apibase

NOAA CO-OPS — Marine Meteorological Conditions

coops.tides.conditions

Read-onlyIdempotent

Get observed meteorological data from a NOAA CO-OPS station. Supports five products: air_temperature (°F or °C), water_temperature (sea surface °F or °C), air_pressure (millibars), humidity (relative humidity %), and wind (speed and direction — available at select stations). Returns 6-minute interval readings for the specified date range (default: last 24 hours) plus the most recent reading for quick lookups. Note: not all stations have all sensors — if a product is unavailable at the requested station, the API returns an error. Try station 8443970 (Boston) for air_temperature, 9414290 (San Francisco) for water_temperature. Source: NOAA CO-OPS — tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov. No auth, US Gov public domain.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description
`limit`	No	Maximum number of recent readings to return (1–500). Readings are at 6-minute intervals. Defaults to 60 (last 6 hours).
`units`	No	Unit system: english = °F / knots / feet, metric = °C / m/s / meters. Defaults to english.
`product`	No	Meteorological product to retrieve. air_temperature = air temp in °F (or °C), water_temperature = sea surface temp, air_pressure = barometric pressure in mb, humidity = relative humidity %, wind = wind speed/direction. Not all stations have all sensors. Defaults to air_temperature.
`end_date`	No	End date for observations in YYYY-MM-DD or YYYYMMDD format (e.g. 2025-07-02). Defaults to today. Maximum range: 31 days.
`begin_date`	No	Start date for observations in YYYY-MM-DD or YYYYMMDD format (e.g. 2025-07-01). Defaults to yesterday. Maximum range: 31 days.
`station_id`	Yes	NOAA CO-OPS station ID (4–7 digits, e.g. 8443970 for Boston MA). Find station IDs with the coops.tides.stations tool.

Output Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`error`	No	Present only when the call failed. Includes error code, message, request_id, and any provider-specific extras.
`result`	No	Tool response payload. Shape varies per tool — consult the tool description and inputSchema. May be an object, array, string, or number depending on the upstream provider response.

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

First observedSep 22, 2026

TDQS

A4.5/5.0

Behavior5/5

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

Annotations already mark the tool as read-only, idempotent, and non-destructive, and the description adds valuable behavior beyond that: 6-minute interval readings, default last-24-hour window, inclusion of the most recent reading, and a concrete failure mode ('if a product is unavailable ... the API returns an error'). This prepares agents for error handling and edge cases.

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?

The description is compact and front-loaded: the first sentence states the core purpose, followed by products, sampling interval, caveats, examples, and source/auth. Every sentence earns its place, including the availability warning and example stations, which directly help an agent make correct calls.

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?

Given the rich input schema and the presence of an output schema, the description covers everything an agent needs for correct invocation: product choices, units, time range defaults, sensor limitations, error behavior, example station IDs, and authentication status. No critical context is missing.

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

Parameters3/5

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

Schema description coverage is 100%, so the schema already documents every parameter fully, including units, defaults, and constraints. The description repeats product-to-unit mappings and gives example station IDs, which is helpful but does not add substantial new meaning beyond the schema. Baseline 3 is appropriate.

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?

The description uses a specific verb and resource ('Get observed meteorological data from a NOAA CO-OPS station') and enumerates the five supported products. This clearly distinguishes it from sibling tools like coops.tides.water_level and coops.tides.predictions by naming the exact domain (meteorological conditions).

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?

The description gives clear context: it's for observed meteorological data with a fixed set of products, default date range, and sensor availability caveats. It doesn't explicitly say 'use this instead of water_level for met data,' but the resource naming and product list make the intended use unambiguous. Example stations for specific products further guide usage.

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

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