D e c o d in g M E T A R a n d T A F

M E T A R a n d T A F a r e c o n c is e t e x t u a l f o r m a t s u s e d f o r t r a n s m it t in g w e a t h e r r e p o r t s a n d f o r e c a s t s f o r a v ia t i o n
p u r p o s e s . T h e f o llo w in g is a n u n o f f i c ia l r e f e r e n c e f o r u n d e r s t a n d i n g t h e c o d e s .

M ETA R M essages

A M E T A R is a r e p o r t d e s c r i b in g t h e c u r r e n t w e a t h e r c o n d it io n s a t a l o c a t io n . T h e r e p o r t c o n s i s t s o f s e v e r a l s p a c e -
s e p a r a t e d g r o u p s o f a lp h a n u m e r ic a l c h a r a c t e r s , d e s c r ib in g v a r io u s a s p e c t s o f t h e p r e s e n t w e a t h e r : w i n d , v is i b ili t y ,
t e m p e r a t u r e e t c . H e r e is w h a t a M E T A R lo o k s lik e :

U E E E 0 7 2 0 0 0 Z 0 0 0 0 0 M P S 0 1 5 0 R 2 3 L /0 5 0 0 F G V V 0 0 3 M 5 0 /M 5 3 Q 1 0 2 8

T h is r a t h e r e x t r e m e e x a m p l e is a n a c t u a l o b s e r v a t io n m a d e a t t h e a ir p o r t o f t h e S ib e r ia n c it y o f Y a k u t s k o n 7
D e c e m b e r 2 0 0 4 a t 2 0 :0 0 U T C .

T h e f o l lo w in g t a b l e d e s c r ib e s t h e c o m p o n e n t s o f a M E T A R m e s s a g e , g r o u p b y g r o u p . A m in im a l M E T A R c o n t a in s
in f o r m a t io n a b o u t w in d , v is ib i lit y , c l o u d s , t e m p e r a t u r e a n d p r e s s u r e in a d d it i o n t o o b s e r v i n g lo c a t io n a n d i s s u in g t im e .
O th e r p h e n o m e n a a re re p o rte d w h e n n e e d e d .

G ro u p F o rm a t E x p la n a tio n E x a m p le

 C C C C : t h e f o u r - le t t e r I C A O c o d e f o r t h e o b s e r v in g lo c a t io n
S t a t io n I d e n t if ie r C C C C EFH K

 YY : d a y o f m o n th
 G G gg: h o u r s ( 0 0 – 2 3 ) a n d m in u t e s ( 0 0 – 5 9 ) , in U T C
D a t e a n d T im e YYG G ggZ 101450Z
 Z : D e n o te s U T C tim e .

 A U TO : T h e r e p o r t w a s m a d e a u t o m a t ic a lly w i t h o u t h u m a n
A U TO
in t e r v e n t io n o r s u p e r v is i o n .
R e p o r t M o d if ie r or C O R
 C O R : T h e re p o rt w a s c o rre c te d .
C O R

 ddd: W in d d ir e c t io n ( t r u e h e a d in g ) , r o u n d e d t o n e a r e s t t e n
d e g r e e s a n d a lw a y s e x p r e s s e d a s t h r e e d ig it s . D ir e c t io n c a n b e
g iv e n a s V R B if w in d d ir e c t io n is v a r ia b le a n d w in d s p e e d i s a t
m o s t 3 k n o ts .
 ff: A v e r a g e w in d s p e e d o f la s t 1 0 m in u t e s i n k n o t s .
d d d ffK T
 fm fm : M a x im u m g u s t w in d s p e e d in k n o t s .
W in d or 03004KT

d d d ffG fm fm K T
I f it i s c a lm , t h e w in d is g iv e n a s 0 0 0 0 0 K T .

