DMI performs a wide array of point measurements at its observing stations in Denmark, Greenland and Faroe Islands. This is an automated process in which wind, precipitation, temperature, humidity, visibility, pressure, cloud cover, weather and global radiation are measured, and data is transmitted to DMI.
Meteorological observation data are so-called raw data, which means that data is neither quality controlled nor processed in any way. Errors in these measurements may therefore sometimes occur. Errors are typically due to malfunction of instruments caused by wear and tear or exposure to weather and on rare occasions from vandalism. Wear and tear of the instruments are handled proactively by performing service checks at the stations on a regular basis and changing the instruments within a given period. Due to this, you have to be aware of the risk of erroneous measurements when using DMI’s meteorological observation data. Quality controlled observation data are called Climate Data.
When DMI performs meteorological observation measurements, they follow the recommendations of the WMO. These recommendations dictate amongst other things that:
- A temperature measurement is performed by measuring the air temperature 2 meters above ground level.
- A wind observation is performed at a height of 10 meters above open, flat terrain.
DMI continuously works on quality assurance and the maintenance of its measuring instruments in regards to following the recommendations of the WMO. You read more about the guidelines from the WMO here.
Meteorological observation data play a key part in the development and verification of national and international weather forecasts as well as weather- and climate models hereby providing sufficient foundation for DMI to fulfil its mission. Meteorological observation data also shape the foundation of the national climate surveillance, research, as well as the advisory on the present weather and the creation of commercial products.
¶ Parameters
The parameters available for download are listed below along with a description and the unit of the parameter.
| Name | Unit | Description | Data update frequency** | Available for Denmark | Available for Greenland and Faroe Islands |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| temp_dry | °C | Present air temperature measured 2 m over terrain | 10 min | X | X |
| temp_dew | °C | Present dew point temperature measured 2 m over terrain | 10 min | X | X |
| temp_mean_past1h | °C | Latest hour's mean air temperature measured 2 m over terrain | Hourly | X | X |
| temp_max_past1h | °C | Latest hour's maximum air temperature measured 2 m over terrain | Hourly | X | X |
| temp_min_past1h | °C | Latest hour's minimum air temperature measured 2 m over terrain | Hourly | X | X |
| temp_max_past12h | °C | Last 12 hours maximum air temperature measured 2 m above ground. Measured at 0600 and 1800 UTC. | Twice a day | X | X |
| temp_min_past12h | °C | Last 12 hours minimum air temperature measured 2 m above ground. Measured at 0600 and 1800 UTC. | Twice a day | X | X |
| temp_grass | °C | Present air temperature measured at grass height (5-20 cm over terrain) | 10 min | X | |
| temp_grass_max_past1h | °C | Latest hour's maximum air temperature measured at grass height (5-20 cm over terrain) | Hourly | X | |
| temp_grass_mean_past1h | °C | Latest hour's mean air temperature measured at grass height (5-20 cm over terrain) | Hourly | X | |
| temp_grass_min_past1h | °C | Latest hour's minimum air temperature measured at grass height (5-20 cm over terrain) | Hourly | X | |
| temp_soil | °C | Present temperature measured at a depth of 10 cm | 10 min | X | |
| temp_soil_max_past1h | °C | Latest hour's maximum temperature measured at a depth of 10 cm | Hourly | X | |
| temp_soil_mean_past1h | °C | Latest hour's mean temperature measured at a depth of 10 cm | Hourly | X | |
| temp_soil_min_past1h | °C | Latest hour's minimum temperature measured at a depth of 10 cm | Hourly | X | |
| humidity | % | Present relative humidity measured 2 m over terrain | 10 min | X | X |
| humidity_past1h | % | Latest hour's mean for relative humidity measured 2 m over terrain | Hourly | X | X |
| pressure | hPa | Atmospheric pressure at station level | 10 min | X | X |
| pressure_at_sea | hPa | Atmospheric pressure reduced to mean sea level | 10 min | X | X |
