METARTAF The International Weather Code By Bob Jackson
METAR/TAF The International Weather Code By Bob Jackson, MIC, ZSE CWSU 1
A ‘METAR’ is a ‘surface’ weather observation 2
‘TAF’ is a Terminal Aviation Forecast 3
Order of Information in METAR: • • What Type of product Where - Station Name Who Used if automated When - Date and Time of METAR Wind Given in Degrees ‘true North’ Weather - Present weather Remarks - Additional comments as needed 4
What Order of Information in METAR: Metar or Where When Wind Vis Wx Speci Clr Sky Up to 3 cloud layers Temp Alt Remarks Dp METAR KSEA 101955 Z 20015 KT 3/4 SM TSRA OVC 010 CB 19/06 A 2992 RMK SLP 132 5
METAR KSEA A 02 101955 Z 20015 G 25 KT 3/4 SM TSRA OVC 010 CB 19/06 A 2992 RMK SLP 132 = WHAT - Report name/type • METAR = Hourly Observation • Speci = Special Observation 6
METAR KSEA A 02 101955 Z 20015 G 25 KT 3/4 SM TSRA OVC 010 CB 19/06 A 2992 RMK SLP 132 = WHERE - Four Letter station ID. • 48 States begin with ‘K’ • Alaskan stations begin with ‘PA’ • Hawiian stations begin with ‘PH’ 7
METAR KSEA A 02 101955 Z 20015 G 25 KT 3/4 SM TSRA OVC 010 CB 19/06 A 2992 RMK SLP 132 = WHO - Not used if Human Obs. • A 01 - For AWOS Observation • A 02 - For ASOS Observation 8
METAR KSEA A 02 101955 Z 20015 G 25 KT 3/4 SM TSRA OVC 010 CB 19/06 A 2992 RMK SLP 132 = WHEN - Date and Time the of OBS was taken in UCT. 9
METAR KSEA A 02 101955 Z 20015 G 25 KT 3/4 SM TSRA OVC 010 CB 19/06 A 2992 RMK SLP 132= WHEN - Date and Time the of OBS was taken in UCT. • Date of OBS 10
METAR KSEA A 02 101955 Z 20015 G 25 KT 3/4 SM TSRA OVC 010 CB 19/06 A 2992 RMK SLP 132 = WHEN - Date and Time the of OBS was taken in UCT. • Date of OBS • Hour of the day 11
METAR KSEA A 02 101955 Z 20015 G 25 KT 3/4 SM TSRA OVC 010 CB 19/06 A 2992 RMK SLP 132= WHEN - Date and Time the of OBS was taken in UCT. • Date of OBS • Hour of the day • Minute 12
METAR KSEA A 02 101955 Z 20015 G 25 KT 3/4 SM TSRA OVC 010 CB 19/06 A 2992 RMK SLP 132= WIND 13
METAR KSEA A 02 101955 Z 20015 G 25 KT 3/4 SM TSRA OVC 010 CB 19/06 A 2992 RMK SLP 132= WIND • First 3 digits = Direction in True North 14
METAR KSEA A 02 101955 Z 20015 G 25 KT 3/4 SM TSRA OVC 010 CB 19/06 A 2992 RMK SLP 132= WIND • First 3 digits = Direction in True North • 4 th & 5 th digits = Wind Speed 15
METAR KSEA A 02 101955 Z 20015 G 25 KT 3/4 SM TSRA OVC 010 CB 19/06 A 2992 RMK SLP 132= WIND • First 3 digits = Direction in True North • 4 th & 5 th digits = Wind Speed • ‘G’ indicates gusts and speed. 16
METAR KSEA A 02 101955 Z 20015 G 25 KT 3/4 SM TSRA OVC 010 CB 19/06 A 2992 RMK SLP 132= WIND • First 3 digits = Direction in True North • 4 th & 5 th digits = Wind Speed • ‘G’ indicates gusts. • KT = Speed given in Knots 17