I n a d d it io n t o k n o t s , w in d s p e e d m a y a l s o b e in d ic a t e d in m e t e r s
p e r s e c o n d o r k i lo m e t e r s p e r h o u r . I n t h a t c a s e , M P S o r K M H w ill
b e u s e d in s t e a d o f K T .

 d nd nd n: T h e l e f t e x t r e m e o f w in d d ir e c t i o n .
 d xd xd x: T h e r i g h t e x t r e m e o f w in d d ir e c t i o n .
V a r ia b le W in d
d nd nd nV d xd xd x 360V080
D ir e c t io n T h is f ie ld is u s e d if t h e t o t a l v a r ia t i o n o f w in d d ir e c t io n d u r in g t h e
la s t 1 0 m i n u t e s i s 6 0 ° o r m o r e a n d w in d s p e e d is m o r e t h a n 3
k n o t s . T h e d ir e c t io n e x t r e m a a r e g i v e n i n c lo c k w is e o r d e r .
 G ro u p F o rm a t E x p la n a tio n E x a m p le

 VVVV : T h e m i n im u m h o r iz o n t a l v is ib i lit y in m e t e r s . I f t h e v is ib ilit y

is b e t t e r t h a n 1 0 k m , 9 9 9 9 is u s e d . 9 9 9 9 m e a n s a m in im u m
v is i b ili t y o f 5 0 m o r l e s s .
 V xV xV xV x : T h e m a x im u m h o r i z o n t a l v is i b il it y in m e t e r s .
 D v : I n c a s e o f m a r k e d d ir e c t i o n a l v a r i a t io n in v is ib il it y , t h e
VVVV
a p p r o x im a t e d ir e c t io n o f m in i m u m a n d m a x im u m v i s ib ilit y is
or
g iv e n a s o n e o f e ig h t c o m p a s s p o in t s ( N , S W , … )
H o r iz o n t a l VVVVD v
5000N W
V is ib i lit y or
U s u a ll y , o n ly t h e m i n im u m v is i b il it y i s r e p o r t e d . I f t h e m in im u m
VVVVD v

V xV xV xV xD v
is le s s t h a n 1 5 0 0 m a n d t h e m a x im u m is o v e r 5 0 0 0 m , t h e
m a x i m u m v is ib i lit y a n d it s d ir e c t io n a r e in d ic a t e d b y a s e c o n d
v is i b ili t y g r o u p f o llo w i n g t h e m i n im u m v is ib ilit y .

I n t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s , v i s ib i lit y is g iv e n i n s t a t u t e s m i le s a n d
f r a c t io n s . I n t h a t c a s e , f o r m a t V V V V V S M is u s e d .

 D R D R : R u n w a y d e s ig n a t o r . P a r a ll e l r u n w a y s a r e d i s t in g u i s h e d b y
a p p e n d in g L , C o r R t o r u n w a y d e s ig n a t o r .
 V R V R V R V R : R u n w a y v is i b il it y in m e t e r s . I f t h e v i s ib i lit y v a r ie s

R D R D R / V R V R V R V R i s ig n i f ic a n t l y , b o t h m i n im u m a n d m a x im u m v a lu e s a r e s p e c if ie d ,

R u n w a y V is u a l or s e p a r a t e d b y V . P r e f ix e s P ( p lu s ) a n d M ( m in u s ) in d ic a t e t h e
R 1 0 /1 0 0 0 V P 1 8 0 0 D
R ange R D R D R /V R V R V R V R a c t u a l v a lu e b e in g g r e a t e r o r s m a l le r t h a n t h e m a x im u m o r
VV V V V i
R R R R
m in im u m m e a s u r a b l e v a lu e .
 i: T h e t e n d e n c y o f v i s ib ilit y c h a n g e c a n b e in d i c a t e d b y D
(d o w n ), U (u p ) o r N (n o c h a n g e ).

