weather data for free

Filed in archive Technology on December 4, 2004

Wired reports about the bold step of the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to make weather data available for free via a web service.

"Commercial weather providers like accuweather and The Weather Channel then massage the data, supplement it with their own and turn it into consumer-friendly websites and TV weather segments. The commercial weather providers make more than $1 billion in revenue each year from sales to media, transportation companies, farmers and financial traders, according to Barry Myers, AccuWeather's executive vice president.

That arrangement rankled some. "The public should not have to pay twice for access to basic government information that has been created at taxpayer expense," wrote Ari Schwartz, an associate director of the nonprofit Center for Democracy and Technology, in a July 28, 2004, essay.

Web services are a wonderful technology if they are made simple enough. I can think about some nice integration. However many of the links provided at the tech page are leading to nirwana, hopefully the project won't be abandoned soon.