The Weather Data Environment (WxDE) is a research project that collects and shares transportation-related weather data with a particular focus on weather data related to connected vehicle applications. The WxDE collects data in real time from both fixed environmental sensor stations and mobile sources. The WxDE computes value-added enhancements to this data, such as by computing quality-check values for observed data and computing inferred weather parameters from vehicle data (e.g., inferring precipitation based on windshield wiper activation). The WxDE archives both collected and computed data. The WxDE supports subscriptions for access to real-time data in near real time generated by individual weather-related connected vehicle projects.

The WxDE is a weather-specific adjunct to the Data Capture and Management (DCM) Research Data Exchange and, as such, is used to provide weather data-related services that support the development, testing, and demonstration of multi-modal transportation mobility applications being pursued under the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Dynamic Mobility Applications (DMA) program and other connected vehicle research activities. Data accessible through the WxDE will be well-documented and freely available to the public. Registration and approval may be required to access some data, if the original provider of the data places restrictions on its distribution by the WxDE. The vision of the DCM program is to enhance current operational practices and transform future transportation systems management through the active acquisition and systematic provision of integrated data from infrastructure, vehicles, and travelers. The data are available to researchers, application developers, and others.

Most information is available to all site visitors. Registered users are provided with some additional capabilities, such as creating data subscriptions and accessing data for which the original provider placed restrictions on its distribution by the WxDE.