| wind_dir | degree | Latest 10 minutes' mean wind direction measured 10 m over terrain. 0 means calm (see Codes) | 10 min | X | X |
| wind_dir_past1h | degree | Latest hour's mean wind direction measured 10 m over terrain | Hourly | X | X |
| wind_speed | m/s | Latest 10 minutes' mean wind speed measured 10 m over terrain | 10 min | X | X |
| wind_speed_past1h | m/s | Latest hour's mean wind speed measured 10 m over terrain | Hourly | X | X |
| wind_gust_always_past1h | m/s | Latest hour's highest 3 seconds mean wind speed measured 10 m over terrain | Hourly | X | X |
| wind_max | m/s | Latest 10 minutes' highest 3 seconds mean wind speed measured 10 m over terrain | 10 min | X | X |
| wind_min_past1h | m/s | Latest hours lowest 3 second mean wind speed measured 10 m over terrain | Hourly | X | X |
| wind_min | m/s | Latest 10 minutes' lowest 3 seconds mean wind speed measured 10 m over terrain | 10 min | X | X |
| wind_max_per10min_past1h | m/s | Maximum 10-minute average wind speed in the one hour period preceding the time of observation | Hourly | X | X |
| precip_past1h | kg/m² | Accumulated precipitation in the latest hour or the code -0,1, which means "traces of precipitation, less than 0.1 kg/m²". kg/m² is equivalent to mm. (see Codes) | Hourly | X | X |
| precip_past10min | kg/m² | Accumulated precipitation in the latest 10 minutes. kg/m² is equivalent to mm. | 10 min | X | X |
| precip_past1min | kg/m² |
Accumulated precipitation in the latest minute. kg/m² is equivalent to mm. Data is sent to from the rain gauge to the DMI every 10 minutes, if it has rained within the 10 minute period. No data is sent, if it hasn't rained within the 10 minute period. Therefore, data will be null, if it hasn't rained within the 10 minute period. If, however, it has rained within the 10 minute period, the minutes, where it has rained, will show, how much it has rained during each of the minutes in question, whereas the minutes, where it didn't rain will be shown as '0'. |
10 min | X | |
| precip_past24h* | kg/m² | Accumulated precipitation in the latest 24 hours or the code -0,1, which means "traces of precipitation, less than 0.1 kg/m²". kg/m² is equivalent to mm. (see Codes) | Daily | X | |
| precip_dur_past10min | minutes | Number of minutes with precipitation in the latest 10 minutes. Calculated based on precip_past1min values, which means that for some cases it can be greater than precip_dur_past1h. | 10 min | X | |
| precip_dur_past1h | minutes | Number of minutes with precipitation in the latest hour | Hourly | X | |
| snow_depth_man | cm | Snow depth (measured manually) or the code -1, which means "less than 0.5 cm" (see Codes) | Daily | X | |
| snow_cover_man | enum | Snow cover (measured manually), specified as quarters of the earth covered | Daily | X | |
| visibility | m | Present visibility | 10 min | X | X |
| visib_mean_last10min | m | Latest 10 minutes' mean visibility | 10 min | X | X |
| cloud_cover | % | The fraction of the sky covered by cloud of any type or height above the ground (see also Codes) | 10 min | X | X |
| cloud_height | m | Height to the lowest clouds. No value returned under cloud free conditions. | 10 min | X | X |
| weather | enum | Present weather (see Codes) | 10 min | X | X |
| radia_glob | W/m² | Latest 10 minutes global radiation mean intensity | 10 min | X | X |
| radia_glob_past1h | W/m² | Mean intensity of global radiation in the latest hour | 10 min | X | X |
| sun_last10min_glob | minutes | Number of minutes with sunshine the latest 10 minutes | 10 min | X | |
| sun_last1h_glob | minutes | Number of minutes with sunshine the latest hour | Hourly | X | |
| leav_hum_dur_past10min | minutes | Number of minutes with leaf moisture the latest 10 minutes | 10 min | X | |
| leav_hum_dur_past1h | minutes | Number of minutes with leaf moisture the latest hour | Hourly | X |
*In Greenland the precipitation is at some locations measured manually once a day. Once a month DMI receives the data, whereafter the data will be available through our API-services. There can be some instances where precipitation has not been measured daily for different reasons. There can therefore be instances, where a measurement can cover the accumulated precipitation of more than a day. A way to detect whether a measurement covers more than one day's accumulated precipitation, if there are not any data for the previous day(s).
