# nws.alerts_state

**stable** **Advanced**

Active weather alerts for a US state/territory (2-letter code).

`GET /v1/nws/alerts_state`

## What you get

A list of Nws results in Onekey's unified shape, in `data` (an array). An empty array is a normal, successful answer and is charged like any other; a source that reports "nothing found" as an error returns a free `404 not_found` instead.

## What it costs

- **Advanced · 5 credits** for a fresh fetch, charged only when it succeeds.
- **Free when served from cache (0.2 credit for a cached response over 100 KB).**
- **Free** if the request is invalid (never charged) or the source fails or reports not found (refunded).

## Parameters

| Name | Type | Required | Default | What it is | Constraints |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `area` | string | yes | (required) | State/territory code, UPPERCASE (e.g. KS) | max 2 chars; must match `[A-Z]{2}`; trimmed |

## Request

```bash
curl "https://api.onekey.dev/v1/nws/alerts_state?area=KS" \
  -H "x-api-key: YOUR_API_KEY"
```

```python
import requests

res = requests.get(
    "https://api.onekey.dev/v1/nws/alerts_state",
    params={"area": "KS"},
    headers={"x-api-key": "YOUR_API_KEY"},
)
body = res.json()

if body["success"]:
    print(body["data"])
else:
    print(body["error"]["code"], body["error"]["message"])
```

```javascript
const params = new URLSearchParams({ area: "KS" });
const res = await fetch(`https://api.onekey.dev/v1/nws/alerts_state?${params}`, {
  headers: { "x-api-key": "YOUR_API_KEY" },
});
const body = await res.json();

if (body.success) console.log(body.data);
else console.error(body.error.code, body.error.message);
```

## Recorded response

A real Nws response, recorded and returned in Onekey's shape. Fields the platform does not provide are `null`.

```json
{
  "success": true,
  "data": [
    {
      "entity": {
        "id": "urn:oid:2.49.0.1.840.0.7657e1fa17ce47fd5b503acbb92082621adbaa21.001.1",
        "name": "Flood Watch",
        "description": "Flood Watch issued September 28 at 2:03PM CDT until October 1 at 6:00PM CDT by NWS Topeka KS",
        "category": "Severe",
        "date": "2026-09-28T19:03:00Z"
      },
      "ext": {
        "urgency": "Future",
        "certainty": "Possible",
        "areaDesc": "Republic; Washington; Marshall; Nemaha; Brown; Cloud; Clay; Riley; Pottawatomie; Jackson; Ottawa",
        "expires": "2026-09-29T11:00:00Z",
        "instruction": "You should monitor later forecasts and be alert for possible Flood\nWarnings. Those living in areas prone to flooding should be prepared\nto take action should flooding develop."
      },
      "author": {
        "displayName": "NWS Topeka KS"
      },
      "content": {
        "createdAt": "2026-09-28T19:03:00Z",
        "text": "* WHAT...Flooding caused by excessive rainfall continues to be\npossible.\n\n* WHERE...Portions of north central and northeast Kansas, including\nthe following counties, in north central Kansas, Clay, Cloud,\nOttawa, Republic and Washington. In northeast Kansas, Brown,\nJackson, Marshall, Nemaha, Pottawatomie and Riley.\n\n* WHEN...From Tuesday evening through Thursday afternoon.\n\n* IMPACTS...Excessive ru"
      }
    },
    {
      "entity": {
        "id": "urn:oid:2.49.0.1.840.0.15723ffa004175879c92646363ec288fd03d8fc2.002.1",
        "name": "Flood Watch",
        "description": "Flood Watch issued September 28 at 1:24PM CDT until October 1 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Dodge City KS",
        "category": "Severe",
        "date": "2026-09-28T18:24:00Z"
      },
      "ext": {
        "urgency": "Future",
        "certainty": "Possible",
        "areaDesc": "Hamilton; Stanton; Grant; Morton; Stevens",
        "expires": "2026-09-29T06:30:00Z",
        "instruction": "You should monitor later forecasts and be prepared to take action\nshould Flash Flood Warnings be issued."
      },
      "author": {
        "displayName": "NWS Dodge City KS"
      },
      "content": {
        "createdAt": "2026-09-28T18:24:00Z",
        "text": "* WHAT...Flash flooding and areal flooding caused by excessive\nrainfall continues to be possible.\n\n* WHERE...A portion of southwest Kansas, including the following\ncounties, Grant, Hamilton, Morton, Stanton and Stevens.\n\n* WHEN...From Tuesday morning through Thursday afternoon.\n\n* IMPACTS...Excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers,\ncreeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone loca"
      }
    }
  ],
  "metadata": {
    "platform": "nws",
    "endpoint": "alerts_state",
    "cached": false,
    "stale": false,
    "age_s": 0,
    "fetched_at": "2026-01-01T12:00:00+00:00",
    "credits_charged": 5,
    "request_id": "7f3a9c2e5b1d4c8fa2e6d0b9c4f18e37"
  },
  "error": null
}
```

## Field mapping

How this endpoint's source fields become Onekey's [unified schema](https://onekey.dev/docs/schema.md). Fields the source lacks come back as `null`.

| Source path | Onekey field | Transform |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `properties.id` | `entity.id` | - |
| `properties.event` | `entity.name` | - |
| `properties.headline` | `entity.description` | - |
| `properties.severity` | `entity.category` | - |
| `properties.urgency` | `ext.urgency` | - |
| `properties.certainty` | `ext.certainty` | - |
| `properties.areaDesc` | `ext.areaDesc` | - |
| `properties.senderName` | `author.displayName` | - |
| `properties.sent` | `content.createdAt` | `toIsoDate` |
| `properties.effective` | `entity.date` | `toIsoDate` |
| `properties.expires` | `ext.expires` | `toIsoDate` |
| `properties.description` | `content.text` | - |
| `properties.instruction` | `ext.instruction` | - |

## Caching and freshness

- Fresh for about 30 seconds. Repeat calls in that window are served from cache and are free.
- Between 30 seconds and 5 minutes the cached copy is still served instantly and marked `stale: true` while Onekey refreshes it in the background.
- If the source is down when a refresh is needed, the last copy can be served for up to 1 hour more (marked stale).
- A "not found" is remembered for 1 minute and is free.
- The cache is shared across all customers, which is what keeps repeat calls cheap.

## What can go wrong

| Status | Code | What to do |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 401 | `unauthorized` | Check the `x-api-key` header. |
| 402 | `insufficient_credits` | [Add credits](https://onekey.dev/pricing); your balance must cover the price. |
| 404 | `not_found` | Unknown endpoint path. |
| 422 | `invalid_params` | Fix the parameters using the table above. Free. |
| 429 | `rate_limited` | Wait `Retry-After` seconds, then retry. |
| 502 | `upstream_error` | The source failed. Refunded; retry with backoff. |

See [Errors](https://onekey.dev/docs/errors.md) for the full list and retry guidance.

Status: stable (verified against the live source).