Do I need an API key for 7Timer Weather?

No! 7Timer Weather is completely free and requires no authentication or sign‑up.

Does 7Timer work worldwide?

Yes. Although it is a Chinese service, the API returns forecasts for any latitude/longitude on the planet.

What format does the response use?

JSON. The top‑level contains `product`, `init` (initialization time) and an array `dataseries` with per‑day forecast details.

7Timer Weather - Free Weather API (No Auth)

TL;DR

What it does: Provides 7‑day global weather forecasts (temperature, wind, precipitation) from a Chinese service.

Quick start: curl "http://www.7timer.info/bin/api.pl?lon=113&lat=23&product=civillight&output=json"

No API key needed – just request the URL

Overview

7Timer is a free numerical weather‑forecast service originally built in China. It offers worldwide coverage: give any longitude/latitude and receive a JSON payload with the forecast for the next several days. The API is public, has no rate limits documented, and is ideal for quick weather widgets, educational projects, or prototype apps.

Live Example

Below is a real request to the API and the exact JSON response you’ll receive.

The URL to call (forecast for Shenzhen, China):

http://www.7timer.info/bin/api.pl?lon=113&lat=23&product=civillight&output=json

Try This URL Now →

The actual response you get (truncated):

{
  "product": "civillight",
  "init": "2026061500",
  "dataseries": [
    {
      "date": 20260615,
      "weather": "lightrain",
      "temp2m": {"max": 30, "min": 26},
      "wind10m_max": 2
    },
    {
      "date": 20260616,
      "weather": "cloud",
      "temp2m": {"max": 31, "min": 25},
      "wind10m_max": 2
    }

  ]
}

What does this data mean?

Key parts of the JSON response:

product

Type of forecast model used – e.g., `civillight` for a lightweight civil forecast.

init

Initialization timestamp (YYYYMMDDHH) of the model run.

dataseries

An array of daily forecast objects. Each object includes:

date – YYYYMMDD integer.
weather – description (`cloud`, `lightrain`, `snow`, etc.).
temp2m.max / min – maximum and minimum temperature at 2 m (°C).
wind10m_max – maximum wind speed at 10 m (m/s).

How to use this API

JavaScript Example

const lon = 113; // Shenzhen longitude
const lat = 23;   // Shenzhen latitude
const url = `http://www.7timer.info/bin/api.pl?lon=${lon}&lat=${lat}&product=civillight&output=json`;

fetch(url)
  .then(r => r.json())
  .then(data => console.log(data))
  .catch(err => console.error(err));

Python Example

import requests

lon, lat = 113, 23
url = f"http://www.7timer.info/bin/api.pl?lon={lon}&lat={lat}&product=civillight&output=json"

resp = requests.get(url)
print(resp.json())

cURL Example

# Shenzhen (China) forecast – civil lightweight model
curl "http://www.7timer.info/bin/api.pl?lon=113&lat=23&product=civillight&output=json"

# Change product to `light` for a more detailed forecast
curl "http://www.7timer.info/bin/api.pl?lon=113&lat=23&product=light&output=json"

# Get forecast for New York, USA (lon=-74, lat=40.7)
curl "http://www.7timer.info/bin/api.pl?lon=-74&lat=40.7&product=civillight&output=json"

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the 7Timer API free for commercial use?: Yes. The service is public, free, and can be used in commercial projects without attribution (though credit is appreciated).
Are there any rate limits?: The documentation does not specify strict limits; typical usage for prototypes or small applications works without throttling.
Can I request forecasts for any coordinate?: Absolutely – supply any longitude and latitude values (global coverage). The API will return a forecast for the nearest grid point.
What forecast products are available?: Common `product` values include `civillight` (lightweight civil forecast), `light` (more detailed), and `full` (full‑resolution model). Each returns a different level of detail.
What units are used for temperature and wind?: Temperatures are in °C. Wind speeds are in meters per second (m/s).
How often is the data refreshed?: The model runs roughly every 6 hours; the `init` field shows the latest model run timestamp.

API Details

Base URL: http://www.7timer.info/bin/api.pl
Documentation: http://www.7timer.info/doc.php?lang=en
Category: Weather
Authentication: None required – completely free
Coverage: Global (service originates from China)
CORS: Yes – can be called directly from browsers