**Some stations in Greenland only send data on an hourly basis.
¶ Codes
Some of the parameters use codes instead of values. The codes currently in the system are listed below:
¶ Precip_past1h and precip_past24h
- precip_past1h
- precip_past24h
The parameters precip_past1h and precip_past24h returns the amount of precipitation within the given period in kg/m2 with the exception of the codes listed below.
| Code | Value |
|---|---|
| -0.1 | traces of precipitation, less than 0.1 kg/m2 |
¶
Snow_depth_man
The parameter snow_depth_manual returns the snow depth in cm with the exception of the codes listed below.
| Code | Value |
|---|---|
| -1 | <0.5 cm |
¶
Wind_dir
The parameter wind_dir returns the direction from which the wind blows in degrees, where north is given as 360.
| Code | Value |
|---|---|
| 0 | calm |
¶
Cloud_cover
The parameter cloud_cover is reported in oktas (eights) and is the fraction of the sky covered by cloud of any type or height above the ground.
| Code | Value |
|---|---|
| 0 | 0 oktas - no clouds |
| 10 | 1 okta or less, but not zero |
| 25 | 2 oktas |
| 40 | 3 oktas |
| 50 | 4 oktas |
| 60 | 5 oktas |
| 75 | 6 oktas |
| 90 | 7 oktas or more, but not 8 oktas |
| 100 | 8 oktas - full cloud cover with no breaks |
| 112 | Sky obscured by fog and/or other meteorological phenomena |
¶
Weather
¶
Codes 00-99: From manual observation stations
Codes 0-49 No precipitation at the station at the time of observation
Codes 0-19 No precipitation, fog, ice fog (except for 11 and 12), duststorm, sandstorm, drifting or blowing snow at the station at the time of observation or, except for 9 and 17, during the preceding hour.
| Codes | Value | |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | Cloud development not observed or not observable | Characteristic change of the state of sky during the past hour |
| 1 | Clouds generally dissolving or becoming less developed | |
| 2 | State of sky on the whole unchanged | |
| 3 | Clouds generally forming or developing | |
| 4 | Visibility reduced by smoke, e.g. veldt or forest fires, industrial smoke or volcanic ashes | |
| 5 | Haze | |
| 6 | Widespread dust in suspension in the air, not raised by wind at or near the station at the time of observation | |
| 7 | Dust or sand raised by wind at or near the station at the time of observation, but no well developed dust whirl(s) or sand whirl(s), and no duststorm or sandstorm seen | |
| 8 | Well developed dust whirl(s) or sand whirl(s) seen at or near the station during the preceding hour or at the time ot observation, but no duststorm or sandstorm | |
| 9 | Duststorm or sandstorm within sight at the time of observation, or at the station during the preceding hour | |
| 10 | Mist | |
| 11 | Patches | shallow fog or ice fog at the station, whether on land or sea, not deeper than about 2 metres on land or 10 metres at sea |
| 12 | More or less continuous | |
| 13 | Lightning visible, no thunder heard | |
| 14 | Precipitation within sight, not reaching the ground or the surface of the sea | |
| 15 | Precipitation within sight, reaching the ground or the surface of the sea, but distant, i.e. estimated to be more than 5 km from the station | |
| 16 | Precipitation within sight, reaching the ground or the surface of the sea, near to, but not at the station | |
| 17 | Thunderstorm, but no precipitation at the time of observation | |
| 18 | Squalls | at or within sight of the station during the preceding hour or at the time of observation |
| 19 | Funnel cloud(s) (tornado cloud or water-spout) | |
Codes 20-29 Precipitation, fog, ice fog og thunderstorm at the station during the preceding hour but not at the time of observation.
| Code | Value | |
|---|---|---|
| 20 | Drizzle (not freezing) or snow grains | not falling as shower(s) |
| 21 | Rain (not freezing) | |
| 22 | Snow | |
| 23 | Rain and snow or ice pellets | |
| 24 | Freezing drizzle or freezing rain | |
| 25 | Shower(s) of rain | |
| 26 | Shower(s) of snow, or of rain and snow | |
| 27 | Shower(s) of hail*, or of rain and hail* | |
| 28 | Fog or ice fog | |
| 29 | Thunderstorm (with or without precipitation) | |
*Hail, small hail, snow pellets.
