Is WeatherNext 3 open source?

Google publishes WeatherNext research code, notebooks and related materials with open licenses. That does not mean every operational forecast field, every model weight or every Google Cloud product is released under the same license. Check the exact asset.

What license applies to WeatherNext 3 code?

Google's WeatherNext open-model page states that the notebooks and associated code are licensed under Apache License 2.0. Other materials on that page are licensed under CC BY 4.0, subject to the page's terms.

Is WeatherNext 3 data available under CC BY 4.0?

Historical forecast data at least one hour old is documented under CC BY 4.0. Real-time and future forecast data is governed by the separate experimental data terms. The classification depends on the data's valid time.

Can I use WeatherNext 3 commercially?

A blanket yes-or-no answer would be unsafe. The answer depends on whether you use code, research materials, historical data, real-time data or a cloud service, and on how the product exposes the forecast. Review the current terms for the exact combination and obtain legal advice for a commercial launch.

Does access approval replace a license review?

No. Being added to a data allowlist means you can request the data. It does not resolve every redistribution, product, attribution or real-time use question.

Does a free data license mean the project is free to run?

No. Google Cloud Storage, BigQuery, Earth Engine, compute and egress can carry charges independently of the data license. Plan the architecture and budget around the access path.

WeatherNext 3

WeatherNext 3 License: Code, Data and Commercial Use

WeatherNext 3 does not have one blanket license. Google separates the terms for published code and research materials, real-time forecast data and historical data. This guide maps those paths and the questions to resolve before shipping a public product. It is an independent research summary, not legal advice. Verify the current official terms and review your exact use case. Published October 20, 2026.

Read official data terms

Open the complete guide

Research summary, not legal advice · check the current Google terms before production use · compare access paths

A weather globe wrapped in transparent layered access boundaries

What are you licensing?

The asset matters more than the WeatherNext 3 brand name. Code, diagrams, historical fields and future forecasts follow different rules.

Read the open-model page

Code and notebooks

Google states that WeatherNext open-model notebooks and associated code use Apache License 2.0. Keep the license notice and comply with its conditions.

Other research materials

Google states that other materials on the open-model page use CC BY 4.0. Attribution and modification records matter.

Real-time or future data

Forecast data relating to a time less than one hour ago or in the future uses the separate GDM Real-Time Weather Forecasting Experimental Data Terms of Use.

Historical data

Data relating to a time at least one hour ago is documented as CC BY 4.0. The same field changes classification as it ages past that threshold.

A practical licensing matrix

These are the first questions to answer before a team publishes, redistributes or builds on WeatherNext 3.

Is the data real-time?

If the meteorological valid time is less than one hour ago or still in the future, the real-time experimental terms apply according to Google's access documentation.

Is the data historical?

If the valid time is one hour or more in the past, Google documents CC BY 4.0 licensing. Attribute the source and identify modifications.

Is the cost separate?

A data license does not make the underlying Google Cloud infrastructure free. Storage, query, egress and compute charges can still apply.

Will users recover the forecast?

A public product may display a derived answer while still allowing users to recover the underlying forecast. Review whether the intended interface crosses the real-time data restrictions.

Before you build

Run these four checks

The legal and operational review should happen before the data pipeline becomes production infrastructure.

Inventory the assets

List code, notebooks, maps, model outputs, real-time fields, historical archives and third-party datasets separately.

Match the current terms

Open the official terms for each asset class. Save the version or access date used for the review instead of relying on a search snippet.

Review the product surface

Describe what users see, download and can recover. A value-added answer, a raw data browser and a public API create different compliance questions.

Record attribution and changes

Keep the required notices, source attribution and a record of transformations. Ask counsel before a commercial public launch.

WeatherNext 3 licensing questions

Short answers to common commercial-use and redistribution questions.

Official starting points: model and data licensing, forecast access FAQ, open models and the real-time experimental terms.

Choose the access path before the build

Compare the independent forecast experience, the managed subscription and the raw Google Cloud channels. Seven-day free trial, cancel anytime. Background: data access and API pricing.

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Read the data guide

WeatherNext 3 License: Code, Data and Commercial Use