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Hong Kong Observatory vs IPMA

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

APIHong Kong ObservatoryNEW—IPMANEW—
Uptime · 30d
Uptime · 90d—%—%
Uptime · 30d—%—%
P50 · ms——
P95 · ms——
Authnonenone
CORSyesyes
HTTPSyesyes
Card requirednono
Commercial useunclearunclear
Data licenseHKO open data (see terms of use)IPMA open data (attribution 'Fonte: IPMA' expected)
Free tierFree, no keyFree, no key
Rate limitUnpublishedUnpublished
In directory since2026-07-052026-07-05
operationalpartialdownno data

Hong Kong Observatory vs IPMA: common questions

Which is more reliable, Hong Kong Observatory or IPMA?

On our scheduled checks, IPMA leads on measured uptime — Hong Kong Observatory at —% versus IPMA 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 Hong Kong Observatory and IPMA need an API key?

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

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

Yes — both Hong Kong Observatory and IPMA send CORS headers over HTTPS, so front-end code can fetch either directly with no backend proxy. That makes them easy to swap in a client-side app while you compare responses.

Are Hong Kong Observatory and IPMA free for commercial use?

Hong Kong Observatory has unclear commercial terms, and IPMA 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.