MAP Rain API calls

MAP Rain is our service delivering historic, real-time and predictive rainfall analytics. It is built using our Meniscus Analytics Platform (MAP).

We have set out examples of the basic MAP Rain API calls used to extract data from our demonstration site.

These three MAP Rain API calls all use the same Method (Data.GetGeometryIdsWithinBoundary) to Particular Points or Polygons within a bounded area which in this particular case is a rectangle “-1.6836548,52.8110630;-1.6836548,53.0296520;-1.1837769,53.0296520;-1.1837769,52.8110630;-1.6836548,52.8110630”

Calls to return Polygons

  • Display polygon. This returns the co-ordinates making up the boundary of a polygon. We use this to display the area which a customer is able to access rainfall data

    Return all Display Polygons

  • Catchment polygon . This returns the co-ordinates and properties of all the catchment polygon within the bounded area. This type of polygon automatically aggregates the rainfall for any underlying cells or parts of cells.

    Return all Catchment Polygons

  • Calls to return Monitoring Points

  • Monitoring Point. This returns all the Monitoring Points and their properties that are created within the bounded area

    Return all Monitoring Points

  • This call returns the upper left and bottom right co-ordinates of a polygon. It is used to define a selection box used in MAP Rain

    Returns upper left and bottom right co-ordinates of a polygon

    Returns
    { "minLat" : "52.657536", "minLng" : "-2.570289", "maxLat" : "53.200074", "maxLng" : "-0.280368" }

    This call returns an image of the rainfall for a particular time and for a polygon bounded by the upper left and bottom right co-ordinates

    Returns image of rainfall

    This API call extracts rainfall data for any location. The user can extract rainfall intensity (mm/hr) or rainfall depth and for any time periods in this case from 22nd November to 6th December 2019

    These calls combine two methods – which is why there are two sets of times.
    The first method gets rainfall data for the cell (Data.GetCellRainfall) and the other method aggregates the rainfall (Data.Aggregation) – see 3.8 Aggregation

    Using Easting and Northings

    Returns upper left and bottom right co-ordinates of a polygon – using Eastings and Northings

    Using Latitude and Longitude

    Returns upper left and bottom right co-ordinates of a polygon – using Lat and Long

    Returning location information for a Postcode

    This call is used to look up the Eastings and Northings and the latitude and longitude for the requested postcode. It also displays a range of other information for the postcode

    Returns the co-ordinates of the centroid of the postcode

    This MAP Rain API call returns rainfall metrics for a Polygon set up in MAP Rain for a particular time period – 22nd November to 6th December 2019

    The MAP Rain Id of the Geometry is “58e50576a28f4b0da492651f” and this is obtained using the calls in 1 Download your Geometries

    Rainfall Intensity (mm/hr)
    This call uses two methods to return the data.
    Data.GetGeometryAverageRainfall – this returns the rainfall intensity values
    Data.Aggregate – this aggregates the values

    Returns rainfall intensity for a Polygon

    Rainfall depth (mm)
    This call uses three methods to return the data
    Data.GetGeometryAverageRainfall – this returns the rainfall intensity values
    Data.Aggregate – this aggregates the values
    Data.Convert – this converts rainfall intensity (mm/hr) every 5 minutes into rainfall depth (mm) – multiplies by 1/12

    Returns rainfall depth for a Polygon

    Bilham Return Period (1 in X years)

    This call uses two methods to return the data.
    Data.GetGeometryRainEventReturnPeriod – this returns the rainfall return period values – which bt default is set to the Bilham method
    Data.Aggregate – this aggregates the values

    Returns Bilham return period for a Polygon

    This call returns rainfall metrics for a Monitoring Point set up in MAP Rain for a particular time period – in this example 22nd November to 6th December 2019

    The MAP Rain Id of the Geometry is “58e50578a28f4b0da492654c” and this is obtained using the calls in 1 Download your Geometries

