A TAF report is valid for 24 to 30-hour time periods and is typically updated four times a day. Thus, the distinction is quite clear – a METAR pertains to current weather conditions , while a TAF pertains forecasted weather for the next 24 to 30 hours.
What does METAR mean?
Acronym. Definition. METAR. Meteorological Aerodrome Report (weather information reporting format)
What does Metar and TAF stand for?
METAR is the international standard code format for hourly surface weather observations which is analogous to the SA coding currently used in the US. The acronym roughly translates from French as Aviation Routine Weather Report. ... TAF is the international standard code format for terminal forecasts issued for airports.
What is a TAF in aviation?
The Terminal Area Forecast ( TAF ) is the official FAA forecast of aviation activity for U.S. airports. It contains active airports in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems ( NPIAS ) including FAA-towered airports, Federal contract-towered airports, non-federal towered airports, and non-towered airports.
How do I read a TAF weather report?
The date and time are formatted using two sets of four digits each with the first two digits representing the day of the month and the second two the 24-hour time in hours only (no minutes since TAFS are issued on the hour). The first set of digits is the start date/time and the second is the end date/time.
Is TAF AGL or ASL?
Heights in METAR and TAF are always stated as height AGL . On the other hand, heights in graphic area forecasts (GFA) and PIREPs are normally stated as height ASL, since terrain heights are variable over the larger area covered.
How long is a TAF valid for?
New TAF Format
Routine TAFs are valid for a 24-hour period and issued four times daily: 00Z, 06Z, 12Z, and 18Z, and are amended (updated) as conditions require.
What is the 8 * * * * Group on a METAR?
Runway State Group (RSG)
An 8-figure group which may be added to METAR from civil aerodromes.
What does V mean in METAR?
V – Varying . VIRGA – Virga. VRB – Variable. VRB VIS – Variable Visibility. VV – Vertical Visibility, indefinite ceiling.
What does P mean in METAR?
P. indicates greater than the highest reportable value . PCPN . precipitation .
How much area does a TAF cover?
TAFs are issued at least four times a day, every six hours, for major civil airfields: 0000, 0600, 1200 and 1800 UTC, and generally apply to a 24- or 30-hour period, and an area within approximately five statute miles (8.0 km) (or 5 nautical miles (9.3 km) in Canada) from the center of an airport runway complex.
What does 9999 mean in a 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.
What does TAF stand for?
What is TAF and what does the acronym stand for? A2. TAF is the international standard code format for terminal forecasts issued for airports. The acronym translates to Terminal Aerodrome Forecast , and is analogous to the terminal forecast (FT) coding format currently used in the US.
What does prob mean in a TAF?
“PROB:” Probability forecasts
The time group is the same as the “BECMG” time groups. The numbers indicate the first two numbers of the hour. So 0123/0201 means from the 1st at 2300Z to the 2nd at 0100Z. You won’t ever see a day of the month in PROB and BECMG forecast time groups.
What does Qnh mean on a TAF?
The QNH is the atmospheric pressure corrected to mean sea level (based on International Standard Atmosphere conditions throughout the height difference) and is reported in the METAR rounded down to the nearest whole hectopascal. Some aerodromes report the QNH pressure in the METAR in inches of mercury.
What does 5SM tell you on a TAF report?
(5SM) The expected prevailing visibility is forecast in statute miles and fractions of statute miles followed by SM to note the units of measure . Statute miles followed by fractions of statute miles are separated with a space, for example, 1 1/2SM.