 w ′w ′ : D e s c r ip t io n o f a w e a t h e r p h e n o m e n o n , c o n s i s t i n g o f
f o llo w in g c o m p o n e n t s :
o Q u a lif ie r , e it h e r - ( li g h t ) , + ( h e a v y ) o r V C ( i n v i c in it y , i. e . n o t o n
lo c a t io n b u t w it h in 8 0 0 0 m )
o D e s c r ip t o r
 M I: S h a llo w
 B C : P a tc h e s
 PR : P a r t ia l
 D R : D r if t in g
 B L : B lo w in g
 SH : S h o w e rs
 TS : T h u n d e r s to rm
P re s e n t W e a th e r w ′w ′  FZ : F r e e z in g -R A B C F G B R

o P r e c ip it a t io n
 D Z : D r iz z le
 R A : R a in
 SN : Snow
 SG : S n o w g r a in s
 IC : Ic e c ry s ta ls
 PL : I c e p e lle t s
 G R : H a il
 G S : S m a l l h a il / s n o w p e lle t s
 U P : U nknow n
o O b s c u ra tio n
 B R : M is t ( v is i b ili t y > 1 0 0 0 m )
 G ro u p F o rm a t E x p la n a tio n E x a m p le

 FG : F o g ( v i s ib ilit y < 1 0 0 0 m )
 FU : S m oke
 VA : V o lc a n ic a s h
 D U : W id e s p r e a d d u s t
 SA : Sand
 H Z : H aze
 PY : S p ra y
o O th e r
 PO : W e l l d e v e lo p e d d u s t / s a n d w h ir ls
 SQ : S q u a ll
 FC : F u n n e l c lo u d
 +FC : T o rn a d o / w a te r s p o u t
 SS : S a n d s to rm
 D S : D u s t s to rm

 N sN sN s : C lo u d a m o u n t . O n e o f t h e f o llo w in g :
o FEW : F e w (1 /8 – 2 /8 )
o SC T : S c a tte re d ( 3 /8 – 4 /8 )
o B K N : B ro k e n (5 /8 – 7 /8 )
N sN sN sh sh sh s o O VC : O v e rc a s t (8 /8 )
or  VV : T h e s k y is o b s c u r e d .
V V h sh sh s
 h sh sh s: H e ig h t o f c lo u d b a s e o r t h e e x t e n t o f v e r t ic a l v is i b ilit y ( V V )
or FEW 010
in h u n d r e d s o f f e e t a b o v e f ie l d e l e v a t io n . I f h e i g h t w a s n o t
C lo u d s SK C SC T020C B
m e a s u r e d , / / / is u s e d i n s t e a d .
or BKN 070
 SK C : S k y c le a r.
N SC

or  N SC : N o s ig n i f ic a n t c lo u d s . T h e r e a r e n o c lo u d s b e lo w 1 5 0 0 m

C LR a n d n o C u m u l o n im b u s a t a n y h e ig h t .
 C LR : N o c lo u d s b e lo w 3 6 0 0 m ( u s e d i n a u t o m a t i c o b s e r v a t io n s ) .

I f a c l o u d la y e r c o n s i s t s o f C u m u l o n i m b u s o r t o w e r i n g C u m u lu s ,
C B o r T C U is a p p e n d e d a f t e r c lo u d b a s e h e i g h t .

S h o r t f o r “ C e il in g a n d v is ib il it y O K ” . T h e v i s ib i lit y , w e a t h e r a n d
c lo u d g r o u p s c a n b e r e p l a c e d b y C A V O K if t h e f o l lo w in g
c o n d i t io n s a r e f u lf i lle d :

 V is ib i lit y is 1 0 k m o r b e t t e r
C AVO K C A VO K C AVO K
 N o c lo u d s b e lo w 5 0 0 0 f t
 N o C u m u lo n im b u s a t a n y a lt i t u d e
 N o s ig n if ic a n t w e a t h e r p h e n o m e n a ( s e e P r e s e n t W e a t h e r
a b o v e ).

 T ′T ′ : T h e t e m p e r a t u r e r o u n d e d t o n e a r e s t w h o le d e g r e e C e ls i u s .
T e m p e ra tu re a n d  T ′d T ′d : T h e d e w p o in t r o u n d e d t o n e a r e s t w h o le d e g r e e C e ls iu s .
T ′T ′ / T ′ d T ′ d 0 4 /M 0 2
D e w P o in t
N e g a t iv e t e m p e r a t u r e o r d e w p o in t is in d i c a t e d b y p r e f i x M .

