A | Hail | |
| BD | Blowing dust | |
| BN | Blowing sand | |
| BR | Mist | |
| BS | Blowing snow | |
| BY | Blowing spray | |
| F | Fog | |
| FC | Funnel Cloud | |
| 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 (snow, sleet, rain) | |
| S | Snow | |
| SW | Snow showers | |
| T | Thunderstorms | |
| TO | Tornado | |
| UP | Unknown precipitation | May occur in an automated observation station, which cannot determine the precipitation type falling. |
| VA | Volcanic ash | |
| WP | Waterspouts | |
| ZF | Freezing fog | |
| ZL | Freezing drizzle | |
| ZR | Freezing rain | |
| ZY | Freezing spray |
Last modified: July 27, 2015