IWXXM METAR-SPECI Subscription and Request Service - SMHI 1.0
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Abstract

SMHI Aviation Meteorology Data Services

SMHI provides aviation meteorological data for Swedish aerodromes through a modern distribution service designed for operational aviation use. The service complies with ICAO Annex 3 requirements and supports PANS-MET Doc 10157, enabling integration with current and next-generation aviation systems.

Rather than delivering static files or manual feeds, SMHI distributes up-to-date METAR reports encoded in IWXXM and made available through standards-based interfaces. This approach aligns with global aviation meteorology initiatives and supports data sharing across Europe and internationally.

Supported Usage and Operational Context

The METAR data supplied by SMHI can be incorporated directly into decision-support tools for:

  • Flight planning and optimization, improving fuel efficiency
  • Environmental impact reduction, including lower CO₂ emissions
  • Safety and awareness applications, supporting hazard mitigation and situational monitoring

Access Methods

Users may retrieve the latest IWXXM METAR reports in two ways:

1) OGC API – Environmental Data Retrieval (EDR)

Data can be queried on demand using a REST-based OGC EDR interface.

The EDR interface exposes METAR observations as time-bound collections and allows clients to select specific stations and receive output in IWXXM format.

2) AMQP 1.0 Publish/Subscribe (PUB/SUB)

Operational subscribers may receive live METAR messages through AMQP 1.0 using any of the common language clients and libraries.

  • AMQP Broker Service Endpoint: amqps://aviation.smhi.se:5671
  • Subscription Topic / Address: weather.aviation.metar

Messaging Format

Fully compliant with the EUROCONTROL SWIM Technical Infrastructure Yellow Profile, including standardized metadata headers.

  • Current IWXXM version: IWXXM 2023-1

Distribution Alignment

Messages are harmonised with the Namcon common broker collaboration and are forwarded to the common broker operated by FMI (Finland).

  • Message payloads are encoded in IWXXM and delivered alongside standardized aviation metadata headers facilitating routing, filtering, and operational handling.

Authentication, Policy & Future EACP Usage

Access is subject to SMHI policy and aviation domain requirements:

  • Review the Policy & Terms of Service: https://aviation.smhi.se/edr/policy
  • Users must confirm that they are legitimately operating within the aviation sector and authorized to consume operational data.
  • EACP certificates are not yet required, but the service will support them once the European aviation identity framework is deployed.
  • Users should expect future authentication using EACP client certificates to validate their operational identity.
Service Type
SWIM_COMPLIANT
Life Cycle
OPERATIONAL
Business Activity Type
AERODROME_OPERATION
AIRSPACE_ORGANISATION_AND_MANAGEMENT
INFORMATION_MANAGEMENT
SERVICE_DELIVERY_MANAGEMENT
Intended Consumer
AIR_TRAFFIC_SERVICE_PROVIDER
AIRPORT_OPERATOR
AIRSIDE_GROUND_HANDLER
CIVIL_AIR_NAVIGATION_SERVICE_PROVIDER
CIVIL_AIRSPACE_USER
COMMUNICATION_NAVIGATION_AND_SURVEILLANCE_SERVICE_PROVIDER
MILITARY_AIR_NAVIGATION_SERVICE_PROVIDER
MILITARY_AIRSPACE_USER
PROVIDER_OF_DATA_SERVICES
REGULATED_METEOROLOGICAL_SERVICE_PROVIDER
Information Exchange Category
METEOROLOGICAL_INFORMATION_EXCHANGE
Application Message Exchange Pattern Entity
Request/Reply
FIR ICAO Location Indicator
ESAA
State ICAO Nationality Letters
SE
Geospatial Categorisation Description
The dataset is valid for Sweden (Sweden FIR/ESAA).
Other
Service Type: METEOROLOGICAL_FEATURE_ACCESS_SERVICE
In-Operation Date
08-Dec-2025
Provider
SMHI

Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI) is a government agency under the Ministry of Climate and Enterprise.

We manage and develop information about weather, water, and climate, providing the public sector, businesses, and the general public with knowledge and qualified decision-making support.

SMHI collaborates daily with national and international authorities and organizations, and represents Sweden in several international bodies.

Within the field of aviation, SMHI is certified for the provision of aeronautical meteorological services under EU Regulation 2017/373 and is a designated provider of these services within the Swedish Flight Information Region (FIR).

Provider Type
REGULATED_METEOROLOGICAL_SERVICE_PROVIDER
Point of Contact
Operational Needs

This service contributes to fulfilling operational needs as defined in Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/373 and ICAO Annex 3. It supports the EU Implementing Regulation 2021/116 - Common Project One.

Information Exchange Requirements

IER 1 - The information currently included in the METAR/SPECI as defined in Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/373, ICAO Annex 3.

Capabilities

The service provides high quality, up-to-date, trusted, regulated meteorological information in digital form for use by service consumers within the aviation domain.

Distribute Data

The service distributes the data according to the stored subscriptions and topics.

