Automatically retrieving weather information?

[Descartes]

I know there are programs that do this, but I want to write one myself. Anyone know of a service that returns weather information reliably? Perhaps something in XML, or even HTML that I can parse, or any other format that I can program against for that matter.

Ideas? National Weather Service had a means via ftp, but surely there's a better way? I don't want to have to d/l a file via ftp each time a request is made to this program, but I'll do it if I have to.

Thanks.

 

[batgeek]

try noaa thats what we collect for our satellite retransmission.

 

[Kewlb]

if you are writing the program in visual basic, or ASP then I would say WebZinc - I use this product in a lot of programs its simple and can return anything from any website quickly, its great.

 

[Descartes]

I'll be writing this in C# with .NET, and exposing it as a web service. The HTML from weather.com's results has easily parsable tags, so I'll just use it.

 

[hungrypete]

Well, if your are familiar with weatherbug:
WeatherBug uses the power of the Internet to connect directly to the over 5,000 automated weather reporting stations that make up the AWS Worldwide School Weather Network?. Many of the sites in the AWS Network are connected to a direct Internet connection so that data is always reported in real-time. Some weather stations are not yet connected to the Internet, but are linked AWS via a standard phone line/modem setup and polled at least once per hour. In both cases, AWS repackages the data and sends it live out over the Internet to your computer.

Should be a way to use that data. I couldn't find anything more specific, but maybe this is a lead.

 

[cavingjan]

Also look at weatherunderground.