METAR KSEA A 02 101955 Z 20015 G 25 KT 3/4 SM TSRA OVC 010 CB 19/06 A 2992 RMK SLP 132= WEATHER 18
METAR KSEA A 02 101955 Z 20015 G 25 KT 3/4 SM TSRA OVC 010 CB 19/06 A 2992 RMK SLP 132= WEATHER • Visibility 19
METAR KSEA A 02 101955 Z 20015 G 25 KT 3/4 SM TSRA OVC 010 CB 19/06 A 2992 RMK SLP 132= WEATHER • Visibility • Present Weather 20
METAR KSEA A 02 101955 Z 20015 G 25 KT 3/4 SM TSRA OVC 010 CB 19/06 A 2992 RMK SLP 132= WEATHER • Visibility • Present Weather • Sky cover (Clouds) 21
METAR KSEA A 02 101955 Z 20015 G 25 KT 3/4 SM TSRA OVC 010 CB 19/06 A 2992 RMK SLP 132= WEATHER • Visibility • Present Weather • Sky cover (Clouds) • Temp/DP 22
METAR KSEA A 02 101955 Z 20015 G 25 KT 3/4 SM TSRA OVC 010 CB 19/06 A 2992 RMK SLP 132= WEATHER • Visibility • Present Weather • Sky cover (Clouds) • Temp/DP • Altimeter 23
METAR KSEA A 02 101955 Z 20015 G 25 KT 3/4 SM TSRA OVC 010 CB 19/06 A 2992 RMK SLP 132= VISIBILITY • Reported in Statute Miles (SM) and fractions up to 6 miles 24
METAR KSEA A 02 101955 Z 20015 G 25 KT 3/4 SM -TSRA OVC 010 CB 19/06 A 2992 RMK SLP 132= Present Weather Given in Intensity ( -, ‘ ‘ , +) • Descriptor (SH, TS, FZ, etc) • Precip type (DZ, RA, SN) • Obscuration (FG, BR FU, etc) • Other (dust, funnel cloud) 25
METAR KSEA A 02 101955 Z 20015 G 25 KT 3/4 SM TSRA OVC 010 CB 19/06 A 2992 RMK SLP 132= Clouds and Cloud Height 26
METAR KSEA A 02 101955 Z 20015 G 25 KT 3/4 SM TSRA OVC 010 CB 19/06 A 2992 RMK SLP 132= Clouds and Cloud Height • Coverage (FEW, SCT, BKN, OVC) 27
METAR KSEA A 02 101955 Z 20015 G 25 KT 3/4 SM TSRA OVC 010 CB 19/06 A 2992 RMK SLP 132= Clouds and Cloud Height • Coverage (FEW, SCT, BKN, OVC) • Height - Given in feet AGL 28
METAR KSEA A 02 101955 Z 20015 G 25 KT 3/4 SM TSRA OVC 010 CB 19/06 A 2992 RMK SLP 132= Clouds and Cloud Height • Coverage (FEW, SCT, BKN, OVC) • Height - Given in feet AGL • Type - IF convective clouds present 29
METAR KSEA A 02 101955 Z 20015 G 25 KT 3/4 SM TSRA OVC 010 CB 19/06 A 2992 RMK SLP 132= Clouds and Cloud Height • Coverage (FEW, SCT, BKN, OVC) • Height - Given in feet AGL • Type - IF convective clouds present CB = Cumulonimbus 30
METAR KSEA A 02 101955 Z 20015 G 25 KT 3/4 SM TSRA OVC 010 CB 19/06 A 2992 RMK SLP 132= Clouds and Cloud Height • Coverage (FEW, SCT, BKN, OVC) • Height - Given in feet AGL • Type - IF convective clouds present CB = Cumulonimbus TCU = Towering Cu 31
METAR KSEA A 02 101955 Z 20015 G 25 KT 3/4 SM TSRA BR BKN 000 OVC 010 CB 19/06 A 2992 RMK SLP 132= • If the sky is PARTIALLY obscured, then a surface based cloud (Fog) height is given as “ 000”. • In example, the first layer is a surface based obscuration due to rain and fog. 32