Request Data

The consumer can request data from the service using an OGC API EDR endpoint.

Subscribe to Data

The user can receive data via AMQP 1.0. Messages follow the SWIM TI Yellow Profile (Messaging).

Information Retainment

According to ICAO Annex 3, meteorological information is retained for a period of at least 30 days from the date of issue.

Subscription

Consumers begin receiving data by connecting to the published endpoints with appropriate credentials; no explicit subscribe/unsubscribe API is provided.

Encryption

Communication is encrypted per SWIM TI Yellow Profile.

Signature

The requested information may contain a digital signature using SHA-256 or stronger.

Security

SWIM TI Yellow Profile-compliant security controls (confidentiality, integrity, authentication).

AIRM

ATM Information Reference Model

AMQP

Advanced Queueing Message Protocol (1.0) – per SWIM TI Yellow Profile Messaging

ATC

Air Traffic Control

ATM

Air Traffic Management

SMHI

Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute

HTTP

Hypertext Transfer Protocol

ICAO

International Civil Aviation Organization

IER

Information Exchange Requirement

IR

Implementation Rules

ISRM

Information Service Reference Model

IWXXM

ICAO Meteorological Information Exchange Model

METAR

Meteorological Aerodrome Report

NWS

National Weather Service

OGC

Open Geospatial Consortium

PCP

Pilot Common Project

WMO

World Meteorological Organization

SIGMET

Significant meteorological phenomena

TAF

Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Information
Filtering Capabilities (EDR)

Filtering is exposed through OGC API - EDR query parameters and collections, including spatial, temporal, and parameter subsetting of IWXXM-derived attributes (e.g., aerodrome ICAO designator, observation/issue times).

Filtering Capabilities (AMQP)

Topic-based filtering is available through the broker’s topic hierarchy. Private queues with provider-defined selectors consistent with SWIM TI Yellow Profile may be provisioned.

The service provider ensures that the data offered within this service is maintained and up to date by SMHI, a REGULATED_METEOROLOGICAL_SERVICE_PROVIDER.
Transport Security

AMQP uses amqps:// over TLS. SASL EXTERNAL (client certificate) may be required. Provider aims to use server certificates in the EACP chain once available. Client certificate policy for consumers is under consideration.

Topic Structure

Messages are published under weather.aviation.metar. This covers all messages in the Sweden FIR. AMQP 1.0 filters (e.g., ICAO location identifier) can be applied via message headers as defined by the message schema.

Flow Control and Limits

Default link credit and connection limits are to be confirmed; values will be documented in narrative connection documentation when available.

Typical Request/Reply Behaviour

The request is sent from the consumer to the EDR service, which processes the request and returns the METAR IWXXM payload. The service follows OGC API - EDR behaviour.

Typical Data Distribution Behaviour

The service sends data to consumers when available and matching their connection parameters using AMQP 1.0 per SWIM TI Yellow Profile Messaging.

EDR Request

The interface is used to receive the data via OGC API EDR.

PROVIDER_SIDE
SYNCHRONOUS_REQUEST_RESPONSE
Operations
EDR operations

Standard EDR retrieval operations (collection discovery, position/area/trajectory queries, temporal subsetting).

Idempotent
IDEMPOTENT
Operation Message
EDR Request
IPV4_SECURE_UNICAST

Service supports IPv4 secure unicast and IPv6 secure unicast over TLS (mTLS per policy).

EDR Response
AMQP Push Service

The interface is used to receive published data via AMQP 1.0 per SWIM TI Yellow Profile Messaging.

PROVIDER_SIDE
Operations
dataDelivery

The IWXXM payload is delivered directly in the AMQP message or via reference to an EDR resource.

Idempotent
NON_IDEMPOTENT
Operation Message
dataDelivery
AMQPBrokerSMHI

Connection for AMQP 1.0 notifications and payload delivery according to the consumer’s connection.

Url

amqps://aviation.smhi.se:5671

AMQP_MESSAGING

Binding aligned with EUROCONTROL SWIM Technical Infrastructure Yellow Profile (Messaging).

IPV4_SECURE_UNICAST

Service supports IPv4 secure unicast and IPv6 secure unicast over TLS (mTLS per policy).

dataDelivery
References
Appendix A: References

Reference list for the service.

Reference
https://swim-eurocontrol.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/MSS/pages/60162182/IWXXM+METAR-SPECI+Subscription+and+Request+Service+-+Service+Definition#IWXXMMETAR-SPECISubscriptionandRequestService-ServiceDefinition-AppendixA
Appendix B: Operational Needs

Operational needs supported by the service.

Reference
https://swim-eurocontrol.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/MSS/pages/60162182/IWXXM+METAR-SPECI+Subscription+and+Request+Service+-+Service+Definition#IWXXMMETAR-SPECISubscriptionandRequestService-ServiceDefinition-AppendixB
Revision Save Date
Thu, 12/18/2025 - 14:43
Schema version
v2