Codes 30-39 Duststorm, sandstorm, drifting or blowing snow
| Code | Value | |
|---|---|---|
| 30 | Slight or moderate duststorm or sandstorm | - has decreased during the preceding hour |
| 31 | - no appreciable change during the preceding hour | |
| 32 | - has begun or has increased during the preceding hour | |
| 33 | Severe duststorm or sandstorm | - has decreased during the preceding hour |
| 34 | - no appreciable change during the preceding hour | |
| 35 | - has begun or has increased during the preceding hour | |
| 36 | Slight or moderate blowing snow | generally low (below eye level) |
| 37 | Heavy drifting snow | |
| 38 | Slight or moderate blowing snow | generally high (above eye level) |
| 39 | Heavy drifting snow | |
Codes 40-49 Fog or ice fog at the time of observations
| Code | Value | |
|---|---|---|
| 40 | Fog or ice fog at a distance at the time of observation, but not at the station during the preceding hour, the fog or ice fog extending to a level above that of the observer | |
| 41 | Fog or ice fog in patches | |
| 42 | Fog or ice fog, sky visible | has become thinner during the preceding hour |
| 43 | Fog or ice fog, sky invisible | |
| 44 | Fog or ice fog, sky visible | no appreciable change during the preceding hour |
| 45 | Fog or ice fog, sky invisible | |
| 46 | Fog or ice fog, sky visible | has begun or has become thicker during the preceding hour |
| 47 | Fog or ice fog, sky invisible | |
| 48 | Fog, depositing rime, sky visible | |
| 49 | Fog, depositing rime, sky invisible | |
Codes 50-99 Precipitation at the station at the time of observation
Code 50-59 Drizzle
| Code | Value | |
|---|---|---|
| 50 | Drizzle, not freezing, intermittent | slight at time of observation |
| 51 | Drizzle, not freezing, continuous | |
| 52 | Drizzle, not freezing, intermittent | moderate at time of observation |
| 53 | Drizzle, not freezing, continuous | |
| 54 | Drizzle, not freezing, intermittent | heavy (dense) at time of observation |
| 55 | Drizzle, not freezing, continuous | |
| 56 | Drizzle, freezing, slight | |
| 57 | Drizzle, freezing, moderate or heavy (dense) | |
| 58 | Drizzle and rain, slight | |
| 59 | Drizzle and rain, moderate or heavy | |
Codes 60-69 Rain
| Code | Value | |
|---|---|---|
| 60 | Rain, not freezing, intermittent | slight at time of observation |
| 61 | Rain, not freezing, continuous | |
| 62 | Rain, not freezing, intermittent | moderate at time of observation |
| 63 | Rain, not freezing, continuous | |
| 64 | Rain, not freezing, intermittent | heavy at time of observation |
| 65 | Rain, not freezing, continuous | |
| 66 | Rain, freezing, slight | |
| 67 | Rain, freezing, moderate or heavy (dense) | |
| 68 | Rain or drizzle and snow, slight | |
| 69 | Rain or drizzle and snow, moderate or heavy | |
Codes 70-79 Solid precipitation not in showers
| Code | Value | |
|---|---|---|
| 70 | Intermittent fall of snowflakes | slight at time of observation |
| 71 | Continuous fall of snowflakes | |
| 72 | Intermittent fall of snowflakes | moderate at time of observation |
| 73 | Continuous fall of snowflakes | |
| 74 | Intermittent fall of snowflakes | heavy at time of observation |
| 75 | Continuous fall of snowflakes | |
| 76 | Diamond dust (with or without fog) | |
| 77 | Snow grains (with or without fog) | |
| 78 | Isolated star-like snow crystals (with or without fog) | |
| 79 | Ice pellets | |
Codes 80-99 Showery precipitation, or precipitation with current or recent thunder
| Code | Value | |
|---|---|---|
| 80 | Rain shower(s), slight | |
| 81 | Rain shower(s), moderate or heavy | |
| 82 | Rain shower(s), violent | |
| 83 | Shower(s) of rain and snow mixed, slight | |
