mfclim

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mfclim is an R package to download archived meteorological data from Météo-France using the 'Données Climatologiques' API. It provides functions to authenticate, list stations, retrieve station metadata, request climate data, download files, and import data directly into R. mfclim also allows direct downloads of yearly SYNOP WMO open data archives from meteo.data.gouv.fr.

The package is primarily designed as a lightweight wrapper around the Météo-France API.

1. Installation instruction
2. Main functions
3. Download data using the Météo-France API
4. Download SYNOP WMO data

Installation

You can install the development version of mfclim from GitHub with:

# install.packages("pak")
pak::pak("Nmoiroux/mfclim")

Main functions

Function	Description
mfclim_get_token()	Get API access token
mfclim_list_stations()	List stations by department
mfclim_info_station()	Get metadata for a station
mfclim_get_data()	Download data using the API
mfclim_synop()	Download SYNOP open data archive

Météo-France API access

To use the API, you need credentials from the Météo-France API portal:

1. Register to the portal and subscribe to the API

• Create an account on the Météo-France API portal, wait for the confirmation then activation emails.
• Navigate to the 'Climatological data API page' and click 'Subscribe to the API for free'.
• Log in if not done (may require to remove cookies to work properly).

2. Get your personal identifier

• Navigate to Dashboard (or click the user button icon on top-right then → 'My API')
• Click 'Generate Token' in the "Climatological Data" panel.

At the bottom, there is a code block as below:

curl -k -X POST https://portail-api.meteofrance.fr/token -d "grant_type=client_credentials" -H "Authorization: Basic 1nSHsOA5tKHea6IFAKE1ga8pOMcpLSTAooJfnOpgtErsJxwftUmlLFAKE6cM86efz5pAf00Pj1pv"

Copy the string that appears after "Authorization: Basic" and paste it to R as follows:

client_auth <- "1nSHsOA5tKHea6IFAKE1ga8pOMcpLSTAooJfnOpgtErsJxwftUmlLFAKE6cM86efz5pAf00Pj1pv"

client_auth is your unique identifier to the API portal, it is used to request access token needed to query the API.

Example – List stations in a department

# load mfclim package
library(mfclim)

# you need your authentification string
client_auth <- "your_client_auth_string"

# get a token (1-hour validity)
?mfclim_get_token

token <- mfclim_get_token(client_auth)

# stations in department 34 (Hérault) with hourly data of precipitation recorded
?mfclim_list_stations

stations_34_daily <- mfclim_list_stations(
                  token = token,
                  departement = "34",
                  step = "1h",
                  parametre = "precipitation")
                  
head(stations_34_daily)

Example – Get station information

# want informations on station 34154001 (MONTPELLIER-AEROPORT)
?mfclim_info_station

info_mpl_airport <- mfclim_info_station(token = token,
                                           station = 34154001)
                                           
info_mpl_airport$nom        # station name
info_mpl_airport$positions  # coordinates
info_mpl_airport$parametres # parameters recorded with corresponding dates

Example – Download daily data

?mfclim_get_data

data <- mfclim_get_data(
  token = token,
  station = "34154001",
  step = "1d",
  date_deb = "2018-11-29T01:00:00Z",
  date_fin = "2018-12-30T01:00:00Z",
  file = "meteo_data.csv"
)

head(data)

Notes

The Météo-France API uses asynchronous requests: data must first be ordered, then downloaded. Large requests may take several minutes before the file is available.

Dates must be provided in ISO 8601 UTC format: YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SSZ.

Documentation (metadata) for the downloaded data are available on the Météo-France Wiki.

SYNOP data (open data)

The package also allows downloading yearly SYNOP surface observation data from the Météo-France open data portal.

SYNOP data include surface meteorological observations transmitted through the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Global Telecommunication System. Observations typically include temperature, humidity, wind speed and direction, atmospheric pressure, precipitation, cloud cover, visibility, and present weather. Data are recorded every 3 hours and available for mainland France and overseas territories.

Please take a look to the list of stations and metadata.

Example

# download SYNOP data for year 2020
synop2020 <- mfclim_synop(2020)
head(synop2020)

License

This package is released under the GPL-3 License.