Anyone submitting weather reports to Windy?

[Tenedos]

The more I use Windy, the more I like it.

Recently, I noticed reports from some ships also show up.

I don't know how Windy gets this information but looks like they have an API to submit the weather information to them directly (see link).

Wondering if anyone submitting reports from their boats to them?

[Tenedos]

I went ahead and implemented a solution on my boat to submit data to Windy. It is now live! I send wind speed, direction and temperature. If you have the right instruments, it can also submit humidity and pressure.

I do this from a Raspberry Pi that is connected to my NMEA 2000/SeatalkNg network via a PiCAN2 board. I run a variety of different things on the Raspberry Pi, including a Signal K server, and AIS stations for MarineTraffic and AIS Hub.

I did develop a Signal K plugin for this, available at the following link:

https://github.com/itemir/signalk-windy

If you have a similar setup, all you need is to download the plugin and configure it with an API key that you obtain from Windy. If not, a similar setup can be created for less than $100.

[GadgetGeek]

If your PWS sends to CWOP / MADIS then Windy pulls it automatically. Windy does have a way to upload directly if you have software that has integrated that upload tool OR you have the ability to use the API to write your own upload script. Their website says that if your PWS is sending to CWOP / MADIS there is no need to register the station on their site and in fact today, I did and it caused a bunch of problems so I deleted my station from their site and am just letting them get the CWOP / MADIS info. Less for me to do. I do not understand how you would do this if you were sailing and moving unless your weather upload script is pulling in your location in real time to send along with the WX packets. I'm sure that is totally possible but my PWS is mounted on a fence so I didn't have to figure that part out.

I'm actually browsing the forums today to see if and what personal weather stations people have on their sailboats.

Back to the hunt. Hope I helped.

[GadgetGeek]

Originally Posted by Tenedos

I went ahead and implemented a solution on my boat to submit data to Windy. It is now live!

Pretty cool.

When you are moving does it send apparent wind or true?

Would it be easy to send Lat/Lon along with the WX packets?

I may have to check this out. Thanks!

[Tenedos]

Originally Posted by GadgetGeek

Windy does have a way to upload directly if you have software that has integrated that upload tool OR you have the ability to use the API to write your own upload script.

This code uses their API directly.

Originally Posted by GadgetGeek

I do not understand how you would do this if you were sailing and moving unless your weather upload script is pulling in your location in real time to send along with the WX packets.

At every weather update, location is also updated. So as you move, your weather reporting position moves too. This is what makes it different than a typical PWS. A typical PWS is fixed and doesn't move but obviously a boat does

Originally Posted by GadgetGeek

Pretty cool.
When you are moving does it send apparent wind or true?

Would it be easy to send Lat/Lon along with the WX packets?

Thanks. It reports the true wind, apparent would not make much sense. And yes, as I mentioned above, latitude and longitude are sent at every update and are reflected on Windy.com.

[GadgetGeek]

Originally Posted by Tenedos

...latitude and longitude are sent at every update and are reflected on Windy.com.

I'll have to watch your station ID to see you reporting on the move. That's pretty cool.

[Tenedos]

Originally Posted by GadgetGeek

I'll have to watch your station ID to see you reporting on the move. That's pretty cool.

Sure. Here are two boats (or weather stations!) that are using this plugin:

1. https://www.windy.com/station/pws-af...872,-122.499,8
2. https://www.windy.com/station/pws-f0...628,-122.393,8

These should start moving as we start sailing. If anyone else starts using the plugin, please let me know.

[jmh2002]

Originally Posted by GadgetGeek

I'll have to watch your station ID to see you reporting on the move. That's pretty cool.

Some commercial ships also report their data while underway, this has always been the case.

So of course some of these reports are also visible in Windy too.