| 84 | Shower(s) of rain and snow mixed, moderate or heavy | |
| 85 | Snow shower(s), slight | |
| 86 | Snow shower(s), moderate or heavy | |
| 87 | Shower(s) of snow pellets or small hail, with or without rain or rain and snow mixed | - slight |
| 88 | - moderate or heavy | |
| 89 | Shower(s) of hail, with or without rain or rain and snow mixed, not associated with thunder | - slight |
| 90 | - moderate or heavy | |
| 91 | Slight rain at time of observation | Thunderstorm during the preceding hour but not at time of observation |
| 92 | Moderate or heavy rain at time of observation | |
| 93 | Slight snow, or rain and snow mixed or hail** at time of observation | |
| 94 | Moderate or heavy snow, or rain and snow mixed or hail** at time of observation | |
| 95 | Thunderstorm, slight or moderate, without hail** but with rain and/or snow at time of observation | Thunderstorm at time of observation |
| 96 | Thunderstorm, slight or moderate, with hail** at time of observation | |
| 97 | Thunderstorm, heavy, without hail** but with rain and/or snow at time of observation | |
| 98 | Thunderstorm combined with duststorm or sandstorm at time of observation | |
| 99 | Thunderstorm, heavy, with hail** at time of observation | |
**Hail, small hail, snow pellets
¶
Codes 100-199: From automatic weather stations
Codes 100-119 Present weather reported from an automatic weather station
| Code | Value |
|---|---|
| 100 | No significant weather observed |
| 101 | Clouds generally dissolving or becoming less developed during the past hour |
| 102 | State of sky on the whole unchanged during the past hour |
| 103 | Clouds generally forming or developing during the past hour |
| 104 | Haze or smoke, or dust in suspension in the air, visibility equal to, or greater than 1km |
| 105 | Haze or smoke, or dust in suspension in the air, visibility less than 1 km |
| 106-109 | Reserved |
| 110 | Mist |
| 111 | Diamond dust |
| 112 | Distant lightning |
| 113-117 | Reserved |
| 118 | Squalls |
| 119 | Reserved |
Codes 120-126 are used to report precipitation, fog (or ice fog) or thunderstorm at the station during the preceding hour but not at the time of observation.
| Code | Value |
|---|---|
| 120 | Fog |
| 121 | Precipitation |
| 122 | Drizzle (not freezing) or snow grains |
| 123 | Rain (not freezing) |
| 124 | Snow |
| 125 | Freezing drizzle or freezing rain |
| 126 | Thunderstorm (with or without precipitation) |
Codes 127-199 Present weather reported from an automatic weather station
| Code | Value |
|---|---|
| 127 | Blowing or drifting snow or sand |
| 128 | Blowing or drifting snow or sand, visibility equal to or greater than 1km |
| 129 | Blowing or drifting snow or sand, visibility less than 1 km |
| 130 | Fog |
| 131 | Fog or ice fog in patches |
| 132 | Fog or ice fog, has become thinner during the past hour |
| 133 | Fog or ice fog, no appreciable change during the past hour |
| 134 | Fog or ice fog, has begun or become thicker during the past hour |
| 135 | Fog, depositing rime |
| 136-139 | Reserved |
| 140 | Precipitation |
| 141 | Precipitation, slight or moderate |
| 142 | Precipitation, heavy |
| 143 | Liquid precipitation, slight or moderate |
| 144 | Liquid precipitation, heavy |
| 145 | Solid precipitation, slight or moderate |
| 146 | Solid precipitation, heavy |
| 147 | Freezing precipitation, slight or moderate |
| 148 | Freezing precipitation, heavy |
| 149 | Reserved |
| 150 | Drizzle |
| 151 | Drizzle, not freezing, sligt |
| 152 | Drizzle, not freezing, moderate |
| 153 | Drizzle, not freezing, heavy |
| 154 | Drizzle, freezing, slight |
| 155 | Drizzle, freezing, moderate |
