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UK Metoffice retiring embedded widget service

Posted: Thu 22 Mar 2018 6:18 pm
by Steepleian
Metoffice has announced that it is ‘retiring’ the embedded widget service. Retiring or an enforced cost cutting exercise? Many of us use these embedded widgets on our websites. Would be interested to hear other users’ thoughts.

Read about it here : - https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/services/weather-widget

Steepleian :groan:

Re: UK Metoffice retiring embedded widget service

Posted: Fri 23 Mar 2018 9:23 am
by RayProudfoot
Thanks for the warning. Very disappointing they're stopping this service. No reason given. Strange there is no date on the statement.

Re: UK Metoffice retiring embedded widget service

Posted: Fri 23 Mar 2018 10:24 am
by Mapantz
I don't use it myself...

However, the warnings (amongst other stuff) can be returned using their datapoint API. I use their radar overlay image for my site, but they offer forecasts, weather maps etc. I think you have to contact the MetO re warning api, but it is free.

Maybe some clever folks on here could develop something? ;)

Worth mentioning, they're also upgrading their warning system.
  • What is changing?

    Fundamentally, the weather warnings will remain the same - they will continue to be issued when the combination of severe weather impacts and the likelihood of those impacts occurring meet the criteria for a warning to be issued. However, improvements have been made to the way people can access, understand and use our warnings information. These improvements include:
  • · introducing two additional warning types – thunderstorms and lightning

    · extending the warnings from five days out to seven days - It is unlikely that this will be used frequently, but it will mean that in some weather situations, such as St Judes’ or Ophelia, warnings can be issued with a longer lead time.

    · Likelihood and impact will be communicated more effectively using improved language and visualisation. This includes improving the way we communicate risk and retiring the Be Aware, Be Prepared, Take Action phrases.

    Each warning will now contain the following sections:

    . Headline – a short weather headline, which states what weather type, is forecast

    . What to expect – details on the types of impact forecast and an indication of how likely those impacts are

    . What should I do – this section links to advice and guidance from our partners on how to stay safe in severe weather

    . Further details – additional information on the forecast weather.

    · being able to issue warnings faster and therefore with shorter lead times when the weather is changing rapidly

Re: UK Metoffice retiring embedded widget service

Posted: Fri 23 Mar 2018 12:39 pm
by RayProudfoot
Just did a quick search. This one looks a possibility. Code has to be emailed to you but that's not a problem.

https://www.forecast.co.uk/widget/

Re: UK Metoffice retiring embedded widget service

Posted: Sun 01 Apr 2018 11:22 am
by RayProudfoot
I've embedded the forecast widget from forecast.co.uk into my main page. Thanks to that site for providing the service. :)

Re: UK Metoffice retiring embedded widget service

Posted: Mon 02 Apr 2018 9:17 am
by Steepleian
RayProudfoot wrote:I've embedded the forecast widget from forecast.co.uk into my main page. Thanks to that site for providing the service. :)
Thanks for bringing this to our attention. I am in the process of putting a multiple forecast page together using this service (for my family scattered around the UK). Also trying to work out if I can use the Metoffice's Data Point service to replace the embedded weather warnings widget but my brain ticks very slowly!