 P H P H P H P H : T h e m e a n s e a le v e l p r e s s u r e ( “ Q N H ” ) in h e c t o p a s c a l s
( h P a ) . I n s o m e c o u n t r ie s li k e U n it e d S t a t e s a n d C a n a d a ,
P re s s u re Q P H P H P H P H p r e s s u r e is g i v e n i n in c h e s a n d h u n d r e d t h s . I n s u c h r e p o r t s , Q 0996

p r e f ix Q is r e p l a c e d b y A .
 G ro u p F o rm a t E x p la n a tio n E x a m p le

 w ′w ′ : W e a th e r p h e n o m e n o n c o d e ( s e e P re s e n t W e a th e r a b o v e )
R e c e n t W e a th e r R E w ′w ′ R ETSR A

W S R W YD R D R
 D R D R : R u n w a y d e s ig n a t o r , s e e R u n w a y V i s u a l R a n g e .
W in d S h e a r or W S R W Y11L

W S A LL R W Y

 B EC M G : B e c o m in g
C o n s is t s o f  TEM PO : T e m p o r a r il y
B E C M G -S H R A
f o llo w in g  N O S IG : N o s ig n if i c a n t c h a n g e e x p e c t e d in 2 h o u r s
SC T030C B
T re n d k e y w o r d s a nd A T : At
TEM PO 4000
o t h e r M E T A R FM : F ro m R AD Z BKN 010
c o m p o n e n t s . TL : U n t il

R M K f o llo w e d
by M ETAR
c o m p o n e n ts R M K W IN D 8 5 0 F T
R e m a rk s
and 29015 KT

m is c e lla n e o u s
a b b r e v ia t i o n s .

M E T A R R u n w a y R e p o rt

M E T A R r e p o r t s m a y in c l u d e r u n w a y r e p o r t s w h ic h c o n t a in in f o r m a t io n a b o u t s n o w / w a t e r c o v e r a g e a n d f r ic t i o n
c o e f f i c ie n t . A r u n w a y r e p o r t c o n s i s t s o f e i g h t d ig it s in f iv e g r o u p s ( R R R R E R C R e R e R B R B R ) w it h t h e f o llo w in g in t e r p r e t a t io n :

R R R R E R C R eReR B R B R

F r ic t io n c o e f f i c ie n t o r
b r a k in g a c t io n
R u n w a y d e s ig n a t o r .
T y p e o f d e p o s it o n
T h e n u m e r ic a l i d e n t i f ie r D e p t h o f d e p o s it .  01… 90: F r i c t io n
ru n w a y .
o f th e ru n w a y in c o e f f i c ie n t t i m e s 1 0 0 .
q u e s t io n . 8 8 m e a n s a ll  00: L e s s th a n 1 m m F o r e x a m p le , 3 7
 0: C le a r a n d d r y
r u n w a y s , 9 9 in d ic a t e s  01… 90: T h e d e p t h in in d ic a t e s a f r i c t io n
 1: D am p E x t e n t o f d e p o s it .
r e p e t it i o n o f p r e v io u s m illi m e t e r s c o e f f i c ie n t o f 0 . 3 7 .
 2: W e t o r p u d d le s
re p o rt.  92: 10 cm  91: P o o r b r a k in g a c t io n
 3: F ro s t  1: 1–10 %
 93: 15 cm  92: P o o r / m e d iu m
 4: D ry s n o w  2: 11–25 %
I f t h e r e a r e t w o p a r a lle l  94: 20 cm b r a k in g a c t io n
 5: W et snow  5: 26–50 %
ru n w a y s , th e rig h t o n e  95: 25 cm  93: M e d iu m b r a k in g
 6: S lu s h  9: 51–100 %
is in d ic a t e d b y a d d in g  96: 30 cm a c t io n
 7: Ic e
5 0 to its n u m b e r. F o r  97: 35 cm  94: M e d iu m / g o o d
 8: C o m p a c te d s n o w
e x a m p le , r u n w a y 0 4 L  98: 40 cm b r a k in g a c t io n
 9: F r o z e n r id g e s
( o r 0 4 ) is d e n o t e d b y  99: R u n w a y n o t i n u s e 95: G o o d b r a k in g a c t io n
 /: N o t re p o rte d
04, w h e re a s 5 4 m e a n s  99: U n r e li a b le
ru n w a y 0 4 R . m easurem en t
 //: N o t g iv e n

