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NOAA Tides and Currents

by io.github.RyanCardin15
OverviewAdmin

Get Meteorological & Sensor Data

noaa_get_meteorological_data
Read-onlyIdempotent

Get observed meteorological/oceanographic sensor data from a NOAA station.

Products: air_temperature, water_temperature, wind (speed/gust/direction), air_pressure, air_gap (bridge clearance to water surface), conductivity, visibility, humidity, salinity.

Units by system: temps °F/°C; wind knots (english) or m/s (metric); air_gap feet/meters; visibility nautical miles/kilometers; air_pressure always millibars; salinity always PSU. Max span ~31 days per request; interval "6" (6-minute, default) or "h" (hourly).

Not every station has every sensor — check with noaa_get_station_info (expand ["sensors"]). Water-level data is served by noaa_get_water_levels, not this tool.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
dateNoShortcut window: "today" = midnight to now, "latest" = single most recent reading, "recent" = last 72 hours. Mutually exclusive with begin_date/end_date/range.
rangeNoNumber of hours. With begin_date: hours forward. With end_date: hours back. Alone: hours back from now.
unitsNoUnit system. english: feet, °F, knots (wind AND currents), nautical miles. metric: meters, °C, m/s for wind but cm/s for currents, kilometers. Air pressure is millibars and salinity is PSU in BOTH systems.english
productYesSensor product to retrieve.
stationYesStation ID. Water-level/met stations use 7-digit numeric IDs (e.g. "9414290" San Francisco); current stations use alphanumeric IDs (e.g. "cb0102"). Find stations with noaa_search_stations or noaa_find_nearest_stations.
end_dateNoEnd date/time. Same formats as begin_date.
intervalNo"6" = 6-minute observations (default), "h" = hourly.6
time_zoneNoTime zone for timestamps: gmt = UTC, lst = station local standard time (no DST), lst_ldt = station local time with DST. Note: daily_mean data requires lst.lst_ldt
begin_dateNoStart date/time. Formats: yyyyMMdd, "yyyyMMdd HH:mm", MM/dd/yyyy, or ISO yyyy-MM-dd[THH:mm].
response_formatNoOutput format: "markdown" for a readable summary table, "json" for the complete structured payload.markdown

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections. Dates show when Glama detected each change.

  1. First observed

TDQS

A4.5/5.0
Behavior4/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint=true and destructiveHint=false, which the description supports by describing safe read operations. Description adds useful behavioral details: max data range, interval behavior, unit system nuances, and suggestion to check sensor availability via another tool.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness5/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

Description is efficiently structured: opening sentence, product list, units, constraints, then cross-reference. No redundant or filler sentences; each sentence adds specific guidance.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness4/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

Comprehensive for a read-only sensor data tool with 10 parameters. Cross-references to noaa_get_station_info and noaa_get_water_levels. Lacks explicit output schema detail, though response_format parameter offers JSON option. Minimal gap given complexity.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters5/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Despite 100% schema description coverage, the description adds significant value beyond schema: explains units per system, clarifies date/range interaction, notes time zone caveat for daily_mean data, and describes output format options. Every parameter's meaning is enriched.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

Description starts with clear verb+resource ('Get observed meteorological/oceanographic sensor data from a NOAA station'), lists specific products, and explicitly distinguishes from sibling tool noaa_get_water_levels for water-level data.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines4/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

Description states when to use (for meteorological/oceanographic sensor data), notes max span ~31 days, and contrasts with water-level tool. However, it could more explicitly differentiate from other siblings like noaa_get_currents or tide predictions.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

All NOAA Tides and Currents toolsInspect
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