#aviationweather

[rheinmainflug-de]

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[aviationdailynews-blog]

Aviation Weather - METAR

Aviation weather METARs or Meteorological Terminal Air Reports

Definition

Meteorological Terminal Air Report (METAR) are the aviation weather reports issued frequently throughout the day that are a current snapshot of the current conditions at an airfield.

What is contained in a METAR?

The elements of these aviation weather reports are normally given in the order below.

Code Name

The indicator group for example METAR, SPECI, or TREND as appropriate. Where a number of METARs are issued in the same bulletin, this, along with a date time group may be in the bulletin header.

Location

The ICAO airport code of the reporting station (KJFK - JFK Airport).

Date/Time of Report

The day of the month and the time of the aviation weather observation in hours and minutes based on UTC time, this is shown as 011530z which would be the first of the month at 1530z.

AUTO

If a report contains the code word AUTO, this indicates that the report has been generated using data from an automated weather observation system.

Surface Wind

The reported wind is the mean wind direction in degrees true to the nearest 10 degrees, from which the wind is blowing and the mean wind speed in knots over the 10 minute period immediately before the observation, Metar wind reports will be shown for example as 35015KT, in plain language this would equate to 350 degrees true(direction) at 15 kts(speed).

Alternatively a wind report such as VRB05KT means that surface wind conditions cannot be shown, in this example VRB05kts would translate into a plain language equivalent of variable wind direction with a wind speed of 5kts.

Having a surface wind readout of “00000” means that the surface wind conditions are calm.

If gusts exceed the mean wind speed by 10kts or more in the 10 minutes leading up to the observation time of the report, the letter G and 2 more numbers are added to indicate the maximum wind speed, for example 23018G30KT translates to a wind from 230 degrees true with a maintained wind of 18 kts but the wind is also gusting up to a maximum of 30 kts.

Reports vary around the world as different regions offer wind speed in different measurement units, therefore it must me mentioned that Metar reports may express wind speed in metres per second (MPS) or Kilometres per hour (KPH).

Wind speeds of 100 kts or more shall be preceded by the letter P and reported as P99KT or P99MPS or P199KPH.

Visibility

Reported in a four figure group (for example 0300 = 300 metres; 9000 = 9 km) up to but excluding 10 km, therefore a reported visibility of “9999” is considered as having a visibility of 10km or more. In very poor conditions “0000” may be reported, this means that there is less than 50 meters visibility.

Runway Visual Range (RVR)

This number may be included in reports during poor or reduced visibility. This report will be preceeded by the letter R (runway) followed by two numbers (runway identifier), there will then be a “/” followed by 4 digits. This means that a report such as R18/0250 would mean that Runway18 has an RVR of 250 meters.

In the case of parallel runways these will be shown as R18L with the L being for runway 18Left, (there can only be 3 options here L, C, or R - Left, Center & Right)

RVR will only normally be issued for visibility less than 1500, therefore a visibility above this number (if presented on a metar) will have a P before the 1500 figure, so a readout such as R18R/P1500, would mean that runway 18Right has an RVR of greater than 1500.

RVR in most situations has a minimum readout of 50, which means that an M before the 4 digit visibility means the value is below what the measurement equipment can gather, in this case a report of 18C/M0050 would mean that runway 18Center has an RVR less than 50.

RVR values can have the letters U, D, or N following their readout, this is a code to show if the RVR is increasing, decreasing, or no change is expected.

Current

Weather

The current weather is indicated by up to 3 groups comprising symbols and letters from the following:

- = slight

+ = Heavy

BC = Patches

BL = Blowing

BR = Mist

DR = Low Drifting

DS = Dust Storm

DU = Widespread Dust

DZ = Drizzle

FG = Fog

FC = Funnel Cloud (e.g. Tornado)

FU = Smoke

FZ = Freezing

GR = Hail

GS = Small Hail

HZ = Haze

IC = Ice Crystals

MI = Shallow

PL = Ice Pellets

PO = Dust Devils

RA = Rain

SA = Sand

SG = Snow Grains

SH = Shower

SN = Snow

SQ = Squall

SS = Sandstorm

TS = Thunderstorm

VA = Volcanic Ash

VC = In the vicinity (nearby)

UP = Unidentified Precipitation

RE = Recent

These codes can be coupled, so for example +SHRAGR could be output, this would mean that there is currently (+)heavy (SH)showers of (RA)rain & (GR)hail.

Clouds

Cloud amount is reported in oktas, this means that if you looked at the sky and split this view in 8, each section would be 1 okta, how many oktas are covered will give certain reports which are shown here:

1. FEW = few clouds (1-2 oktas),

2. SCT = scattered cloud (3-4 oktas),

3. BKN = broken clouds (5-7 oktas),

4. OVC = overcast (8 oktas).

Following this 3 letter code will show a 3 digit number which represent the cloud base which is reported as a height (in feet) above aerodrome elevation. For example a readout of SCT018 means that there is scattered clouds at 1800 ft. *Note that in area and route forecasts, heights are AMSL or standard pressure altitudes.

