---
name: psmsl-mean-sea-level-ingestion
description: "How to get PSMSL tide-gauge mean sea level (RLR) data into a pandas DataFrame in memory (the provider's terms limit storage or leave it unclear): access, the request, the format, limits, quirks and terms."
---

# Probe PSMSL RLR monthly zip headers in memory

Source entry: https://signal-lab.qdt.ai/datasets/psmsl-mean-sea-level
Provider: https://psmsl.org/data/obtaining/
Checked against the provider's documentation: 2026-11-06

## Access
- No key. HTTPS HEAD/GET of the RLR monthly zip.

## Request
```bash
curl -sS -L -I 'https://psmsl.org/data/obtaining/rlr.monthly.data/rlr_monthly.zip'
```

## Format
ZIP archive of RLR monthly tide-gauge files as documented on psmsl.org/data/obtaining/.

## Load into pandas (in memory)
Needs Python 3 with requests and pandas. The provider's terms limit storage or leave it unclear, so this snippet does not write a file.
```python
"""Probe PSMSL RLR monthly zip headers in memory (citation required; writes no file)."""
import requests
import pandas as pd

URL = "https://psmsl.org/data/obtaining/rlr.monthly.data/rlr_monthly.zip"
r = requests.head(URL, allow_redirects=True, timeout=30)
r.raise_for_status()
df = pd.DataFrame([{
    "url": URL,
    "status": r.status_code,
    "content_type": r.headers.get("Content-Type"),
    "content_length": r.headers.get("Content-Length"),
}])
print(df.to_string(index=False))

```
Run by us on 2026-11-06 (python 3 | requests). Result: RLR monthly zip URL returned HTTP 200 (application/zip) on 2026-11-06.

## Limits
- Not stated numeric rate limit on the checked PSMSL pages.

## Quirks
- Cite PSMSL and Holgate et al. 2013 with the Retrieved/Extracted date.
- Do not commit the zip into git.
- This snippet writes no file; it only checks headers in memory.

## Terms and attribution
- PSMSL datasets are "free for all to use."
- Reference page: cite the data set and Holgate et al. 2013 with Retrieved date; this probe does not store the archive.
- Terms page: https://psmsl.org/data/obtaining/reference.php

## Sources
- https://psmsl.org/data/obtaining/: "Mean Sea Level Data"
- https://psmsl.org/data/obtaining/reference.php: "Referencing the Tide Gauge Data Set"

## Help improve this skill
Missing a source, or see something to improve? Call the MCP tool suggest_source or feedback (or POST /api/suggest or /api/feedback). Reviewed ideas: https://signal-lab.qdt.ai/agent-suggestions

Information for educational purposes only. Free tiers, limits and licenses belong to the providers and may change; check the provider's own terms before using the data.