weatherkit

First step: Tell the user: "weatherkit skill loaded."

WeatherKit

Apple's framework for accessing weather data including current conditions, forecasts, severe weather alerts, and historical weather. Available as a native Swift API and a REST API.

When This Skill Activates

Use this skill when the user:

• Wants to fetch current weather conditions or forecasts
• Needs hourly, daily, or minute-by-minute precipitation data
• Asks about weather alerts or severe weather notifications
• Needs to display weather data with proper Apple attribution
• Asks about WeatherKit setup, entitlements, or rate limits
• Wants to choose between the Swift API and the REST API
• Needs to check weather data availability by region

Decision Tree: Swift API vs REST API

Criteria	Swift API	REST API
Platform	iOS 16+, macOS 13+, watchOS 9+, tvOS 16+	Any platform (web, Android, server)
Auth	Automatic via entitlement	JWT signed with App Store Connect key
Language	Swift only	Any (JSON responses)
Attribution	WeatherAttribution built-in	Must implement manually
Recommended	Apple-platform apps	Cross-platform or server-side

Rule of thumb: Use the Swift API for Apple-platform apps. Use the REST API only when you need weather data outside Apple ecosystems.

API Availability

Platform	Minimum Version
iOS	16+
macOS	13+
watchOS	9+
tvOS	16+

All datasets (current, minute, hourly, daily, alerts, availability) share the same minimum versions.

Setup

1. Enable WeatherKit Capability

In Xcode: Target > Signing & Capabilities > + Capability > WeatherKit.

This adds the com.apple.developer.weatherkit entitlement to your app.

2. Enable in App Store Connect

Go to Certificates, Identifiers & Profiles > Identifiers > your App ID > App Services, and enable WeatherKit.

3. Import the Framework

import WeatherKit
import CoreLocation

WeatherService: Fetching Weather Data

Use the shared WeatherService singleton. All calls are async and require a CLLocation.

let weatherService = WeatherService.shared
let location = CLLocation(latitude: 37.7749, longitude: -122.4194)

// Fetch specific datasets (recommended -- each dataset counts as one API call)
let (current, daily, hourly) = try await weatherService.weather(
    for: location,
    including: .current, .daily, .hourly
)

Current Weather

CurrentWeather provides a snapshot of conditions right now.

let current = try await weatherService.weather(
    for: location,
    including: .current
)

let temperature = current.temperature              // Measurement<UnitTemperature>
let condition = current.condition                   // WeatherCondition enum
let humidity = current.humidity                     // 0.0...1.0
let uvIndex = current.uvIndex                      // UVIndex (.value, .category)
let wind = current.wind                            // Wind (.speed, .direction, .gust)
let isDaylight = current.isDaylight                // Bool

Hourly Forecast

Forecast<HourWeather> provides hour-by-hour data, typically up to 240 hours.

let hourly = try await weatherService.weather(
    for: location,
    including: .hourly
)

for hour in hourly.forecast.prefix(24) {
    let date = hour.date
    let temp = hour.temperature
    let condition = hour.condition
    let precipChance = hour.precipitationChance    // 0.0...1.0
    let windSpeed = hour.wind.speed
}

Daily Forecast

Forecast<DayWeather> provides daily summaries, typically up to 10 days.

let daily = try await weatherService.weather(for: location, including: .daily)

for day in daily.forecast {
    let highTemp = day.highTemperature
    let lowTemp = day.lowTemperature
    let precipChance = day.precipitationChance     // 0.0...1.0
    let sunrise = day.sun.sunrise                  // Date?
    let sunset = day.sun.sunset                    // Date?
}

Minute Forecast

Forecast<MinuteWeather> provides precipitation intensity minute-by-minute for the next hour. Only available in select regions -- always check availability first.

if let minuteForecast = try await weatherService.weather(for: location, including: .minute) {
    for entry in minuteForecast.forecast {
        let intensity = entry.precipitationIntensity  // Measurement<UnitSpeed>
        let chance = entry.precipitationChance
    }
    let summary = minuteForecast.summary              // Localized summary string
}

Weather Alerts

WeatherAlert provides government-issued severe weather warnings for a location.

if let alerts = try await weatherService.weather(for: location, including: .alerts) {
    for alert in alerts {
        let severity = alert.severity       // .minor, .moderate, .severe, .extreme
        let summary = alert.summary         // Localized description
        let region = alert.region           // Affected area name
        let detailsURL = alert.detailsURL   // URL to full advisory
    }
}

