noaa-tidesandcurrents-mcp

Find Nearest NOAA Stations

noaa_find_nearest_stations

Read-onlyIdempotent

Locate NOAA tide, current, or weather stations nearest a latitude/longitude point. Filter by station type and get distances in km and miles.

Instructions

Find the NOAA stations closest to a latitude/longitude point, sorted by distance.

Use this to answer "what's the tide station near ?" — geocode the place to coordinates first, then call this. Filter by type to match the data you need (e.g. type "tidepredictions" before calling noaa_get_tide_predictions, "currents" before noaa_get_currents — current stations have different IDs than water-level stations).

Distance is computed great-circle (Haversine) and reported in both km and miles. (NOAA's API has no native coordinate search; this tool maintains a cached station directory.)

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`type`	No	Station capability filter. Common: "waterlevels" (active water level), "tidepredictions", "currents" (observed currents), "currentpredictions", "met" (weather sensors). Full list via noaa_get_reference_guide topic "station_types".
`limit`	No	Number of stations to return.
`latitude`	Yes	Latitude in decimal degrees (-90 to 90).
`longitude`	Yes	Longitude in decimal degrees (-180 to 180).
`max_distance_km`	No	Optional cutoff radius in kilometers.
`response_format`	No	Output format: "markdown" for a readable summary table, "json" for the complete structured payload.	markdown

Output Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`_response`	Yes

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Addedv1.0.1Oct 5, 2026

TDQS

A4.4/5.0

Behavior4/5

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

Annotations already declare readOnly, idempotent, open-world, non-destructive, so the safety profile is covered. The description adds real context beyond that: distance is great-circle (Haversine) reported in km and miles, and the tool relies on a cached directory because NOAA's API has no native coordinate search. No rate-limit or freshness caveats, but the added context is meaningful.

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?

Three tight paragraphs, each front-loaded: scope first, then usage/workflow, then the implementation note. No sentence is filler — every one adds routing, prerequisite, or distance-semantics value.

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, return values need no explanation, and the annotations carry the safety profile. The description covers scope, prerequisites, sibling routing, and distance computation, which is everything needed to invoke the 6-parameter tool 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 the baseline is 3. The description goes further by explaining the filter-by-type workflow and flagging a genuine semantic subtlety: current stations have different IDs than water-level stations, which the schema does not convey.

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

Purpose4/5

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

States a specific verb (find), resource (NOAA stations), and scope (nearest to a lat/lon, sorted by distance). The coordinate-based scope implicitly distinguishes it from the name-based noaa_search_stations sibling, though it never names that sibling explicitly to sharpen the contrast.

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

Usage Guidelines5/5

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

Gives an explicit trigger scenario ('what's the tide station near <place>?'), a prerequisite workflow (geocode the place first), and routing guidance to sibling tools ('type "tidepredictions" before calling noaa_get_tide_predictions, "currents" before noaa_get_currents'). When and how to use it are left to nothing.

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