NOAA Weather Alerts Intelligence - AI-Powered Severe Weather Risk Monitoring

Extract real-time weather alerts from NOAA's National Weather Service with AI-powered risk scoring. Monitor tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, severe storms, and all weather hazards across the United States. Perfect for emergency management, insurance risk assessment, event planning, and business continuity.

🚀 Why Use This Actor?

Market Opportunity

• Real-time alerts from official NOAA National Weather Service
• All US coverage - 50 states + territories
• Immediate updates as alerts are issued
• Critical for business continuity and risk management

Key Features

• ✅ AI Risk Scoring: 0-100 score based on severity, urgency, event type, timing
• ✅ Comprehensive Filtering: Severity, urgency, event type, state, location, region
• ✅ Real-Time Data: Direct from NOAA api.weather.gov
• ✅ Free Government API: No API keys needed, publicly accessible data
• ✅ Rich Data Fields: Event details, timing, location, instructions, affected zones
• ✅ Pay-Per-Result: $0.02/alert, 100 free alerts
• ✅ Fast & Reliable: Async HTTP with proper error handling

📊 What Data Do You Get?

Alert Core Information

Field	Description	Example
alert_id	Unique alert identifier	urn:oid:2.49.0.1.840.0...
event	Event type	Tornado Warning, Flood Warning
headline	Alert headline	Tornado Warning until 3:45PM CST
description	Full alert description	Detailed event information
instruction	Safety instructions	Take shelter immediately
response	Recommended response	Shelter, Evacuate, Avoid
risk_score	AI risk score (0-100)	95

Severity & Urgency

Field	Description	Example
severity	Alert severity level	Extreme, Severe, Moderate, Minor
urgency	Time urgency	Immediate, Expected, Future
certainty	Event certainty	Observed, Likely, Possible
status	Alert status	Actual, Test
message_type	Message type	Alert, Update, Cancel
category	Event category	Met (Meteorological)

Location Data

Field	Description	Example
area_description	Human-readable area	Orange, CA; Riverside, CA
affected_zones	URLs to zone data	[https://api.weather.gov/zones/...]
same_codes	SAME location codes	["006059", "006065"]
ugc_codes	UGC zone codes	["CAC059", "CAC065"]
geometry_type	Geographic shape type	Polygon, Point
coordinates	Geographic coordinates	Polygon coordinates array

Timing Information

Field	Description	Example
sent	When alert was sent	2025-11-15T08:47:00-08:00
effective	When alert becomes effective	2025-11-15T08:47:00-08:00
onset	When event begins	2025-11-15T09:00:00-08:00
expires	Alert expiration time	2025-11-15T10:45:00-08:00
ends	When event ends	2025-11-15T10:44:00-08:00

Source Information

Field	Description	Example
sender	Issuing NWS office	NWS San Diego CA
web	Weather.gov link	http://www.weather.gov

🧠 AI Risk Scoring Algorithm

The actor calculates a 0-100 risk score for each alert based on:

1. Severity Level (50 points max)

NOAA classifies alerts by potential impact.

• Extreme (50 points): Extraordinary threat to life/property

  • Examples: Major hurricanes, violent tornadoes, catastrophic floods

• Severe (37.5 points): Significant threat

  • Examples: Severe thunderstorms, blizzards, flash floods

• Moderate (25 points): Possible threat

  • Examples: Winter weather advisories, heat advisories

• Minor (12.5 points): Minimal threat

  • Examples: Frost advisories, fog advisories

2. Event Type Criticality (40 points max)

Different event types carry different risk levels.

• Extreme Events (40 points): Tornado Warning, Hurricane Warning, Tsunami Warning, Flash Flood Warning, Extreme Wind Warning

• Severe Events (30 points): Severe Thunderstorm Warning, Blizzard Warning, Ice Storm Warning, Winter Storm Warning, Flood Warning

• Moderate Events (20 points): Tornado Watch, Severe Thunderstorm Watch, Winter Weather Advisory, Heat Advisory, Wind Advisory

• Minor Events (10 points): Frost Advisory, Fog Advisory, Small Craft Advisory, Beach Hazards Statement

3. Urgency Multiplier (0.5x - 1.2x)

How soon action is needed affects overall risk.