Checking Data Availability

Not all datasets are available in every region. Always check before requesting.

let availability = try await weatherService.availability(for: location)
if availability.contains(.minuteForecast) {
    let minute = try await weatherService.weather(for: location, including: .minute)
}

Attribution Requirements

Apple requires visible attribution whenever you display WeatherKit data. Failure to include attribution can result in App Review rejection.

let attribution = try await weatherService.attribution

let legalPageURL = attribution.legalPageURL         // Must be accessible to users
let markURL = attribution.combinedMarkDarkURL       // Apple Weather logo (dark mode)
let markLightURL = attribution.combinedMarkLightURL // Apple Weather logo (light mode)

SwiftUI Attribution View

struct WeatherAttributionView: View {
    @Environment(\.colorScheme) var colorScheme
    @State private var attribution: WeatherAttribution?

    var body: some View {
        if let attribution {
            VStack {
                AsyncImage(url: colorScheme == .dark
                    ? attribution.combinedMarkDarkURL
                    : attribution.combinedMarkLightURL
                ) { image in
                    image.resizable().scaledToFit()
                } placeholder: { ProgressView() }
                .frame(height: 20)
                Link("Legal", destination: attribution.legalPageURL).font(.caption2)
            }
        }
    }
}

SwiftUI Display Patterns

Current Conditions Card

struct CurrentWeatherView: View {
    let weather: CurrentWeather

    var body: some View {
        VStack(spacing: 8) {
            Image(systemName: weather.symbolName)
                .font(.system(size: 48))
                .symbolRenderingMode(.multicolor)
            Text(weather.temperature.formatted(
                .measurement(width: .abbreviated, usage: .weather)
            ))
            .font(.system(size: 52, weight: .thin))
            Text(weather.condition.description).font(.headline)
            HStack(spacing: 16) {
                Label(weather.humidity.formatted(.percent), systemImage: "humidity")
                Label("UV \(weather.uvIndex.value)", systemImage: "sun.max")
            }
            .font(.subheadline)
        }
    }
}

Hourly Forecast Row

struct HourlyForecastRow: View {
    let hours: [HourWeather]

    var body: some View {
        ScrollView(.horizontal, showsIndicators: false) {
            HStack(spacing: 16) {
                ForEach(hours, id: \.date) { hour in
                    VStack(spacing: 6) {
                        Text(hour.date.formatted(.dateTime.hour()))
                        Image(systemName: hour.symbolName)
                            .symbolRenderingMode(.multicolor)
                        Text(hour.temperature.formatted(
                            .measurement(width: .narrow, usage: .weather)
                        ))
                    }
                    .font(.caption)
                }
            }
            .padding(.horizontal)
        }
    }
}

Rate Limits and Billing

• Free tier: 500,000 calls/month per Apple Developer account
• Each weather(for:including:) call with N datasets counts as N API calls
• Request only the datasets you need to minimize usage
• Cache responses locally; weather data is typically valid for 5-15 minutes
• Monitor usage in App Store Connect under WeatherKit metrics

Patterns

✅ Good Patterns

// ✅ Request only needed datasets
let (current, daily) = try await weatherService.weather(
    for: location,
    including: .current, .daily
)

// ✅ Check availability before requesting regional data
let availability = try await weatherService.availability(for: location)
if availability.contains(.minuteForecast) {
    let minute = try await weatherService.weather(for: location, including: .minute)
}

// ✅ Cache weather data to reduce API calls (10-15 min TTL is reasonable)

// ✅ Always include attribution when displaying weather data
WeatherAttributionView()

❌ Bad Patterns

// ❌ Fetching all datasets when you only need current conditions
let weather = try await weatherService.weather(for: location)

// ❌ Polling weather data every few seconds
Timer.scheduledTimer(withTimeInterval: 5, repeats: true) { _ in
    Task { let _ = try? await weatherService.weather(for: location, including: .current) }
}

// ❌ Ignoring that minute forecast may not be available
let minute = try await weatherService.weather(for: location, including: .minute)
// This returns nil in unsupported regions - always check availability first

// ❌ Displaying weather data without attribution
// Apple requires the Apple Weather mark and legal link