Metar Map is a Python-based weather LED display for aviation enthusiasts, pilots, and makers. It fetches METAR data for selected airports and visualizes flight categories, lightning, and snow conditions using addressable LEDs (e.g., NeoPixel).
Metar Map is a Python-based weather LED display for aviation enthusiasts, pilots, and makers. It fetches METAR data for selected airports and visualizes flight categories, lightning, and snow conditions using addressable LEDs (e.g., NeoPixel).
- Fetches live METAR data for configurable ICAO codes
- Visualizes flight category, lightning, and snow with customizable LED patterns
- Runs on Raspberry Pi or Linux devices
- Easy configuration via YAML file
- Robust auto-restart and single-instance support via systemd
Recommended: Use the latest tagged release for stability and compatibility.
# Download the latest release from GitHub Releases:
curl -L -o metar-map-latest.tar.gz $(curl -s https://api.github.com/repos/khurd21/Metar-Map/releases/latest | grep "browser_download_url.*tar.gz" | cut -d '"' -f4)
tar -xzf metar-map-latest.tar.gz
cd Metar-Map
poetry config virtualenvs.in-project true --local
poetry installOr, to use a specific version:
git clone https://github.com/khurd21/Metar-Map.git
cd Metar-Map
git checkout <latest-tag>
poetry config virtualenvs.in-project true --local
poetry installEdit src/metar_map/static/config.yaml to set your ICAO codes, LED patterns, refresh time, and brightness. See Configuration for more details on setting up the config file.
poetry run python -m metar_map
# Or, for debugging LED patterns:
poetry run python src/metar_map/led_controller.pyNOTE: You may need sudo permissions. If that is the case, you can run the script using the virtual environment like so:
sudo ./.venv/bin/python -m metar_mapSee scripts/metar-map.service for a sample systemd service file. This will auto-restart the program and run it on boot.
Edit src/metar_map/static/config.yaml:
icao_codes: List of ICAO codes (use-for unused LEDs)refresh_time: How often to fetch new data (seconds)brightness: LED brightness (0.0–1.0)led_patterns: Customize colors, blink, and durations for each flight category
By default, Metar Map uses the following LED colors and blink behaviors to represent flight categories and special weather conditions:
| Condition | Color | Blinks? | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| VFR | Green | No | Visual Flight Rules: Ceiling > 3,000 ft, Vis > 5 mi |
| MVFR | Blue | No | Marginal VFR: Ceiling 1,000–3,000 ft or Vis 3–5 mi |
| IFR | Red | No | Instrument Flight Rules: Ceiling 500–1,000 ft or Vis 1–3 mi |
| LIFR | Pink | No | Low IFR: Ceiling < 500 ft or Vis < 1 mi |
| Lightning | White | Yes | Blinks white to indicate lightning detected |
| Snow | Bright Blue | Yes | Blinks bright blue for snow or frozen precipitation |
| Gusts | Yellow | Yes | Blinks yellow for strong wind gusts |
| UNKNOWN | Red | Yes | Blinks red if station data is missing or unknown |
These are the default settings as defined in your config.yaml file, but you can fully customize the color, blink speed, and duration for each condition by editing the led_patterns section in your configuration.
Download pre-built packages from the Releases page for easy setup.
Run tests and check formatting:
poetry run pytest
poetry run black --check .- Designed for NeoPixel (WS2812) LEDs
- Uses
neopixelandboardPython libraries - Works best on Raspberry Pi
MIT