| 156 | Drizzle, freezing, heavy |
| 157 | Drizzle and rain, slight |
| 158 | Drizzle and rain, moderate or heavy |
| 159 | Reserved |
| 160 | Rain |
| 161 | Rain, not freezing, slight |
| 162 | Rain, not freezing, moderate |
| 163 | Rain, not freezing, heavy |
| 164 | Rain, freezing, slight |
| 165 | Rain, freezing, moderate |
| 166 | Rain, freezing, heavy |
| 167 | Rain (or drizzle) and snow, slight |
| 168 | Rain (or drizzle) and snow, moderate or heavy |
| 169 | Reserved |
| 170 | Snow |
| 171 | Snow, slight |
| 172 | Snow, moderate |
| 173 | Snow, heavy |
| 174 | Ice pellets, slight |
| 175 | Ice pellets, moderate |
| 176 | Ice pellets, heavy |
| 177 | Snow grains |
| 178 | Ice crystals |
| 179 | Reserved |
| 180 | Shower(s) or intermittent precipitation |
| 181 | Rain shower(s) or intermittent rain, slight |
| 182 | Rain shower(s) or intermittent rain, moderate |
| 183 | Rain shower(s) or intermittent rain, heavy |
| 184 | Rain shower(s) or intermittent rain, violent |
| 185 | Snow shower(s) or intermittent snow, slight |
| 186 | Snow shower(s) or intermittent snow, moderate |
| 187 | Snow shower(s) or intermittent snow, heavy |
| 188 | Reserved |
| 189 | Hail |
| 190 | Thunderstorm |
| 191 | Thunderstorm, slight or moderate, with no precipitation |
| 192 | Thunderstorm, slight or moderate, with rain showers and/or snow showers |
| 193 | Thunderstorm, slight or moderate, with hail |
| 194 | Thunderstorm, heavy, with no precipitation |
| 195 | Thunderstorm, heavy, with rain shoers and/or snow showers |
| 196 | Thunderstorm, heavy, with hail |
| 197-198 | Reserved |
| 199 | Tornado |
¶
Stations
¶
Endpoint
It is possible to get the station list through the metObs service by calling the station endpoint. See API documentation for endpoint.
The station list represents both present and historical data about a station - see Station Lists Explained.
List is also available here.
¶
Historical availability
The metObs service provides data from 1953. However all parameters are not available for all stations as far back as 1953. Click here for page displaying the historical availability for each parameter at each station. The noted year is the first year with observations for the given parameter and station.
¶
Station types for the metObs service
The DMI has five types of stations which measure meteorological parameters. A description of the different station types can be seen below.
| Station type | Description | Available for Denmark | Available for Greenland | Available for Faroe Islands |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Synop | Weather stations that register a wide variety of meteorological parameters, e.g. temperature, wind, pressure, and precipitation. | X | X | X |
| GIWS | Weather stations that register a wide variety of meteorological parameters, e.g. temperature, wind, and pressure. | X | ||
| Pluvio | Precipitation stations register data concerning precipitation. Precipitation is also measured by some synop-stations. | X | ||
| Manual precipitation |
In Greenland the precipitation is at some locations measured manually once a day. Once a month DMI receives the data, whereafter the data will be available through our API-services. There can be some instances where precipitation has not been measured daily for different reasons. There can therefore be instances, where a measurement can cover the accumulated precipitation of more than one day. It is possible to see if a measurement covers more than one day's accumulated precipitation, if there are not any data for the previous day(s). |
X | ||
| Manual snow | In Denmark the snow depth and cover is measured manually once a day. | X |