GodotNWS Imagery: Radar, Charts, and Weather Stories

The Nws singleton provides seven imagery and broadcast methods that return visual weather products and text data from NWS sources. Some methods return raw PackedByteArray GIF data (requiring a GIF-rendering addon to display), while others decode PNG images directly into ImageTexture resources ready to use in Godot. All methods require location_setup_complete to have fired before calling.

Radar

`fetch_radar_gif(velocity: bool)`

Fetches an animated radar GIF for the radar station nearest to the configured location from radar.weather.gov. The result is a raw byte buffer, not a decoded texture.

velocity

bool

required

When false, fetches the base reflectivity loop, which shows precipitation intensity. When true, fetches the base velocity loop, which shows wind motion toward or away from the radar.

Signal: `radar_fetched(image_buffer)`

image_buffer

PackedByteArray

The raw bytes of the animated radar GIF. Pass this to a GIF-rendering addon to display the animation. It cannot be loaded directly into Godot’s built-in Image or ImageTexture classes.

Godot 4 does not support GIF decoding natively. To render the radar animation in your project, use a GIF-rendering addon from the Godot Asset Library.

Code Example

extends Node

func _ready() -> void:
    Nws.location_setup_complete.connect(_on_ready)
    Nws.setup(39.7456, -97.0892)

func _on_ready() -> void:
    Nws.radar_fetched.connect(_on_radar)
    # Fetch base reflectivity radar
    Nws.fetch_radar_gif(false)

func _on_radar(image_buffer: PackedByteArray) -> void:
    # Pass raw GIF bytes to your GIF addon
    $RadarPlayer.load_gif(image_buffer)

Forecast Chart

`fetch_forecast_chart(index: int)`

Fetches one of the Weather Prediction Center (WPC) forecast surface analysis charts as an animated GIF. Three chart periods are available.

index

int

required

Chart period selector. Valid values are 1, 2, or 3, corresponding to the three WPC NOAA forecast chart timeframes available at wpc.ncep.noaa.gov.

Signal: `chart_fetched(image_buffer)`

image_buffer

PackedByteArray

The raw bytes of the forecast chart GIF. As with radar data, pass this to a GIF-rendering addon rather than attempting to load it as a PNG or JPEG.

Like fetch_radar_gif, the result is a raw GIF byte buffer and requires a GIF-rendering addon to display.

Code Example

func _on_ready() -> void:
    Nws.chart_fetched.connect(_on_chart)
    # Fetch the first WPC forecast chart
    Nws.fetch_forecast_chart(1)

func _on_chart(image_buffer: PackedByteArray) -> void:
    $ChartPlayer.load_gif(image_buffer)

Graphicast

`fetch_graphicast(index: int)`

Fetches a local NWS office graphicast image — a graphical weather summary produced by the local forecast office — and returns it as a decoded ImageTexture. The signal also returns the requested index and the HTTP Last-Modified header so you can detect updates.

index

int

required

The integer index of the graphicast image to fetch. The number of available images varies by NWS office; increment the index until requests begin failing.

Signal: `graphicast_fetched(image, index, last_modified)`

image

ImageTexture

The graphicast PNG decoded into a ready-to-use ImageTexture.

index

int

The index value that was passed to fetch_graphicast(). Useful when dispatching multiple concurrent requests to match each response to its original call.

last_modified

String

The value of the HTTP Last-Modified response header, with the "Last-Modified: " prefix stripped. Use this to detect when images have been updated since your last fetch.

Graphicast images are produced by the local NWS forecast office and reflect regional weather summaries. Not all offices produce the same number of graphicasts.

Code Example

func _on_ready() -> void:
    Nws.graphicast_fetched.connect(_on_graphicast)
    # Fetch the first graphicast image
    Nws.fetch_graphicast(0)

func _on_graphicast(image: ImageTexture, index: int, last_modified: String) -> void:
    print("Graphicast %d last updated: %s" % [index, last_modified])
    $GraphicastDisplay.texture = image

Weather Stories

`fetch_weather_stories()`

Fetches active weather stories from the local NWS forecast office. Weather stories are narrative summaries paired with illustrative images, used by NWS offices to highlight significant weather events. Takes no parameters.

Signal: `weather_stories_fetched(stories: Array[WeatherStory])`

stories

Array[WeatherStory]

An array of WeatherStory resources. Each story includes its image, metadata, and display priority. Fields on each resource:

Show WeatherStory fields

startTime

Dictionary

Story validity start time as a datetime dictionary.

endTime

Dictionary

Story validity end time as a datetime dictionary.

UpdateTime

Dictionary

Time the story was last updated, as a datetime dictionary.

title

String

Short headline title for the weather story.

description

String

Narrative body text of the story.

altText

String

Alternative text description for the story image, if provided by the office.

priority

bool

true if the office has marked this story as high-priority.

order

int

Display order index as specified by the issuing office.

downloadUrl

String

Direct URL to the story image used to populate image.

image

ImageTexture

The story illustration decoded as an ImageTexture. Images are fetched asynchronously; the signal fires only after all story images are loaded.

