noaa-climate-mcp-server

Find NOAA Climate Stations

noaa_climate_find_stations

Read-only

Search for weather observation stations by location, bounding box, dataset, and data type. Returns station IDs, names, coordinates, elevation, and data coverage dates. Filter by locationId (e.g., "FIPS:37" for all NC stations), extent (lat/lon bounding box), datasetId, datatypeId, and date range. Station IDs returned here are used as stationId in noaa_climate_fetch_data. A station must have data for the dataset and date range you want — filter by datasetId and startDate/endDate to ensure compatibility. Common station ID formats: GHCND:USW00024233, COOP:010008.

Input Schema

Name	Required	Description
`limit`	No	Maximum number of results to return (1–1000). Defaults to 25. Larger positive integers are clamped to 1000 with a notice unless NOAA_CLAMP_LIMITS=false.
`extent`	No	Bounding box as "minLat,minLon,maxLat,maxLon": four finite signed decimal or scientific numbers with optional surrounding whitespace, latitude ±90 and longitude ±180. Equal coordinates are accepted; reversed axes return no matches, without wrapping. Example: "47.5,-122.4,47.7,-122.1". Optional.
`offset`	No	Zero-based index of the first result to return for pagination. Defaults to 0.
`endDate`	No	Filter to stations with data on or before this ISO date (YYYY-MM-DD). Optional.
`datasetId`	No	Filter to stations that have data in this dataset (e.g., "GHCND" for daily observations). Optional.
`sortField`	No	Sort results by this field. Optional.
`sortOrder`	No	Sort direction. Optional; defaults to asc.
`startDate`	No	Filter to stations with data on or after this ISO date (YYYY-MM-DD). Optional.
`datatypeId`	No	Filter to stations that record these data types (e.g., ["TMAX", "TMIN", "PRCP"]). Optional.
`locationId`	No	Filter to stations within this location ID (e.g., "FIPS:37" for NC, "CITY:US530018" for Seattle). Obtain from noaa_climate_find_locations. Optional.
`datacategoryId`	No	Filter to stations with data in this category (e.g., "TEMP"). Optional.

Output Schema

Name	Required	Description
`error`	No	Present when the call failed. Absent on success.
`notice`	No	Page-limit adjustment and empty or exhausted-page guidance. Omitted when no guidance applies.
`results`	No	Matching stations.
`metadata`	No	Pagination metadata. Present when the API returns it.
`exhausted`	No	True when the requested offset is past the end of a non-empty result set — the page is empty but matches exist. Omitted otherwise.
`totalCount`	No	Total number of matching stations before the page limit.

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Changed7 schema fields changedOct 23, 2026

changedInput schema / properties / extent / description

Previous value: -"Bounding box filter as \"minLat,minLon,maxLat,maxLon\" (e.g., \"47.5,-122.4,47.7,-122.1\" for central Seattle). Optional."New value: +"Bounding box as \"minLat,minLon,maxLat,maxLon\": four finite signed decimal or scientific numbers with optional surrounding whitespace, latitude ±90 and longitude ±180. Equal coordinates are accepted; reversed axes return no matches, without wrapping. Example: \"47.5,-122.4,47.7,-122.1\". Optional."

removedInput schema / properties / extent / minLength
```
Removed value: -1
```

addedInput schema / properties / extent / pattern

Added value: +"^\\s*[+-]?(?:[0-9]+(?:\\.[0-9]*)?|\\.[0-9]+)(?:[eE][+-]?[0-9]+)?\\s*,\\s*[+-]?(?:[0-9]+(?:\\.[0-9]*)?|\\.[0-9]+)(?:[eE][+-]?[0-9]+)?\\s*,\\s*[+-]?(?:[0-9]+(?:\\.[0-9]*)?|\\.[0-9]+)(?:[eE][+-]?[0-9]+)?\\s*,\\s*[+-]?(?:[0-9]+(?:\\.[0-9]*)?|\\.[0-9]+)(?:[eE][+-]?[0-9]+)?\\s*$"

changedInput schema / properties / limit / description

Previous value: -"Maximum number of results to return (1–1000). Defaults to 25."New value: +"Maximum number of results to return (1–1000). Defaults to 25. Larger positive integers are clamped to 1000 with a notice unless NOAA_CLAMP_LIMITS=false."

