Template-based weather data queries for compiling location-based weather monitoring data for defined transportation routes

A method for monitoring weather information/data along a route, the method comprising:

• receiving route data identifying a plurality of locations along a route;
• receiving shipping criteria for an item to be shipped along the route, the shipping criteria including a temperature requirement for the item;
• responsive to receiving the route data, formatting an inquiry template based on one or more weather information/data sources for the plurality of locations along the route;
• populating, based at least in part on the route data, the inquiry template to generate a weather information/data inquiry to request weather information/data relating to the plurality of locations along the route;
• retrieving, from the one or more weather information/data sources, weather information/data for each of the plurality of locations by transmitting the weather information/data inquiry to the one or more weather information/data sources to cause the one or more weather information/data sources to provide weather information/data to one or more computer processors;
• based on the weather information/data retrieved from the one or more weather information/data sources, identifying expected temperatures along the route for the plurality of locations, wherein the expected temperature for each location is identified based on a time that the item is expected to be at the location;
• and
• based on the expected temperatures along the route and one or more temperature threshold associated with the temperature requirement for the item, providing a shipping option for the item that maintains an item temperature within the temperature requirement for the item during shipment along the route.

A computer-program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code stored therein that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

• receive route information/data identifying a plurality of locations along a route;
• receive shipping criteria for an item to be shipped along the route, the shipping criteria including a temperature requirement for the item;
• responsive to receiving the route data, format an inquiry template based on one or more weather information/data sources for the plurality of locations along the route;
• populate, based at least in part on the route data, the inquiry template to generate a weather information/data inquiry to request weather information/data relating to the plurality of locations along the route;
• retrieve, from the one or more weather information/data sources, weather information/data for each of the plurality of locations by transmitting the weather information/data inquiry to the one or more weather information/data sources to cause the one or more weather information/data sources to provide weather information/data;
• based on the weather information/data retrieved from the one or more weather information/data sources, identify expected temperatures along the route for the plurality of locations, wherein the expected temperature for each location is identified based on a time that the item is expected to be at the location;
• and
• based on the expected temperatures along the route and one or more temperature threshold associated with the temperature requirement for the item, provide a shipping option for the item that maintains an item temperature within the temperature requirement for the item during shipment along the route.