Maya VPS

A reliable, easy-to-search, international weather feed service is hard to come by. There are lots out there, but they either require a complicated sign-up process, are limited to a single country, or make searching for location weather a multi-step process.

Google Weather API

As it turns out, Google has a key-free "secret," undocumented weather API that is commonly used for iGoogle. Surprisingly, there is no sign-up process, it's international, and there's only one feed file to deal with. Getting the feed for a location is as simple as calling: http://www.google.com/ig/api?weather=Mountain+View.

The PHP Class

Here's a quick class I whipped up that you can use. It caches and parses that XML file into a friendly array. Modifications may be necessary for it to work properly with your server install. You use it at your own risk. You can change the cache time to whatever you like, but I wouldn't hit Google's servers too hard.

What It Features

• 15-minute location feed caching (even for locations not found)
• 1-week weather icon caching
• Measurements converted and added for metric system
• Normalizes search location to non-accent characters before sending for optimum search

What's Necessary (Download Link Above)

• google.weather.class.php
• resize.class.php (Image resizer class by Jarrod Oberto)
• GD Graphics Library PHP module installed
• Write access

The Example

The End Result

Paris, Île-de-France

Rain - 18°F - Wind: N at 2 mph - Humidty: 93%

Forecast date: 2/9/2012 07:22 UTC

Thu - Partly Sunny: 19°F/34°F

Fri - Mostly Sunny: 19°F/34°F

Sat - Mostly Sunny: 16°F/32°F

Sun - Mostly Sunny: 23°F/34°F

Get All Available Data

In order to get weather for a location, we simply pass our search string, like "Paris" below and let Google handle the magic. The result is a data array that we can print_r to see all the info.

<?php
 
require('google.weather.class.php');
$weather = new GoogleWeather("Paris", "m");
if($data = $weather->get_conditions()) {
	echo '<pre>'.print_r($data, TRUE).'</pre>';
} else {
	echo 'No data available for this location';
}
 
?>

The Result

Array
(
	[forecast_information] => Array
		(
			[city] => Paris, Île-de-France
			[postal_code] => paris
			[latitude_e6] => 
			[longitude_e6] => 
			[forecast_date] => 2012-02-09
			[current_date_time] => 2012-02-09 07:22:40 +0000
			[unit_system] => US
			[timestamp] => 1328772160
		)
	[current_conditions] => Array
		(
			[condition] => Rain
			[humidity] => 93%
			[icon] => icons/m/rain.gif
			[temp] => Array
				(
					[f] => 18
					[c] => -8
				)
			[wind] => Array
				(
					[mph] => N at 2 mph
					[kph] => N at 3 kph
				)
		)
	[forecast_conditions] => Array
		(
			[0] => Array
				(
					[day_of_week] => Thu
					[icon] => icons/m/mostly_sunny.gif
					[condition] => Partly Sunny
					[high] => Array
						(
							[f] => 34
							[c] => 1
						)
					[low] => Array
						(
							[f] => 19
							[c] => -7
						)
				)
			[1] => Array
				(
					[day_of_week] => Fri
					[icon] => icons/m/mostly_sunny.gif
					[condition] => Mostly Sunny
					[high] => Array
						(
							[f] => 34
							[c] => 1
						)
					[low] => Array
						(
							[f] => 19
							[c] => -7
						)
				)
			[2] => Array
				(
					[day_of_week] => Sat
					[icon] => icons/m/mostly_sunny.gif
					[condition] => Mostly Sunny
					[high] => Array
						(
							[f] => 32
							[c] => 0
						)
					[low] => Array
						(
							[f] => 16
							[c] => -9
						)
				)
			[3] => Array
				(
					[day_of_week] => Sun
					[icon] => icons/m/mostly_sunny.gif
					[condition] => Mostly Sunny
					[high] => Array
						(
							[f] => 34
							[c] => 1
						)
					[low] => Array
						(
							[f] => 23
							[c] => -5
						)
				)
		)
)

Some Notes

This is a no-charge service and as such, Google can take it down or change it at anytime without notice. With that in mind, use it wisely.