diff --git a/RELEASE_NOTES.rst b/RELEASE_NOTES.rst
index ffef8950..90c92821 100644
--- a/RELEASE_NOTES.rst
+++ b/RELEASE_NOTES.rst
@@ -9,8 +9,11 @@ Release Notes
 
 
 
-.. Upcoming Release
-.. ================
+Upcoming Release
+================
+
+* The functions ``add_raster()`` and ``add_geometry()`` of the ``ExclusionContainer`` can now directly read from URL. 
+
 
 Version 0.2.11
 ==============
diff --git a/atlite/gis.py b/atlite/gis.py
index d68755d7..902fe044 100644
--- a/atlite/gis.py
+++ b/atlite/gis.py
@@ -8,11 +8,14 @@
 """
 
 import logging
+import os
+import validators
 import multiprocessing as mp
 from collections import OrderedDict
 from functools import wraps
 from pathlib import Path
 from warnings import catch_warnings, simplefilter, warn
+from urllib.request import urlretrieve
 
 import geopandas as gpd
 import numpy as np
@@ -35,6 +38,26 @@
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
+# for the writable data directory follow the XDG guidelines
+# https://standards.freedesktop.org/basedir-spec/basedir-spec-latest.html
+_writable_dir = os.path.join(os.path.expanduser("~"), ".local", "share")
+_data_dir = os.path.join(
+    os.environ.get("XDG_DATA_HOME", os.environ.get("APPDATA", _writable_dir)),
+    "atlite-excluders",
+)
+_data_dir = Path(_data_dir)
+try:
+    _data_dir.mkdir(exist_ok=True)
+except FileNotFoundError:
+    os.makedirs(_data_dir)
+
+
+def _retrieve_from_url(path):
+    local_path = _data_dir / os.path.basename(path)
+    logger.info(f"Retrieving network data from {path}")
+    urlretrieve(path, local_path)
+    return str(local_path)
+
 
 def get_coords(x, y, time, dx=0.25, dy=0.25, dt="h", **kwargs):
     """
@@ -426,7 +449,7 @@ def add_raster(
         Parameters
         ----------
         raster : str/rasterio.DatasetReader
-            Raster or path to raster which to exclude.
+            Raster, path or URL to raster which to exclude.
         codes : int/list/function, optional
             Codes in the raster which to exclude. Can be a callable function
             which takes the mask (np.array) as argument and performs a
@@ -465,7 +488,7 @@ def add_geometry(self, geometry, buffer=0, invert=False):
         Parameters
         ----------
         geometry : str/path/geopandas.GeoDataFrame
-            Path to geometries or geometries which to exclude.
+            Path or URL to geometries or geometries which to exclude.
         buffer : float, optional
             Buffer around the excluded areas in units of ExclusionContainer.crs.
             The default is 0.
@@ -483,6 +506,8 @@ def open_files(self):
         for d in self.rasters:
             raster = d["raster"]
             if isinstance(raster, (str, Path)):
+                if validators.url(str(raster)):
+                    raster = _retrieve_from_url(raster)
                 raster = rio.open(raster)
             else:
                 assert isinstance(raster, rio.DatasetReader)
diff --git a/environment.yaml b/environment.yaml
index ad1bbfbd..ae62f89f 100644
--- a/environment.yaml
+++ b/environment.yaml
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ dependencies:
 - numpy
 - scipy
 - pandas>=0.25
-- xarray>=0.16.2
+- xarray>=0.20
 - netcdf4
 - dask>=2021.10.0
 - toolz
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ dependencies:
 - shapely
 - progressbar2
 - tqdm
+- validators
 
   # dev tools
 - black
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 70339ce4..26b3aa8e 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@
         "pyproj>=2",
         "geopandas",
         "cdsapi",
+        "validators",
     ],
     extras_require={
         "docs": [