> There is a solid case that citizens requesting weather data should have such requests fulfilled at no or minimal cost, similar to GPS services (a public good)

> There is a solid case that citizens requesting weather data should have such requests fulfilled at no or minimal cost, similar to GPS services (a public good) or FOIA requests. I totally agree that weather data should be provided for free as a public service. The NWS is one of the true gems of the US government. That said, this view isn't universally shared. Many other countries' meteorology services charge for access to data - especially if you want access to the raw model output. Most famously, the US's GFS output is provided for free while the EU's ECMWF output requires a paid subscription. If open access to weather data is something that's important to you, please make your voice heard!