Since 2016, Met Éireann has made the organisation’s atmospheric science data freely available to the public, promoting innovation and transparency through the publication of vast amounts of our operational data.
The launch of this new Open Data Portal reflects our commitment to meet the evolving data needs of Irish citizens while fulfilling the National Meteorological Services’ obligations brought by the European Union Open Data Directive.
Open data is about facilitating the dissemination of publicly funded data. The new Met Éireann Portal has been designed to provide public access to our radar and Numerical Weather Prediction data in open, machine-readable formats.
Weather Radar Data
The new data portal offers access to the latest weather radar data from our two weather radar sites at Dublin and Shannon airports. Currently there are four types of files available:
- Shannon radar every 5 minutes referred to as instantaneous.
- Dublin radar every 5 minutes
- A composite of both Dublin and Shannon accumulations every hour (composite refers to the combination of both radars’ data, in terms of rainfall intensity (RR), reflectivity (DBZ) and precipitation accumulation for 1 hour.)
- Dublin radar accumulations every hour.
Numerical Weather Prediction Data
NWP computer models use high performance computers to solve a set of hydro-dynamical equations that mathematically describe motions in the atmosphere. NWP simulations are used along with the skill of experienced forecasters to predict future weather events. There are many inputs to our prediction model such as, previous model run, current weather observations, marine buoy data and satellite imagery to name a few.
Met Éireann develops and operates a NWP model based on the HARMONIE-AROME code, and the new Portal currently provides two different data access:
- ‘Near real time’: the last three hours of NWP data with limited functionality.
- ‘NWP Data Store’: our NWP data archive dating back to October 2023.
Further details on the type of accessible data and its format can be found on: https://opendata.met.ie/documentation
This is a beta-launch of the portal, but we will pursue a step-wise approach to increase even more our data offering (e.g. climatological data) and portal functionalities, as well as to promote future data services, to maximise the potential of our science and services data.
Strategic Background
In July 2017, the National Open Data strategy 2017-2022 was published with two core objectives: 1) to publish high-value government datasets in an open machine-readable format, and 2) to expand the community of Public Service Body data users. IN November 2023, the Open Data strategy 2023-2027 was published.
The new Met Éireann Open Data Portal aims at fulfilling the strategic needs identified in these relevant documents, in relation to weather and climate data produced by the Irish National Meteorological Service.
Check the new Met Éireann Open Data Portal: https://opendata.met.ie/