Selection of cloud layers reported is made as follows:

· The lowest Layer;

· The next lowest layer of SCT or more;

· The next higher layer of BKN or more;

· Significant convective cloud (CB or TCU) if not already reported.

“Sky obscured” is input on a METAR as VV(vertical visibility)this figure again is is a set of digits which represents hundreds of feet. If the vertical visibility has not been measured, the report will read VV///, which means it has not been measured.

When there are no clouds that are of operational significance to aviation, this means no CB (cumulonimbus) or TCU (towering cumulus) and CAVOK is not appropriate, the abbreviation NSC (No Significant Cloud) will be used.

CAVOK

The Visibility, Cloud, and Weather groups are replaced by the term CAVOK (cloud and visibility OK) when the following weather conditions exist at the same time:

· Visibility is 10km or more.

· No CB or TCU and no cloud below 5000 feet or Minimum Sector Altitude (MSA) (whichever is the greater).

· No significant weather at or in the vicinity of the aerodrome.

Temperature

Air temperature and dewpoint are reported in METARs to whole degrees Celsius, for example 10/07 would read as “temperature 10°C with a Dew point of 7°C”.

QNH

QNH is stated to the nearest whole hectopascal (equivalent to a millibar) rounded down and preceded by the letter Q to make things shorter, for example Q1013 equals QNH 1013 hectopascals.

Recent Weather

Significant recent weather observed in the period since the last routine observation will be reported by using the code letters for weather (table above) preceded by the letters RE. So for example RETS would mean recent thunderstorm.

Wind Shear

In a METAR, civil aerodromes may include wind shear if reported along the take off or approach paths in the lowest 1600 ft with reference to the runway. WS is used to begin the group, e.g. WS TKOF RWY20. If the wind shear is affecting all runways, WS ALL RWY is reported.

Aerodrome Color State

UK military and USAF aerodromes will include the abbreviated colour state at the end of the message and add the forecast colour state after the TREND section.

Runway State Group (RSG)

An 8-figure group which may be added to METAR from civil aerodromes.

· Runway designator (first two digits)

27 = Rwy 27 or 27L

77 = Rwy 27R (50 added to the designator for "right" runway)

88 = All runways

99 = repetition of the last message as no new information received.

· Runway Deposits (third digit)

0 = Clear and dry

1 = Damp

2 = Wet or water patches

3 = Rime or frost covered (depth normally less than 1mm)

4 = Dry snow

5 = Wet snow

6 = Slush

7 = Ice

8 = compacted or rolled snow

9 = frozen ruts or ridges

/ = type of deposit not reported

· Extent of runway contamination (fourth digit)

1 = 10% or less

2 = 11% to 25%

5 = 26% to 50%

9 = 51% to 100%

/ = not reported

· Depth of Deposit:

The quoted depth is the mean of a number of readings or, if operationally significant, the greatest depth measured.

00 = less than 1mm

01 = 1mm etc

to

90 = 90mm

91 = not used

92 = 10cm

93 = 15cm

94 = 20cm

95 = 25cm

96 = 30cm

97 = 35cm

98 = 40cm or more

99 = Rwy(s) non-operational due to snow, slush, ice, large drifts or runway clearance, but depth not reported.

// = depth of deposit operationally not significant or measurable.

· Friction Coefficient or Braking Action (seventh and eighth digits)

The mean value is transmitted or, if operationally significant, the lowest value, e.g.:

28 = friction coefficient 0.28

38 = friction coefficient 0.38

or

91 = Braking action: Poor

92 = Braking action: Medium/Poor

93 = Braking action: Medium

94 = Braking action: Medium/Good

95 = Braking action: Good

99 = Figures unreliable

// = Braking action not reported

If contamination conditions do not exist, the abbreviation CLRD can be used:.

25CLRD93 = Rwy 25 cleared; Braking action: Medium/Good

88CLRD95 = All rwys cleared; Braking Action: Good

TREND

TREND forecasts are indicated by BECMG (Becoming) or TEMPO (temporary) which may be followed by a time group (hours and minutes UTC) preceded by one of the letter indicated FM (from), TL (until), AT (at)

For example BECMG FM1030 TL1130 would mean that the weather will become, from 1030UTC until 1130UTC - followed by the weather within that time.

NOSIG replaces the TREND group when no significant changes are forecast to occur during the 2 hour forecast period.

To indicate the end of significant weather the abbreviation NSW (No Significant Weather) will be used used.

Only those elements for which a significant change is expected should be included in a TREND.

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