RainViewer
Radar data collected from different websites across the Internet.
About RainViewer
RainViewer provides a weather radar API that serves tiled radar map data aggregated from over 1,200 radars across more than 150 countries, refreshed every 5 minutes. The same data feeds RainViewer's own iOS, Android, and web applications. The Weather Maps API returns radar tile URLs, timeline metadata covering the past 2 hours plus nowcast frames, and color scheme variants, and can be used to build map overlays, automated weather notifications, and embedded radar widgets.
Access does not require registration or an API key. The free tier is intended for personal, educational, and small-scale community use, with no published rate limits or SLA; RainViewer recommends caching responses and warns that abuse may lead to IP blocking. Attribution crediting RainViewer with a link back to rainviewer.com is required under the free terms of use.
The service is aimed at individual developers, students, and small community projects building weather-related applications. High-volume commercial use or applications requiring guaranteed availability are not covered by the free tier; RainViewer states that commercial terms for such use are arranged case-by-case.
Key features
- Tiled weather radar maps covering 1200+ radars in 150+ countries
- Radar imagery refreshed every 5 minutes
- Timeline metadata for the past 2 hours plus nowcast frames
- Multiple color scheme variants for radar tiles
- No registration or API key required to access endpoints
Frequently asked questions
Is the RainViewer API free to use?
Yes, the public Weather Maps API is free for personal, educational, and small-scale community use, with no paid tier currently offered.
Do I need an API key to use RainViewer?
No, no registration or API key is required for the free tier; you can fetch JSON endpoints and tile URLs directly.
Is attribution required when using the API?
Yes, you must display credit such as "Weather data by RainViewer" with a link back to rainviewer.com.
Can I use the RainViewer API commercially?
The free tier targets personal, educational, and small community projects; commercial or high-volume use requires contacting RainViewer for bespoke terms.
Are there rate limits or an uptime guarantee?
There are no posted hard rate limits and no published SLA, so the API is provided best-effort and abuse may lead to IP blocking.
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