Precip discrepancy when comparing REST results to WF/SM app

1

Hiya - looking at this station (mine):

https://swd.weatherflow.com/swd/rest/observations/station/3965?api_key=[blat]

I get…

` {"station_id":3965,"station_name":"Kings Mountain","public_name":"Kings Mountain","latitude":37.44728,"longitude":-122.33502,"timezone":"America/Los_Angeles","elevation":617.2095947265625,"is_public":true,"status":{"status_code":0,"status_message":"SUCCESS"},"station_units":{"units_temp":"f","units_wind":"mph","units_precip":"in","units_pressure":"inhg","units_distance":"mi","units_direction":"cardinal","units_other":"imperial"},"outdoor_keys":["timestamp","air_temperature","barometric_pressure","station_pressure","sea_level_pressure","relative_humidity","precip","precip_accum_last_1hr","precip_accum_local_day","precip_accum_local_yesterday_final","precip_minutes_local_day","precip_minutes_local_yesterday_final","wind_avg","wind_direction","wind_gust","wind_lull","solar_radiation","uv","brightness","lightning_strike_last_epoch","lightning_strike_last_distance","lightning_strike_count","lightning_strike_count_last_3hr","feels_like","heat_index","wind_chill","dew_point","wet_bulb_temperature","delta_t","air_density"],"obs":[{"timestamp":1584201699,"air_temperature":5.5,"barometric_pressure":942.4,"station_pressure":942.4,"sea_level_pressure":1014.9,"relative_humidity":99,"precip":0.008037,"precip_accum_last_1hr":0.784551,"precip_accum_local_day":0.918645,"precip_accum_local_yesterday":0.005842,"precip_accum_local_yesterday_final":0.0,"precip_minutes_local_day":38,"precip_minutes_local_yesterday":1,"precip_minutes_local_yesterday_final":0,"precip_analysis_type_yesterday":1,"wind_avg":4.0,"wind_direction":217,"wind_gust":4.7,"wind_lull":3.3,"solar_radiation":31,"uv":0.16,"brightness":3734,"lightning_strike_last_epoch":1579230839,"lightning_strike_last_distance":10,"lightning_strike_count":0,"lightning_strike_count_last_3hr":0,"feels_like":2.5,"heat_index":5.5,"wind_chill":2.5,"dew_point":5.4,"wet_bulb_temperature":5.4,"delta_t":0.1,"air_density":1.17817}]}`

When looking at both the SW app and the REST result, I do not see the same numbers for precip_accum_local_day where REST is showing 0.92" and SmartWeather is showing 0.04". How do I interpret the value coming back from the REST call, and why is it different than SW?

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One guess is that REST is returning in mm instead of inches as that would get the two numbers to match (with rounding), but then why does the pre-amble of the observation in the REST response indicate that units_precip is “in”?

2

Your guess is correct - the REST response is returning the rain accumulation in mm rather than in inches. You can see the units that the REST API uses here: Tempest API (just click “Expand Operations” to the right off “observations: Get observations for a Smart Weather Device”).

The pre-amble indicates the precip unit is inches as that is what you have selected for your station. I agree it is confusing to see it in a REST Observation response. I have suggested to WF before that the user choice of units should be moved to a REST Station response.

1 Like
3

Ahhhh. Ok. Can’t say it “makes sense”, but I certainly understand. Thx for the confirmation.

4

All data is captured, transmitted and stored in metric values. It is converted to preferred units at display.