• Immediate (1.2x): Act now, event in progress or imminent
• Expected (1.0x): Prepare, event likely in near future
• Future (0.8x): Plan ahead, event possible later
• Past (0.5x): Historical reference
• Unknown (0.7x): Urgency not specified

4. Time to Onset (10 points max)

Alerts that are closer in time are more critical.

• ≤ 1 hour: 10 points (immediate action needed)
• 1-6 hours: 7 points (prepare now)
• 6-24 hours: 4 points (monitor situation)
• > 24 hours: 2 points (advance notice)

💼 Use Cases

1. Emergency Management & Public Safety

Monitor severe weather for evacuation planning and emergency response.

Example Input:

{
  "severity": ["Extreme", "Severe"],
  "urgency": ["Immediate"],
  "state": ["CA", "OR", "WA"],
  "maxResults": 200
}

Business Value:

• Real-time severe weather awareness
• Evacuation timing decisions
• Resource allocation planning
• Public safety notifications

2. Insurance Risk Assessment

Track weather events for claims prediction and risk modeling.

Example Input:

{
  "eventType": ["Tornado Warning", "Hurricane Warning", "Flood Warning"],
  "activeOnly": true,
  "includeRiskScore": true,
  "maxResults": 500
}

Business Value:

• Predict claims volume
• Deploy adjusters proactively
• Model property risk
• Price premiums accurately

3. Event Planning & Cancellations

Monitor weather for outdoor events, weddings, concerts, sports.

Example Input:

{
  "point": "34.0522,-118.2437",
  "severity": ["Severe", "Moderate"],
  "maxResults": 50
}

Business Value:

• Cancellation/postponement decisions
• Customer safety assurance
• Liability mitigation
• Revenue protection

4. Supply Chain & Logistics

Track weather affecting transportation routes and delivery schedules.

Example Input:

{
  "eventType": ["Winter Storm Warning", "Blizzard Warning", "Ice Storm Warning"],
  "state": ["IL", "IN", "OH", "MI"],
  "maxResults": 100
}

Business Value:

• Reroute shipments
• Delay/expedite deliveries
• Protect perishable goods
• Customer communication

5. Real Estate Due Diligence

Research weather risk history for property investments.

Example Input:

{
  "state": ["FL", "LA", "TX"],
  "eventType": ["Hurricane Warning", "Flood Warning"],
  "activeOnly": false,
  "maxResults": 300
}

Business Value:

• Property risk assessment
• Insurance cost estimation
• Buyer disclosure
• Investment decisions

6. Agriculture & Farming

Monitor frost, freeze, heat, and severe weather affecting crops.

Example Input:

{
  "eventType": ["Frost Advisory", "Freeze Warning", "Heat Advisory"],
  "region": "GL",
  "maxResults": 150
}

Business Value:

• Crop protection timing
• Harvest scheduling
• Irrigation management
• Loss prevention

7. Construction Safety

Track weather for job site safety and work scheduling.

Example Input:

{
  "zone": "NYZ072",
  "severity": ["Extreme", "Severe", "Moderate"],
  "urgency": ["Immediate", "Expected"],
  "maxResults": 100
}

Business Value:

• Worker safety
• Equipment protection
• Schedule adjustments
• Compliance requirements

📋 Input Parameters

Parameter	Type	Description	Default
severity	Array	Filter by severity: Extreme, Severe, Moderate, Minor	All
urgency	Array	Filter by urgency: Immediate, Expected, Future	All
eventType	Array	Specific event types (e.g., "Tornado Warning")	All
certainty	Array	Filter by certainty: Observed, Likely, Possible, Unlikely	All
state	Array	US state codes (e.g., ["CA", "TX", "FL"])	All
point	String	Lat,lon coordinates (e.g., "39.7456,-97.0892")	None
zone	String	NOAA zone ID (e.g., "CAZ006")	None
region	String	Region code: AL, AT, GL, GM, PA, PI	All
activeOnly	Boolean	Only return currently active alerts	true
maxResults	Integer	Maximum number of alerts (1-1000)	100
includeRiskScore	Boolean	Calculate AI risk scores	true
status	Array	Alert status: actual, exercise, test	["actual"]
messageType	Array	Message type: alert, update, cancel	["alert"]

💰 Pricing

Pay-Per-Result Model

• Result Unit: WEATHER_ALERT
• Free Tier: First 100 alerts FREE
• Paid Tier: $0.02 per alert after 100