changedInput schema / properties / limit / maximum

Previous value: -1000New value: +9007199254740991

changedOutput schema / properties / error / properties / data / properties / reason / description

Previous value: -"Machine-readable failure mode. Declared by this tool: `service_unavailable`: NOAA CDO API is unreachable or returning errors. `rate_limited`: NOAA CDO throttled the request — the configured token went over its rate limit. `upstream_auth_failed`: NOAA CDO rejected the API token this server is configured with. `validation_error`: A filter parameter is not recognized by the NOAA CDO API (e.g., unknown locationId or datacategoryId). Other values are possible when a failure originates below the handler."New value: +"Machine-readable failure mode. Declared by this tool: `service_unavailable`: NOAA CDO API is unreachable or returning errors. `rate_limited`: NOAA CDO throttled the request — the configured token went over its rate limit. `upstream_auth_failed`: NOAA CDO rejected the API token this server is configured with. `validation_error`: startDate is after endDate, or a filter parameter is not recognized by NOAA CDO (e.g., unknown locationId or datacategoryId). Other values are possible when a failure originates below the handler."

changedOutput schema / properties / notice / description

Previous value: -"Guidance when no stations matched — echoes applied filters and suggests how to broaden."New value: +"Page-limit adjustment and empty or exhausted-page guidance. Omitted when no guidance applies."

Changed1 schema field changedOct 19, 2026

changedOutput schema / properties / metadata / properties / resultset / properties / offset / description

Previous value: -"1-based starting index of this page as returned by the NOAA CDO API."New value: +"Zero-based starting index of this page, echoing the requested offset."

Changed6 schema fields changedAug 25, 2026

changedInput schema / $schema

Previous value: -"http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#"New value: +"https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema"

addedInput schema / additionalProperties
```
Added value: +false
```

changedOutput schema / $schema

Previous value: -"http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#"New value: +"https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema"

addedOutput schema / anyOf

Added value: +[
+  {
+    "not": {
+      "required": [
+        "error"
+      ]
+    },
+    "required": [
+      "results",
+      "totalCount"
+    ]
+  },
+  {
+    "required": [
+      "error"
+    ]
+  }
+]

addedOutput schema / properties / error

Added value: +{
+  "additionalProperties": {},
+  "description": "Present when the call failed. Absent on success.",
+  "properties": {
+    "code": {
+      "description": "JSON-RPC error code for this failure.",
+      "maximum": 9007199254740991,
+      "minimum": -9007199254740991,
+      "type": "integer"
+    },
+    "data": {
+      "additionalProperties": {},
+      "properties": {
+        "reason": {
+          "description": "Machine-readable failure mode. Declared by this tool: `service_unavailable`: NOAA CDO API is unreachable or returning errors. `rate_limited`: NOAA CDO throttled the request — the configured token went over its rate limit. `upstream_auth_failed`: NOAA CDO rejected the API token this server is configured with. `validation_error`: A filter parameter is not recognized by the NOAA CDO API (e.g., unknown locationId or datacategoryId). Other values are possible when a failure originates below the handler.",
+          "examples": [
+            "service_unavailable",
+            "rate_limited",
+            "upstream_auth_failed",
+            "validation_error"
+          ],
+          "type": "string"
+        },
+        "recovery": {
+          "additionalProperties": {},
+          "description": "Actionable next step for the caller.",
+          "properties": {
+            "hint": {
+              "type": "string"
+            }
+          },
+          "required": [
+            "hint"
+          ],
+          "type": "object"
+        },
+        "retryable": {
+          "description": "Whether retrying may succeed.",
+          "type": "boolean"
+        }
+      },
+      "type": "object"
+    },
+    "message": {
+      "description": "Human-readable description of what went wrong.",
+      "type": "string"
+    }
+  },
+  "required": [
+    "code",
+    "message"
+  ],
+  "type": "object"
+}

removedOutput schema / required

Removed value: -[
-  "results",
-  "totalCount"
-]

