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Satellite

Guide

The Global Satellite API provides past and current weather map overlay tiles rendered from satellite data, for layering on top of existing maps.

For full request and response field details, see Satellite Parameters.

Tile requests

Endpoint	Description
ZXY and ZYX format	Request tiles by coordinates
Quadkey format	Request tiles by unique quadkey code
Blank tiles	Request blank/empty tiles

Product requests

Endpoint	Description
List available products	List all available satellite products
List active products	List currently active satellite products
Request frames for products	Get time frames for specific products
Request frames for box	Get frames within a bounding box
Request products for tiles	Get products available for specific tiles

Static satellite map images

Endpoint	Description
Static satellite map by city	Static satellite image for a city
Static satellite map by admin area	Static satellite image for an admin area
Static satellite map by country	Static satellite image for a country

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Tile requests

There are multiple methods for requesting tiles from Global Satellite. ZXY and ZYX formats provide a means of identifying tiles directly by coordinates, while quadkey identifies tiles by a unique code.

ZXY and ZYX format

The ZXY URL format is a standard Google format. It requires the zoom level (z), the x coordinate (x), the y coordinate (y), and a full time and date for the requested weather data. These four variables determine which tile is returned by the call and what information it contains.

Code
https://api.accuweather.com/maps/v1/satellite/globalIR/zxy/{yyyy-mm-dd}T{hh:mm:ss}Z/{zoom}/{x}/{y}.png?apikey={your key}&display_mode={display mode}

The ZYX URL format is nearly identical but will return the most recent tile for the provided location. Date and time are not necessary for this call. The call is redirected (via 302 redirect) to an altered response URL that includes the appropriate date and time.

Code
https://api.accuweather.com/maps/v1/satellite/globalIR/zxy/tile/{zoom}/{x}/{y}.png?apikey={your key}&display_mode={display mode}

Example

A simple search for a specific tile with a zoom level of 4, at coordinates X=9 and Y=4 will look like this:

Code
https://api.accuweather.com/maps/v1/satellite/globalIR/zxy/4/9/4.png?apikey={your key}

The call will redirect to the most recently available time and date for that tile, and the response will be the specified tile showing current weather data:

Code
https://api.accuweather.com/maps/v1/satellite/globalIR/zxy/2019-02-05T18:00:00Z/4/9/4.png?apikey={your key}

Quadkey format

This method is used to get tiles in the quadtree key (quadkey) format used by Microsoft. Quadkey is an alternative method for identifying individual tiles in a map grid. Instead of separating values, it combines all identifying factors into a solid numerical string. The correct URL formatting is shown below.

Code
https://api.accuweather.com/maps/v1/satellite/globalIR/quadkey/{quadkey value}.png?apikey={your key}&display_mode={display mode}

Tile requests that yield no graphical data will redirect to a blank tile. See below for details.

Example

Code
https://api.accuweather.com/maps/v1/satellite/globalIR/quadkey/03133.png?apikey={your key}

Blank tiles

If a tile request yields no graphical data, the API returns a generic blank tile. The URL redirects to a static address that contains the blank tile. The correct URL formatting is shown below.

Code
https://api.accuweather.com/maps/v1/satellite/globalIR/blank.png?apikey={your key}&display_mode={display mode}

---

Product requests

List available products

Returns a list of available products within the Global Satellite API. This function can be used to move the map to a specific product. The correct URL formatting is shown below.

Code
https://api.accuweather.com/maps/v1/satellite/globalIR/request_products?apikey={your key}&locations={boolean}

Setting locations to true will return an extra object within each product that provides a bounding box for that product.

Example

Code
https://api.accuweather.com/maps/v1/satellite/globalIR/request_products?apikey={your key}&locations=true

Response:

Code
{
  "products": [
    {
      "color": "#cb7909",
      "location": {
        "east": -131.7631072998,
        "north": 67.097557067871,
        "south": 54.786991119385,
        "west": -170.07392883301
      },
      "major": 62,
      "minor": 1003,
      "name": "alaska"
    },
    {
      "color": "#ebc709",
      "location": {
        "east": 155.57179260254,
        "north": -9.5700511932373,
        "south": -45.182079315186,
        "west": 111.39388275146
      },
      "major": 64,
      "minor": 1003,
      "name": "australia"
    },
    {
      "color": "#093405",
      "location": {
        "east": -47.399997711182,
        "north": 27.499975204468,
        "south": -1.39000248909,
        "west": -94.000030517578
      },
      "major": 34,
      "minor": 1001,
      "name": "caribbean"
    },
    ...
  ],
  "url": "https://api.accuweather.com/maps/v1/satellite/globalIR/"
}

List active products

Returns a list of products within the current map bounding box. The correct URL formatting is shown below.

