[RELEASE] WXMON v1.1.4 -Feb 7, 2024- Localized Weather Monitoring, extended forecasts, including aviation METARs and TAFs! (US/Global!)

[Viktor Jaep]

WXMON v1.1.4
Released February 7, 2024

Executive Summary: WXMON is a shell script (using the same look & feel of VPNMON-R2, RTRMON, PWRMON and KILLMON) that provides current localized weather information directly from weather.gov and displays this information on screen in an SSH dashboard window. Options to expand on the weather forecast to give you more detail about the upcoming forecast. Also, capabilities to view aviation-related METAR and TAF forecasts are included. This component was originally added to my PWRMON script, which monitors your Tesla Powerwall batteries, solar panels, grid and home electrical usage. Having a weather component was useful in determining if upcoming days would yield good solar production days. Understanding that many won't be able to make use of this feature, I decided to break this out into its own standalone script -- WXMON... a script that demonstrates what's possible with APIs on our routers.

IMPORTANT NOTE: The requirement for an API key to pull aviation weather is no longer needed! Yey!

LOCATION LIMITATIONS:
You now have the option to pick between a US-only weather service, or a global weather service! There are some plusses and minuses for each... so make your choice: US-based weather is a only 3-day forecast, has a user-friendly expanded forecast, but it gives much more richer content. The units are Imperial only! The global-based weather is a 7-day forecast, does not have expanded weather, and uses more of the standard data elements. The global weather does give you an option between using Imperial or Metric units of measurement, found in the config menu.

SCRIPT REQUIREMENTS:
* You must have "JFFS custom scripts" turned on from the router UI, and have Entware installed (easiest way is through AMTM)

WXMON is free to use under the GNU General Public License version 3 (GPL 3.0).

This project is hosted on GitHub

Changelog here | What's new: Official Release, New Global Weather Service/No more API key, Initial Release!

Screenshots:
Default 3-day US-only weather forecast for the region based on your WAN IP address:

Extended details for the US-only forecast when hitting the (M)ore details key:

For those who are non-US-based, here is the Global weather option:

For those with an aviation background, current METAR and TAF for the airport of your choice:

I'm definitely looking for your feedback... what works, what doesn't... what else would you like to see. But all-in-all, as good ideas come up for things to possibly add, very much a WIP (work-in-progress).

 

[Viktor Jaep]

How is this script supposed to run?​

I would recommend running this script in its own SSH window from a PC that's connected directly to the Asus router, or using the SCREEN utility. It can run continuously, and by default would refresh the weather every 6hrs. Instructions:

1. Download using your favorite SSH tools, copy & paste this command:
   

   curl --retry 3 "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ViktorJp/WXMON/master/wxmon-1.1.4.sh" -o "/jffs/scripts/wxmon.sh" && chmod 755 "/jffs/scripts/wxmon.sh"

   
   
2. Configure it using this command:
   

   sh /jffs/scripts/wxmon.sh -setup

   
   
3. Run it standalone in an SSH window with this command:
   

   sh /jffs/scripts/wxmon.sh -monitor

   
   
4. Run it in its own screen environment, detached from your SSH window (don't forget to exit gracefully from screen using CTRL A+D):
   

   sh /jffs/scripts/wxmon.sh -screen

   
   
5. To make it even easier, simply execute the script name with the commandline switch, like so:
   

   wxmon -setup
   -or-
   wxmon -monitor
   -or-
   wxmon -screen
   -or you can just run by just typing in the script name itself-
   wxmon
   etc...

Do I need to configure anything?

You can enter the setup screen with the command 'wxmon.sh -setup' or by hitting the "s" key in the main UI:

First time setup will guide you on installing any Entware dependencies. From there, you can go ahead and configure any options:

Drop a line if you need any help, or other feature requests...

 

[Viktor Jaep]

[RESERVED]

 

[Viktor Jaep]

I know I said I wasn't going to make another script... OOPS. lol

 

[L&LD]

Don't worry, we didn't really believe you wouldn't!

 

[Tech9]

I know I said I wasn't going to make another script...

Any updates on RTRHTR? Seems like integration in WXMON is a good thing.

"Best" new router that supports Merlin?

The best router that supports @RMerlin right now is the one generating more heat and has "Show shoveling" option in firmware set on Auto. I'm trying to run as many CPU intensive scripts as I can to get that CPU cooking at 99%-100%, with the wife and kids sitting around the router to stay...

www.snbforums.com

 

[Viktor Jaep]

Any updates on RTRHTR? Seems like integration in WXMON is a good thing.

"Best" new router that supports Merlin?

The best router that supports @RMerlin right now is the one generating more heat and has "Show shoveling" option in firmware set on Auto. I'm trying to run as many CPU intensive scripts as I can to get that CPU cooking at 99%-100%, with the wife and kids sitting around the router to stay...

www.snbforums.com

Yeah... I was going to talk to you about that. I unfortunately lost all my RTRHTR code in an unfortunate accident with my AC86U in a tragic meltdown. I wasn't able to recover any code unfortunately.

