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AviationWeather vs Hong Kong Observatory

Same instrument, two spec sheets — measured, not claimed.

APIAviationWeatherNEW—Hong Kong ObservatoryNEW—
Uptime · 30d
Uptime · 90d—%—%
Uptime · 30d—%—%
P50 · ms——
P95 · ms——
Authnonenone
CORSnoyes
HTTPSyesyes
Card requirednono
Commercial useyesunclear
Data licensePublic domain (U.S. Government / NOAA)HKO open data (see terms of use)
Free tierFree, no keyFree, no key
Rate limitUnpublished (NWS requests reasonable use)Unpublished
In directory since2026-07-052026-07-05
operationalpartialdownno data

AviationWeather vs Hong Kong Observatory: common questions

Which is more reliable, AviationWeather or Hong Kong Observatory?

On our scheduled checks, Hong Kong Observatory leads on measured uptime — AviationWeather at —% versus Hong Kong Observatory at —% over 90 days. These are our own probe results, not provider claims; the uptime bars above show the day-by-day record for both.

Do AviationWeather and Hong Kong Observatory need an API key?

Neither needs a paid key — AviationWeather is callable with no signup, and Hong Kong Observatory is callable with no signup. Both are quick to prototype with; rate limits still apply.

Can I call AviationWeather and Hong Kong Observatory from the browser?

Only Hong Kong Observatory is browser-friendly — it returns CORS headers over HTTPS. AviationWeather needs a server-side call or proxy, so factor that into which one fits a front-end project.

Are AviationWeather and Hong Kong Observatory free for commercial use?

AviationWeather allows commercial use on its free tier, and Hong Kong Observatory has unclear commercial terms. We track service terms and the data license as separate fields — see the Commercial use and Data license rows above, and confirm both before shipping either in a paid product.