Code
https://api.accuweather.com/maps/v1/satellite/globalIR/preferred_box_products?apikey={your key}&toplat={north latitude}&bottomlat={southern latitude}&rightlon={eastern longitude}&leftlon={western longitude}&zoom={zoom level}&attribute={boolean}

Example

Code
https://api.accuweather.com/maps/v1/satellite/globalIR/preferred_box_products?apikey={your key}&toplat=66&bottomlat=-22&rightlon=95&leftlon=-55&zoom=3&attribute=true

Response:

Code
{
  "products": [
    {
      "color": "#093405",
      "major": 34,
      "minor": 1001,
      "name": "caribbean"
    },
    {
      "color": "#2af307",
      "major": 52,
      "minor": 1002,
      "name": "canada"
    },
    {
      "color": "#ef7402",
      "major": 16,
      "minor": 1007,
      "name": "nw_europe"
    },
    ...
  ],
  "url": "https://api.accuweather.com/maps/v1/satellite/globalIR/"
}

Request frames for products

Returns a list of mutual frames for all listed products. The correct URL formatting is shown below.

Code
https://api.accuweather.com/maps/v1/satellite/globalIR/preferred_product_frames?apikey={your key}&products={major}-{minor},{major}-{minor},...&attribute={boolean}

Example

Code
https://api.accuweather.com/maps/v1/satellite/globalIR/preferred_product_frames?apikey={your key}&products=16-1004,16-1005,16-1001,16-1002,16-1003&attribute=true

Response:

Code
{
  "attributions": [
    {
      "assetcode": "111",
      "sourceid": 39,
      "sourcename": "State Meteorological Agency"
    }
  ],
  "frames": [
    "2019-02-12T13:20:00Z",
    "2019-02-12T13:35:00Z",
    "2019-02-12T13:50:00Z",
    "2019-02-12T14:05:00Z",
    "2019-02-12T14:20:00Z"
  ],
  "url": "https://api.accuweather.com/maps/v1/satellite/globalIR/"
}

Request frames for box

Returns a list of frames within the current map bounding box. The response includes attributions. The correct URL formatting is shown below.

Code
https://api.accuweather.com/maps/v1/satellite/globalIR/preferred_box_frames?apikey={your key}&toplat={north latitude}&bottomlat={southern latitude}&rightlon={eastern longitude}&leftlon={western longitude}&zoom={zoom level}&attribute={boolean}

Example

Code
https://api.accuweather.com/maps/v1/satellite/globalIR/preferred_product_frames?apikey={your key}&toplat=49&bottomlat=28&rightlon=17&leftlon=-20&zoom=5&attribute=true

Response:

Code
{
  "frames": [
    "2019-05-31T08:00:00Z",
    "2019-05-31T09:00:00Z",
    "2019-05-31T10:00:00Z",
    "2019-05-31T11:00:00Z",
    "2019-05-31T12:00:00Z",
    "2019-05-31T13:00:00Z",
    "2019-05-31T14:00:00Z"
  ],
  "url": "https://api.accuweather.com/maps/v1/satellite/globalIR/"
}

Request products for tiles

Returns a list of products within a specified map bounding box. The top left corner of the box is defined by X1, Y1 and the bottom right corner of the box is defined by X2, Y2. The correct URL formatting is shown below.

Code
https://api.accuweather.com/maps/v1/satellite/globalIR/preferred_tile_products?apikey={your key}&x1={top left x coordinate}&y1={top left y coordinate}&x2={bottom right x coordinate}&y2={bottom right y coordinate}&z={zoom level}&attribute={boolean}

Example

Code
https://api.accuweather.com/maps/v1/satellite/globalIR/preferred_tile_products?apikey={your key}&x1=6&y1=5&x2=8&y2=6&z=4&attribute=true

Response:

Code
{
  "products": [
    {
      "color": "#ef7402",
      "major": 16,
      "minor": 1007,
      "name": "nw_europe"
    },
    {
      "color": "#ed7402",
      "major": 16,
      "minor": 1005,
      "name": "germany"
    },
    {
      "color": "#ec7402",
      "major": 16,
      "minor": 1004,
      "name": "uk_ireland"
    },
    ...
  ],
  "url": "https://api.accuweather.com/maps/v1/satellite/globalIR/"
}

---

Static satellite map

Returns a static weather satellite image that includes a base map image in a single file.

Static satellite map by city

Search by city to return a localized satellite map image.

Code
https://{baseUrl}/maps/{version}/satellite/staticImage/{imagedimensions}/cities/{locationkey}?apikey={your key}&language={languagecode}&theme={light or dark}&legend={boolean}&imgtype={png or jpg}

Example

Code
https://api.accuweather.com/maps/v1/satellite/staticImage/480x270/cities/349727?apikey={your key}&theme=light&legend=false&imgtype=jpg

Static satellite map by admin area

Search by political division within a country such as state or province.

Code
https://{baseUrl}/maps/{version}/satellite/staticImage/{imagedimensions}/adminareas/{countrycode}/{region}?apikey={your key}&language={languagecode}&theme={light or dark}&legend={boolean}&imgtype={png or jpg}

Example

Code
https://api.accuweather.com/maps/v1/satellite/staticImage/768x432/adminareas/US/PA?apikey={your key}&legend=true

Static satellite map by country

Code
https://{baseUrl}/maps/{version}/satellite/staticImage/{imagedimensions}/countries/{countrycode}?apikey={your key}&language={languagecode}&theme={light or dark}&legend={boolean}&imgtype={png or jpg}

Example

Code
https://api.accuweather.com/maps/v1/satellite/staticImage/480x270/countries/US?apikey={your key}&theme=dark&legend=true