Changed2 schema fields changedAug 18, 2026

changedInput schema / properties / locationId / description

Previous value: -"Filter to stations within this location ID (e.g., \"FIPS:37\" for NC, \"CITY:US530031\" for Seattle). Obtain from noaa_climate_find_locations. Optional."New value: +"Filter to stations within this location ID (e.g., \"FIPS:37\" for NC, \"CITY:US530018\" for Seattle). Obtain from noaa_climate_find_locations. Optional."

changedOutput schema / properties / results / items / properties / id / description

Previous value: -"Station ID (e.g., GHCND:USC00450974, COOP:010008)."New value: +"Station ID (e.g., GHCND:USW00024233, COOP:010008)."

Changed9 schema fields changedAug 18, 2026

addedInput schema / properties / datacategoryId / minLength
```
Added value: +1
```
addedInput schema / properties / datasetId / minLength
```
Added value: +1
```
addedInput schema / properties / datatypeId / items / minLength
```
Added value: +1
```
addedInput schema / properties / datatypeId / minItems
```
Added value: +1
```

addedInput schema / properties / endDate / pattern

Added value: +"^(?:\\d{4}(?:0[1-9]|1[0-2])(?:0[1-9]|[12]\\d|3[01])|\\d{4}-(?:0?[1-9]|1[0-2])-(?:0?[1-9]|[12]\\d|3[01])(?:T(?:[01]\\d|2[0-3]):[0-5]\\d:[0-5]\\d(?:\\.\\d+)?)?)$"

addedInput schema / properties / extent / minLength
```
Added value: +1
```
addedInput schema / properties / locationId / minLength
```
Added value: +1
```

addedInput schema / properties / startDate / pattern

Added value: +"^(?:\\d{4}(?:0[1-9]|1[0-2])(?:0[1-9]|[12]\\d|3[01])|\\d{4}-(?:0?[1-9]|1[0-2])-(?:0?[1-9]|[12]\\d|3[01])(?:T(?:[01]\\d|2[0-3]):[0-5]\\d:[0-5]\\d(?:\\.\\d+)?)?)$"

addedOutput schema / properties / exhausted

Added value: +{
+  "description": "True when the requested offset is past the end of a non-empty result set — the page is empty but matches exist. Omitted otherwise.",
+  "type": "boolean"
+}

First observedJun 22, 2026

TDQS

A4.4/5.0

Behavior4/5

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

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint=true and openWorldHint=true, so the safety profile is covered. The description adds genuinely useful behavioral context beyond that: the compatibility prerequisite (station must have data for the dataset and range) and the ID-handoff contract with noaa_climate_fetch_data.

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

Conciseness4/5

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

Front-loaded with purpose then filters then ID format guidance; every sentence carries information. Slightly dense with examples but none are wasted.

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

Completeness5/5

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

With an output schema present, the description needn't document return structure, yet it still summarizes returned fields. Combined with 100% schema coverage and the cross-tool handoff note, an agent has everything needed to call it correctly.

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

Parameters4/5

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

Schema coverage is 100%, so a 3 is the baseline. The description goes beyond the schema by giving concrete ID formats ("FIPS:37", "GHCND:USW00024233", "COOP:010008"), which is not repeated in every parameter doc, aiding correct invocation.

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?

States a specific verb (Search) and resource (weather observation stations) plus the filter facets, and enumerates the returned fields. It also distinguishes itself from noaa_climate_fetch_data by explaining that station IDs returned here are consumed there.

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?

Explicitly tells the agent to filter by datasetId and startDate/endDate so returned stations actually have the desired data, and points to noaa_climate_find_locations for locationId. It does not contrast with noaa_climate_get_station, so a direct alternative comparison is missing.

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

All noaa-climate-mcp-server tools Inspect

Try in Browser

One endpoint for every MCP toolRayrun runs every MCP server behind one URL and holds the credentials. Each call is decided per client, tool, and argument, then recorded.ray.runAd

Glama MCP Gateway

Add one secure layer between your agents and this server.