What are METAR codes?
What are METAR codes?
METAR codes report observed weather conditions by airfield; TAF codes report forecasted weather conditions by airfield. Both codes are lines of text made up of data groups (or just “groups”) separated by spaces.
How do I read a METAR code?
The first two digits are the date, the 16th of the month, and the last four digits are the time of the METAR, which is always given in coordinated universal time (UTC), otherwise known as Zulu time. A “Z” is appended to the end of the time to denote that the time is given in Zulu time (UTC) as opposed to local time.
What does BKN mean in weather?
Cloud amount is reported as FEW = few (1-2 oktas), SCT = scattered (3-4 oktas), BKN = broken (5-7 oktas) or OVC = overcast (8 oktas), followed by the height of the cloud base in hundreds of feet above aerodrome elevation e.g. SCT018 = scattered clouds at 1800 ft.
What is SA in METAR?
The hourly surface observations (SA) will be referred to as METAR (Aviation Routine Weather Report) and the airport terminal forecast will be referred to as TAF (Aerodrome Forecast).
What does 9999 mean in TAF?
9999. This value represents a visibility greater than 9000. meters (7 SM or more). The contraction CAVOK (ceiling and visibility OK) may be used when there is no significant weather, the visibility is 10 km or greater, and the ceilings are greater than 5,000 ft.
How much area does a METAR cover?
An automated METAR with no human supervision covers the conditions within approximately 6 inches of the weather station reporting it (for example, a badly positioned AWOS/ASOS station may be shielded from wind in some directions which affects what it reports).
How do I get METAR?
There are two primary places to get METARs and TAFs: NOAA’s aviation weather site or an aviation app on your smart device. I personally use Foreflight. It is hands down the most advanced aviation and weather flight planning tool out there.
Can you fly VFR in Broken clouds?
“The short answer is yes. You may legally fly on top as long as you can maintain the appropriate VFR cloud clearances. The only regulatory restriction is that student pilots are not allowed to fly above a cloud layer without ground reference.
What does METAR stand for in Weather Report?
METAR (Aviation Routine Weather Report) refers to a scheduled observation taken between 55-59 minutes past the hour (also referred to as a routine hourly observation). SPECI (Special Report) refers to an unscheduled observation that met a predefined criteria (such as a change from VFR to
What does the METAR say if the temperature is negative?
If the temperature is negative, it will have an M before e.g. M03 = minus 3 degrees Celsius. Temperatures and dew points are always expressed in Celsius no matter where you are in the world. Even in the US, the METAR will indicate the temperature and dew point in Celsius, not Fahrenheit.
What does 02 / M01 mean in a METAR?
02/M01 means that the temperature is 36 °F and the dew point is 30 °F. Negative numbers are preceded by an M. In the METAR you will also find the air pressure at the mean sea level (QNH). This is calculated by recalculating the air pressure at terrain height (QFE) back to sea level.
Can a Foreflight decode all of the METAR?
Even programs like Foreflight don’t decode all of the METAR. They typically leave off the remarks (RMK) section leaving pilots to wonder what the rest of the METAR means. This article will take a deep dive into how to read every aspect of the METAR. By the end, even the most experienced pilots will learn something new.