Code Example

func _on_ready() -> void:
    Nws.weather_stories_fetched.connect(_on_stories)
    Nws.fetch_weather_stories()

func _on_stories(stories: Array[WeatherStory]) -> void:
    for story in stories:
        print("[%d] %s" % [story.order, story.title])
        $StoryImage.texture = story.image
        $StoryLabel.text = story.description
        break  # Display only the first story

Radio Broadcast

`fetch_radio_broadcast()`

Fetches the NWS radio broadcast text for the configured location, parses the XML into individual forecast paragraphs, and emits them as an array of strings. Takes no parameters.

Signal: `radio_broadcast_fetched(Paragraphs: Array[String])`

Paragraphs

Array[String]

An array of strings, one per forecast paragraph. Each string represents a discrete forecast segment as it would be read on NWS Weather Radio, beginning with a period label such as "Tonight:" or "Wednesday:".

Code Example

func _on_ready() -> void:
    Nws.radio_broadcast_fetched.connect(_on_broadcast)
    Nws.fetch_radio_broadcast()

func _on_broadcast(Paragraphs: Array[String]) -> void:
    for paragraph in Paragraphs:
        print(paragraph)
        print("---")

US Warning Map

`fetch_us_warning_map()`

Fetches the national active warning map from weather.gov as a PNG and decodes it into an ImageTexture. The map shows all currently active watches, warnings, and advisories across the contiguous United States. Takes no parameters.

Signal: `us_map_fetched(image)`

image

ImageTexture

The national warning map decoded as a ready-to-use ImageTexture.

Code Example

func _on_ready() -> void:
    Nws.us_map_fetched.connect(_on_us_map)
    Nws.fetch_us_warning_map()

func _on_us_map(image: ImageTexture) -> void:
    $USWarningMap.texture = image

Drought Monitor

`fetch_drought_monitor()`

Fetches the current US Drought Monitor map from droughtmonitor.unl.edu as a PNG and decodes it into an ImageTexture. Takes no parameters.

Signal: `drought_fetched(image)`

image

ImageTexture

The current drought monitor map decoded as a ready-to-use ImageTexture.

Code Example

func _on_ready() -> void:
    Nws.drought_fetched.connect(_on_drought)
    Nws.fetch_drought_monitor()

func _on_drought(image: ImageTexture) -> void:
    $DroughtMap.texture = image

Singleton (Nws)

Data Classes

GodotNWS Imagery: Radar, Charts, and Weather Stories

Radar

`fetch_radar_gif(velocity: bool)`

Signal: `radar_fetched(image_buffer)`

Code Example

Forecast Chart

`fetch_forecast_chart(index: int)`

Signal: `chart_fetched(image_buffer)`

Code Example

Graphicast

`fetch_graphicast(index: int)`

Signal: `graphicast_fetched(image, index, last_modified)`

Code Example

Weather Stories

`fetch_weather_stories()`

Signal: `weather_stories_fetched(stories: Array[WeatherStory])`

Code Example

Radio Broadcast

`fetch_radio_broadcast()`

Signal: `radio_broadcast_fetched(Paragraphs: Array[String])`

Code Example

US Warning Map

`fetch_us_warning_map()`

Signal: `us_map_fetched(image)`

Code Example

Drought Monitor

`fetch_drought_monitor()`

Signal: `drought_fetched(image)`

Code Example

Build docs developers (and LLMs) love

Singleton (Nws)

Data Classes

Documentation Index

​Radar

​fetch_radar_gif(velocity: bool)

​Signal: radar_fetched(image_buffer)

​Code Example

​Forecast Chart

​fetch_forecast_chart(index: int)

​Signal: chart_fetched(image_buffer)

​Code Example

​Graphicast

​fetch_graphicast(index: int)

​Signal: graphicast_fetched(image, index, last_modified)

​Code Example

​Weather Stories

​fetch_weather_stories()

​Signal: weather_stories_fetched(stories: Array[WeatherStory])

​Code Example

​Radio Broadcast

​fetch_radio_broadcast()

​Signal: radio_broadcast_fetched(Paragraphs: Array[String])

​Code Example

​US Warning Map

​fetch_us_warning_map()

​Signal: us_map_fetched(image)

​Code Example

​Drought Monitor

​fetch_drought_monitor()

​Signal: drought_fetched(image)

​Code Example

Build docs developers (and LLMs) love

Radar

`fetch_radar_gif(velocity: bool)`

Signal: `radar_fetched(image_buffer)`

Code Example

Forecast Chart

`fetch_forecast_chart(index: int)`

Signal: `chart_fetched(image_buffer)`

Code Example

Graphicast

`fetch_graphicast(index: int)`

Signal: `graphicast_fetched(image, index, last_modified)`

Code Example

Weather Stories

`fetch_weather_stories()`

Signal: `weather_stories_fetched(stories: Array[WeatherStory])`

Code Example

Radio Broadcast

`fetch_radio_broadcast()`

Signal: `radio_broadcast_fetched(Paragraphs: Array[String])`

Code Example

US Warning Map

`fetch_us_warning_map()`

Signal: `us_map_fetched(image)`

Code Example

Drought Monitor

`fetch_drought_monitor()`

Signal: `drought_fetched(image)`

Code Example