ecmwf-opendata
A package to download ECMWF open data
Decision gist · record as of 2026-08-14
Yes. The package is actively maintained, has low install friction, carries no known vulnerabilities, and uses a permissive Apache 2.0 license. Install it if you need to programmatically download ECMWF open meteorological data; the request-based interface and multi-cloud support make it the standard tool for this task. Be aware that direct ECMWF access is rate-limited to 500 simultaneous connections, so consider cloud mirrors if you hit congestion.AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Before you install
- Requires network access to ECMWF servers or configured cloud provider (AWS, Google Cloud, Azure); data availability is 7-9 hours after forecast start time.
- Low install friction with a single runtime dependency (multiurl).
- Active maintenance with recent release 15 days ago and 337 repository stars.
License · maintenance · safety
Apache License Version 2.0 (permissive) — Apache License 2.0 permits commercial and private use with permissive terms; you may use, modify, and distribute the software freely provided you include the license notice.
last release 2026-07-30 (15 days) · last repo commit 2026-07-30 · 337 stars
0 known vulnerabilities (OSV.dev, 2026-08-14) · 240,921 downloads/mo, #8,892 on PyPI
Alternatives
Verify before relying
pip install ecmwf-opendata
from ecmwf.opendata import Client
client = Client()
result = client.retrieve(
step=240,
type="fc",
param="msl",
target="data.grib2",
)
print(result.datetime)- Whether the package handles authentication automatically or requires credentials for cloud sources.
- Performance characteristics when downloading large numbers of fields or whole data files.
- Compatibility with GRIB2 processing libraries beyond download functionality.
What it is and what it does
ecmwf-opendata is a Python client for downloading meteorological forecast data from ECMWF's open data repositories. It wraps the MARS language query interface to let you request specific meteorological fields (like mean sea level pressure, temperature, wind) at chosen forecast steps and pressure levels, then downloads the matching GRIB2 data into a local file. The package supports multiple data sources: ECMWF's direct servers, AWS, Google Cloud, and Azure, with automatic fallback capability when one source is congested.
The client provides three main methods: retrieve() to download selected fields matching your request, download() to fetch entire data files ignoring field filters, and latest() to check the most recent available forecast without downloading. It supports both physics-driven (IFS) and data-driven (AIFS) forecast models at 0.25 degree resolution, with optional request reordering to control output field order or minimize HTTP requests. The package is designed for users downloading subsets of data; downloading full daily datasets (726 GiB) is possible but may be more efficient via direct file access.
Use it for
- Download specific meteorological fields like temperature or pressure for a region to feed into local analysis or visualization.
- Retrieve ensemble forecast members for probabilistic weather prediction workflows.
- Automate daily forecast data ingestion for operational weather applications or research.
- Query the latest available forecast metadata without downloading full data files.
- Access data-driven AI forecast models (AIFS) alongside traditional physics-based forecasts for comparison.
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page. Verify before relying on it.
Yes.
The package is actively maintained, has low install friction, carries no known vulnerabilities, and uses a permissive Apache 2.0 license. Install it if you need to programmatically download ECMWF open meteorological data; the request-based interface and multi-cloud support make it the standard tool for this task. Be aware that direct ECMWF access is rate-limited to 500 simultaneous connections, so consider cloud mirrors if you hit congestion.
Install
ecmwf-opendata on PyPI
Before you install
Low install friction with a single runtime dependency (multiurl). Active maintenance with recent release 15 days ago and 337 repository stars.
Requires network access to ECMWF servers or configured cloud provider (AWS, Google Cloud, Azure); data availability is 7-9 hours after forecast start time.
License in practice
Apache License 2.0 permits commercial and private use with permissive terms; you may use, modify, and distribute the software freely provided you include the license notice.
Quickstart
pip install ecmwf-opendata
from ecmwf.opendata import Client
client = Client()
result = client.retrieve(
step=240,
type="fc",
param="msl",
target="data.grib2",
)
print(result.datetime)Verify before relying
- Whether the package handles authentication automatically or requires credentials for cloud sources.
- Performance characteristics when downloading large numbers of fields or whole data files.
- Compatibility with GRIB2 processing libraries beyond download functionality.
Package facts
| License | Apache License Version 2.0 permissive |
| Python support | Not specified |
| Install friction | Low. Pure-Python wheel |
| Runtime dependencies | 1 packagemultiurl |
| Maintenance | Actively maintained 15 days since the last release |
| Last repo commit | |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 240,921 / month, #8,892 on PyPI 30-day window, as of 2026-08-14 |
| Known vulnerabilities | None known OSV.dev, checked 2026-08-14 |
| Classifiers | Development Status :: 3 - AlphaIntended Audience :: DevelopersLicense :: OSI Approved :: Apache Software LicenseOperating System :: OS IndependentProgramming Language :: Python :: 3Programming Language :: Python :: 3.10Programming Language :: Python :: 3.7Programming Language :: Python :: 3.8Programming Language :: Python :: 3.9Programming Language :: Python :: Implementation :: CPythonProgramming Language :: Python :: Implementation :: PyPy |
Evidence: ecmwf_opendata-0.3.34-py3-none-any.whl
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