Example Costs

• 50 alerts = $0.00 (free tier)
• 100 alerts = $0.00 (free tier)
• 500 alerts = $8.00 (100 free + 400 × $0.02)
• 1,000 alerts = $18.00 (100 free + 900 × $0.02)
• 5,000 alerts = $98.00 (100 free + 4,900 × $0.02)

Cost vs. Value

Compared to commercial weather alert APIs charging $100-500/month:

• 90% cost savings for typical use
• Pay only for what you use
• No monthly minimums
• No subscription fees

🔧 Integration Examples

JavaScript/Node.js

const ApifyClient = require('apify-client');

const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: 'YOUR_APIFY_TOKEN'
});

const input = {
    severity: ['Extreme', 'Severe'],
    state: ['CA', 'OR', 'WA'],
    urgency: ['Immediate'],
    maxResults: 100,
    includeRiskScore: true
};

const run = await client.actor('YOUR_USERNAME/noaa-weather-alerts-intelligence').call(input);
const alerts = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();

console.log(`Found ${alerts.items.length} severe weather alerts`);
alerts.items.forEach(alert => {
    console.log(`${alert.event}: ${alert.headline} (Risk: ${alert.risk_score})`);
});

Python

from apify_client import ApifyClient

client = ApifyClient('YOUR_APIFY_TOKEN')

run_input = {
    'severity': ['Extreme', 'Severe'],
    'state': ['FL', 'GA', 'SC'],
    'eventType': ['Hurricane Warning', 'Tornado Warning'],
    'maxResults': 200,
    'includeRiskScore': True
}

run = client.actor('YOUR_USERNAME/noaa-weather-alerts-intelligence').call(run_input=run_input)

for alert in client.dataset(run['defaultDatasetId']).list_items().items:
    print(f"{alert['event']}: {alert['headline']} - Risk Score: {alert['risk_score']}")

cURL

curl -X POST https://api.apify.com/v2/acts/YOUR_USERNAME~noaa-weather-alerts-intelligence/runs \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_APIFY_TOKEN" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "severity": ["Extreme"],
    "urgency": ["Immediate"],
    "maxResults": 50
  }'

📈 Data Quality & Reliability

Data Source

• Official: NOAA National Weather Service (weather.gov)
• Authoritative: US Government weather alerts
• Real-Time: Updates as alerts are issued
• Comprehensive: All alert types, all US locations

Update Frequency

• Alerts issued immediately when events occur
• Run actor on demand or on schedule for monitoring
• Typical alert duration: Minutes to hours

Data Accuracy

• 100% official NOAA data
• No third-party processing (direct from API)
• Standardized format (CAP - Common Alerting Protocol)
• Quality controlled by NWS meteorologists

❓ FAQ

How often are alerts updated?

NOAA issues alerts in real-time as weather events develop. Run the actor on a schedule (e.g., every 5-15 minutes) to monitor for new alerts.

Can I monitor specific locations?

Yes! Use state, zone, or point (lat/lon) parameters to filter alerts by location.

What event types are included?

All NOAA alert types: Tornado, Hurricane, Flood, Thunderstorm, Winter Weather, Heat, Wind, Fog, and more.

How accurate is the risk scoring?

Risk scores combine official NOAA severity/urgency with event type analysis and timing factors. Scores help prioritize alerts but should be combined with full alert details for decisions.

Can I get historical alerts?

Set activeOnly: false to include recently expired alerts. For deep historical data, contact NOAA directly.

Is this data free?

NOAA API data is free (US government open data). You pay only for Apify processing: $0.02/alert after 100 free.

What if I need more than 1,000 alerts?

Increase maxResults or run multiple queries with different filters. Contact us for enterprise needs.

Can I use this for commercial purposes?

Yes! NOAA data is public domain. Perfect for insurance, logistics, events, real estate, and more.

📞 Support

Need help? Have questions?

• GitHub Issues: [Report bugs or request features]
• Email: support@apify.com
• Documentation: https://docs.apify.com

📄 Legal & Compliance

Data Source

This actor uses data from NOAA's National Weather Service API (api.weather.gov), which provides public domain weather information.

Terms of Use

• NOAA data is public domain (US government)
• No restrictions on commercial use
• Attribution appreciated but not required

Disclaimer

This actor provides weather alert information for informational purposes. Always follow official guidance from local authorities and the National Weather Service for emergency situations.

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