 

[Tech9]

I see, you did a mistake. AC86U has built-in Asus version of RTRHTR already.

 

[Viktor Jaep]

I see, you did a mistake. AC86U has built-in Asus version of RTRHTR already.

Wow, so RTRHTR must be riding along like a Trojan horse with AMTM then!!

 

[Tech9]

AMTM was included with firmware in 2020. RTRHTR was there before that.
AMTM may suggest firmware upgrade. RTRHTR may force router upgrade.

 

[heysoundude]

the token for METAR and TAF...is that because of the script or Merlin?
I'm going to inbox you with something a friend cooked up...maybe we can do away with the token...

 

[Viktor Jaep]

the token for METAR and TAF...is that because of the script or Merlin?
I'm going to inbox you with something a friend cooked up...maybe we can do away with the token...

It's really because I'm not able to find a free open API that can give me METAR/TAF data. Feel free to send, and I'll consider the change.

 

[heysoundude]

Check your inbox...I'll do some more digging for you.

 

[Stephen Harrington]

@Viktor Jaep ss this supposed to work outside the USA?
After setting up and configuring (aviation switched off) I just get in the logs ...

Sat Feb 11 13:21:33 AEDT 2023 - WXMON - Successfully wrote a new config file
Sat Feb 11 13:22:33 AEDT 2023 - WXMON ----------> ERROR: Unable to fetch weather data. May be a temporary issue. Try again later.

 

[Viktor Jaep]

@Viktor Jaep ss this supposed to work outside the USA?
After setting up and configuring (aviation switched off) I just get in the logs ...

Sat Feb 11 13:21:33 AEDT 2023 - WXMON - Successfully wrote a new config file
Sat Feb 11 13:22:33 AEDT 2023 - WXMON ----------> ERROR: Unable to fetch weather data. May be a temporary issue. Try again later.

Just tried it out with some coordinates in AU, and it doesn't look like it grabs weather for anything outside the US. UGHHH. Nice find, @Stephen Harrington... I'll try to find something comparable that works around the globe... Openweathermap.org seems decent, but needs an API key... and it doesn't give nice summaries like the current one does. I'll keep searching.

 

[Stephen Harrington]

it doesn't look like it grabs weather for anything outside the US

Bugger! Seemed like fun!

 

[SomeWhereOverTheRainBow]

WXMON v0.1b
Released February 9, 2023

Executive Summary: WXMON v0.1b is a shell script (using the same look & feel of VPNMON-R2, RTRMON, PWRMON and KILLMON) that provides current localized weather information directly from weather.gov and displays this information on screen in an SSH dashboard window. Options to expand on the weather forecast to give you more detail about the upcoming forecast. Also, capabilities to view aviation-related METAR and TAF forecasts are included. This component was originally added to my PWRMON script, which monitors your Tesla Powerwall batteries, solar panels, grid and home electrical usage. Having a weather component was useful in determining if upcoming days would yield good solar production days. Understanding that many won't be able to make use of this feature, I decided to break this out into its own standalone script -- WXMON.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Please note, in order to pull aviation weather data through a public API, you must sign up for a free account at https://avwx.rest and grab a free "hobbyist" API access token. It will literally take you 1 minute or less to do this. Once you have your automatically generated token code, copy that into WXMON's config section that asks for this token. Once the token is in place, it will be able to pull this data to display on screen.

LOCATION LIMITATIONS:
* Unfortunately the weather.gov API only pulls weather for the US only. I'll search for an alternative that can handle weather around the globe.

SCRIPT REQUIREMENTS:
* You must have "JFFS custom scripts" turned on from the router UI, and have Entware installed (easiest way is through AMTM)

WXMON is free to use under the GNU General Public License version 3 (GPL 3.0).

This project is hosted on GitHub

Changelog here | What's new: Initial Release!

Screenshots:
Default 3-day weather forecast for the region based on your WAN IP address:
View attachment 47794

Extended details for the forecast when hitting the (M)ore details key:
View attachment 47795

For those with an aviation background, current METAR and TAF for the airport of your choice:
View attachment 47796

I'm definitely looking for your feedback... what works, what doesn't... what else would you like to see. But all-in-all, as good ideas come up for things to possibly add, very much a WIP (work-in-progress).

Awesome work!, I knew that cat was up to something!

 

[Stephen Harrington]

I'll keep searching

Here's the official government data source for Australia but I'm guessing you'd prefer something a bit more universal rather than "country by country"?

http://www.bom.gov.au/catalogue/data-feeds.shtml

 

[Viktor Jaep]

Here's the official government data source for Australia but I'm guessing you'd prefer something a bit more universal rather than "country by country"?

http://www.bom.gov.au/catalogue/data-feeds.shtml

Yeah, I need something that works globally. I'll keep searching. Thanks for linking that!

 

[Jack Yaz]

openweathermap and weatherbit are pretty decent, i pull that data to Home Assistant - not sure about aviation data though