    Rainfall Intensity (mm/hr)
    This call uses three methods to return the data
    Data.GetData(Data.GetItemId – Using the property “average rainfall” returns the rainfall intensity for this Point.
    Date.Resample – this returns a subset of the data
    Data.Aggregate – this aggregates the values

    Returns rainfall intensity for a Monitoring Point

    Rainfall Return period (1 in X years)
    This uses the same call as the Rainfall Intensity but returns the data for property “rain event return period”

    Returns rainfall return period for a Monitoring Point

    Return Periods can be calculated for Points and Polygons

    These calls return the Return Period for Points for a large rainfall event on the 27th May 2018 at location 431602,335309

    Maximum FEH99

    Maximum FEH Return Period for a day and associated range of days

    Note that this call will increase the start date of the event if the duration exceeds 12 hours and then again if it exceeds 48 hours

    FEH99 for a set date range

    Used to calculate the FEH99 return period for a date range in this case 27th May 2018 between 18:00 and 22:00 BST

    FEH 99 Return Period for a date range

    Maximum FEH2013 – Returns depth (mm), duration (hours) and return period for a day and location

    Maximum FEH 2013 Return Period for a day and associated range of days

    Note that this call will increase the start date of the event if the duration exceeds 12 hours and then again if it exceeds 48 hours

    Maximum FEH2013 – Returns depth (mm) for a specific duration (hours), return period and location

    Returns depth for a specific duration and return period

    This call returns rainfall intensity data for an Environment Agency rain gauge for a particular time period – in this example 22nd November to 6th December 2019

    The MAP Rain Id of the Geometry is “596c74bea28f4b072011e36b” and this is obtained using the following call.

    Return a list of the Environment Agency rain gauges within a boundary

    Returns list of EA rain gauges within boundary

    This returns the locations, names and properties of the EA rain gauges and gauging stations

    Return the rainfall intensity data for an EA rain gauge

    Returns rainfall intensity for an EA rain gauge

    To return the radar rainfall data for the gauge location then refer to 3.3 Rainfall for a location

    Any MAP Rain API call can be aggregated to return data in different time intervals and with different aggregation functions.
    The core aggregation method is

    (Data.Aggregate,ToTime(2019,11,25,00,00,00),ToTime(2019,12,09,23,59,59),Data.Aggregation("","Sum","Forward")))

    Aggregation Periodicity
    In the method Data.Aggregation(“”,”Sum”,”Forward”) the value “” is the aggregation periodicity. Appropriate functions include:
    None “” – Returns the native periodicity of the data and effectively ignores the aggregate function
    15m – 15 minutes
    30m – 30 minutes
    h – hourly
    6h – 6 hourly
    12h – 12 hourly
    d – daily

    Aggregation Function
    In the method Data.Aggregation(“”,”Sum”,”Forward”) the value “Sum” is the aggregation function. Appropriate functions include:
    None – no aggregation is applied
    Sum – sums the values across the time range
    Average – averages the values across the time range
    Max – returns the maximum values across the time range
    Min – returns the minimum values across the time range

    Aggregation Direction
    In the method Data.Aggregation(“”,”Sum”,”Forward”) the value “Forward” is the aggregation direction. Appropriate functions include:
    Forward – in aggregating forward the the 10:00 am hourly value will aggregate values from 10:00: to 10:59:59
    Backward- in aggregating backward the 10:00 am hourly will aggregate values 09:00:01 to 10:00

    Examples for a Monitoring Point

    Returns average rainfall intensity aggregated every hour for a Monitoring Point

    Returns maximum return period aggregated over a day for a Monitoring Point

    You can change the methods to extract data as a CSV file by changing the method from Data.ToJSON to Data.ToCSV

    This is the call to extract rainfall for a location into a CSV file

    Example aggregation of rainfall intensity for a Monitoring Point

    Returns average rainfall intensity aggregated every hour for a Monitoring Point in CSV format