Hong Kong Observatory vs IPMA
Same instrument, two spec sheets — measured, not claimed.
Hong Kong Observatory vs IPMA: common questions
Which is more reliable, Hong Kong Observatory or IPMA?
Both are neck-and-neck — Hong Kong Observatory and IPMA each measure 98.9% uptime over 90 days on our probe schedule. Reliability here is verified from our own scheduled checks; use the 30-day bars above to see which has been steadier lately.
Which is faster, Hong Kong Observatory or IPMA?
IPMA has the lower median latency in our checks — Hong Kong Observatory responds in 1678 ms versus IPMA at 401 ms (P50). Tail latency (P95) is in the table above; for most workloads the median is the number that shapes how the API feels.
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.