Weather Data Sources
PhotoWeather uses forecast data from Open-Meteo, which aggregates models from national weather agencies worldwide. You get high-resolution local forecasts where available, with global coverage everywhere else.
How It Works
Section titled “How It Works”We automatically select the best available model for your location:
- High-resolution local models (1-3km) for detailed forecasts in covered regions
- Regional models (7-10km) for broader areas
- Global models (11-25km) for worldwide coverage
You don’t choose models manually—the system picks the most accurate option for each location.
Coverage by Region
Section titled “Coverage by Region”Europe
Section titled “Europe”- Germany/Central Europe: 2.2km resolution (DWD ICON-D2)
- France: 1km resolution (AROME France HD)
- UK/Ireland: 2km resolution (UK Met Office UKV)
- Switzerland: 1-2km resolution (MeteoSwiss ICON-CH2)
- Netherlands/Belgium: 2km resolution (KNMI HARMONIE)
- Nordic countries: 2.5km resolution (MET Norway Nordic)
- Italy: 2km resolution (ItaliaMeteo ICON-2I)
- Broader Europe: 7km resolution (DWD ICON-EU or HARMONIE Europe)
North America
Section titled “North America”- United States (CONUS): 3km resolution (NOAA HRRR) or 2.5km (NOAA NBM)
- Canada: 2.5km resolution (GEM HRDPS)
- Regional: 10km resolution (GEM RDPS)
- Japan/Korea: 5km resolution (JMA MSM)
- South Korea: 1.5km resolution (KMA LDPS)
Global Coverage
Section titled “Global Coverage”Anywhere not covered by local models gets global forecasts at 11-25km resolution from:
- ECMWF IFS (European Centre)
- NOAA GFS (US)
- DWD ICON Global (Germany)
- GEM GDPS (Canada)
What This Means for You
Section titled “What This Means for You”Higher resolution = more accurate local details. A 2km model captures valley fog, coastal wind shifts, and mountain weather that a 25km global model misses.
All locations work. Even remote areas get reliable global forecasts—just at lower resolution than major urban centers.
No configuration needed. The system handles model selection automatically based on your coordinates.
Update Frequency
Section titled “Update Frequency”- Free: Daily updates
- Plus: Every 3 hours
- Pro: Hourly updates
Forecast range: 3 days (Free), 7 days (Plus), 14 days (Pro)
Data Source
Section titled “Data Source”All weather data comes from Open-Meteo, an open-source weather API maintained by Zippenfenig GmbH.
PhotoWeather processes this data to calculate photography-specific conditions like fog probability, golden hour potential, and aurora quality.