METAR KSEA A 02 101955 Z 20015 G 25 KT 3/4 SM TSRA VV 04 19/06 A 2992 RMK SLP 132= • If the sky is Totally Obscured then, VV = Vertical Vibility in 100 s of feet. • In this example: VV 004 = The sky is obscured, and the Vertical Visibility is 400 ft. 33
METAR KSEA A 02 101955 Z 20015 G 25 KT 3/4 SM TSRA OVC 010 CB 19/06 A 2992 RMK SLP 132= Temperature/Dew Point • Given in degrees Celsius • If preceded by ‘M’ then is minus ( <0) 34
A Simple Temperature Conversion: • F = (2 * C) + 30 • Example: • 10 C = 2*10 =20 + 30 F = 50 35
METAR KSEA A 02 101955 Z 2015 G 25 KT 3/4 SM TSRA OVC 010 CB 19/06 A 2992 RMK SLP 132= Altimeter Setting • A = Inches of Mercury • Q = Hectopascals (Millibars) 36
METAR KSEA A 02 101955 Z 2015 G 25 KT 3/4 SM TSRA OVC 010 CB 19/06 A 2992 RMK SLP 132 VIS N 2 WSHIFT 30 FROPA= • REMARKS - significant items not included in the main body of the METAR. • SLP = Sea Level Pressure in Millibars • Visibility to the North is 2 miles. • The wind shifted at 30 min past the hour because of a frontal passage. 37
Order of Information in METAR: Clr What Where When Wind Vis Wx Sky Up to 3 cloud layers Temp Alt Remarks Dp 38
‘TAF’ is a Terminal Aviation Forecast 39
TAF KSEA 101919 Z 20015 KT P 6 SM SCT 010 BKN 030 TEMPO 20015 G 25 KT 3/4 SM TSRA OVC 010 CB BCMG 0304 VRB 05 SCT 040 BKN 100= • WHAT - TAF 40
TAF KSEA 101919 Z 20015 KT P 6 SM SCT 010 BKN 030 TEMPO 20015 G 25 KT 3/4 SM TSRA OVC 010 CB BCMG 0304 VRB 05 SCT 040 BKN 100= • WHAT - TAF • WHERE - Same as METAR 41
TAF KSEA 101919 Z 20015 KT P 6 SM SCT 010 BKN 030 TEMPO 20015 G 25 KT 3/4 SM TSRA OVC 010 CB BCMG 0304 VRB 05 SCT 040 BKN 100= • WHAT - TAF • WHERE - Same as METAR • WHEN - Date/time of beginning/ending 42
TAF KSEA 101919 Z 20015 KT P 6 SM SCT 010 BKN 030 TEMPO 20015 G 25 KT 3/4 SM TSRA OVC 010 CB BCMG 0304 VRB 05 SCT 040 BKN 100= • WIND - Same as METAR 43
TAF KSEA 101919 Z 20015 KT P 6 SM SCT 010 BKN 030 TEMPO 20015 G 25 KT 3/4 SM TSRA OVC 010 CB BCMG 0304 VRB 05 SCT 040 BKN 100= • WIND - Same as METAR • VISIBILITY - ‘Somewhat’ the same as METAR – Forecast up to 6 miles. – If more than 6 miles then ‘P’ (plus) is added. 44
TAF KSEA 101919 Z 20015 KT P 6 SM SCT 010 BKN 030 TEMPO 20015 G 25 KT 3/4 SM TSRA OVC 010 CB BCMG 0304 VRB 05 SCT 040 BKN 100= • WEATHER - Same as METAR 45
TAF KSEA 101919 Z 20015 KT P 6 SM SCT 010 BKN 030 TEMPO 20015 G 25 KT 3/4 SM TSRA OVC 010 CB BCMG 0304 VRB 05 SCT 040 BKN 100= • WEATHER - Same as METAR • CLOUDS - Same as METAR 46
Significant Weather Changes • FMnn = Change expected at that time • PROBnn = Probability of occurrance • TEMPO = Expected change for less than 1 hr and less then 1/2 of the period. • BECMG = Condition change at the time indicated 47
Amendments are made as needed. 48
This is not The End 49
- Slides: 49