Historical Weather APIs
Historical weather APIs serve past observations and reanalysis rather than forecasts. Government archives are free with a key: NOAA Climate Data Online offers station records and climate summaries, and the Copernicus Climate Data Store delivers ERA5 reanalysis back to 1940 as gridded files through queued jobs. Meteostat returns hourly to monthly records for any point, Visual Crossing pairs 50+ years of history with forecasts, and Oikolab bills per data unit. Free Weather APIs →
| API | Pricing | Auth | Format | Free tier | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Copernicus Climate Data StoreERA5 reanalysis back to 1940, seasonal forecasts and climate projections as gridded files via queued jobs. Weather & Environment › Climate & Carbon | Free | API key | JSON | Unlimited | Live |
MeteostatHistorical hourly, daily and monthly weather records and climate normals for stations or any lat/lon point. Weather & Environment › Climate & Carbon | Freemium | API key | JSON | <100/day | Live |
NOAA Climate Data OnlineHistorical station observations and daily-to-yearly climate summaries from NOAA's archive, by station or area. Weather & Environment › Climate & Carbon | Free | API key | JSON | 10k+/day | Live |
OikolabGlobal hourly historical (from 1940) and forecast weather data by location, billed per data unit. Weather & Environment › Weather Forecasts | Paid | API key | JSON | — | Live |
Visual CrossingHistorical weather back 50+ years and 15-day forecasts for any address or coordinate in one timeline query. Weather & Environment › Weather Forecasts | Freemium | API key | JSON | 1k–10k/day | Live |
Copernicus Climate Data StoreFreeLive
ERA5 reanalysis back to 1940, seasonal forecasts and climate projections as gridded files via queued jobs.
API key · JSON
Unlimited
OpenAPI spec
MeteostatFreemiumLive
Historical hourly, daily and monthly weather records and climate normals for stations or any lat/lon point.
API key · JSON
<100/day
no machine-readable spec
NOAA Climate Data OnlineFreeLive
Historical station observations and daily-to-yearly climate summaries from NOAA's archive, by station or area.
API key · JSON
10k+/day
no machine-readable spec
OikolabPaidLive
Global hourly historical (from 1940) and forecast weather data by location, billed per data unit.
API key · JSON
—
no machine-readable spec
Visual CrossingFreemiumLive
Historical weather back 50+ years and 15-day forecasts for any address or coordinate in one timeline query.
API key · JSON
1k–10k/day
OpenAPI spec · llms.txt
Nothing matches that combination. Clear the filters and start from the category.
Choosing a Historical Weather API
Is there a free Historical Weather API?
Yes. NOAA Climate Data Online and Copernicus Climate Data Store are free to use, and Meteostat and Visual Crossing have a free tier alongside paid plans. See all free Weather APIs.
Which Historical Weather APIs work without an API key?
All of them need a key or account. Meteostat, Visual Crossing, NOAA Climate Data Online and Copernicus Climate Data Store give one out free when you sign up.
Can I use Historical Weather APIs in a commercial project?
Meteostat, Visual Crossing, Copernicus Climate Data Store and Oikolab permit commercial use.
Which Historical Weather APIs work with AI agents?
Visual Crossing and Copernicus Climate Data Store publish an OpenAPI spec for generating clients and tools.
Broader: Weather Forecasts APIs · Weather & Environment APIs
More in Weather Forecasts: Marine Weather APIs · Weather Alerts APIs · Weather Radar APIs