N o t e : C L R D m a y r e p l a c e e le m e n t s t , e a n d d d i f t h e r u n w a y h a s b e e n c l e a r e d o f d e p o s it s . F o r e x a m p le , 5 4 C L R D 9 5
m e a n s r u n w a y 0 4 R c l e a r e d , b r a k in g a c t i o n g o o d .
TA F M essages

W h e r e a s M E T A R d e s c r ib e s t h e c u r r e n t w e a t h e r c o n d it io n s , a T A F m e s s a g e c o n t a in s f o r e c a s t in f o r m a t io n . M a n y o f
t h e e l e m e n t s a r e s i m ila r t o t h o s e u s e d in M E T A R s . A n e x a m p le o f a ( s h o r t ) T A F m e s s a g e :

E F H K 1 7 1 6 2 7 Z 1 8 0 0 1 8 3 3 0 0 4 K T 9 9 9 9 F E W 0 4 0 T X 2 2 /1 2 Z T N 1 0 /0 2 Z

T h e f ir s t t w o g r o u p s ( E F H K 1 7 1 6 2 7 Z ) a r e id e n t i c a l t o M E T A R g r o u p s : l o c a t io n id e n t if ie r a n d is s u i n g d a y & t i m e .

T h e t h ir d g r o u p ( 1 8 0 0 1 8 ) t e l ls t h e p e r io d f o r w h ic h t h e f o r e c a s t is g iv e n . T h e f ir s t t w o n u m b e r s d e n o t e d a y o f m o n t h .
T h e n e x t f o u r n u m b e r s g iv e t h e v a l id it y h o u r s . I n t h i s e x a m p l e , t h e f o r e c a s t is v a li d f r o m m id n ig h t t o 1 8 : 0 0 . A f t e r
t h e s e c o d e g r o u p s , a d e s c r ip t io n o f t h e f o r e c a s t w e a t h e r p h e n o m e n a f o llo w s .

T h e f o l lo w in g t a b l e c o n t a in s k e y w o r d s c h a r a c t e r is t ic f o r T A F m e s s a g e s . R e m e m b e r t h a t in T A F s a n d M E T A R s a ll
t im e s a r e g iv e n in U T C .

G ro u p E x p la n a tio n

B EC M G aabb A g r a d u a l c h a n g e in w e a t h e r b e t w e e n a a a n d b b h o u r s .

TEM PO aabb T e m p o r a r y ( le s s t h a n 6 0 m i n ) c h a n g e s in w e a t h e r b e t w e e n a a a n d b b h o u r s .

FM hhm m A q u ic k ( in le s s t h a n 6 0 m in ) c h a n g e i n w e a t h e r o c c u r r in g a t h h h o u r s a n d m m m in u t e s .

TLhhm m A c h a n g e in w e a t h e r b y h h h o u r s a n d m m m in u t e s .

A Thhm m A c h a n g e in w e a t h e r o c c u r r in g a t h h h o u r s a n d m m m in u t e s .

PR O B pp F o llo w in g w e a t h e r w ill t a k e p la c e w it h a p r o b a b il it y o f p p p e r c e n t .

N SW N o s ig n if ic a n t w e a t h e r .

T tt/h h Z T h e t e m p e r a t u r e is p r e d i c t e d t o b e t t d e g r e e s C e ls iu s a t h h h o u r s .

T X tt/h h Z T h e m a x im u m t e m p e r a t u r e i s p r e d ic t e d t o b e t t d e g r e e s C e l s iu s a t h h h o u r s .

T N t t/ h h Z T h e m i n im u m t e m p e r a t u r e i s p r e d ic t e d t o b e t t d e g r e e s C e ls iu s a t h h h o u r s .

O t h e r T A F g r o u p s a r e s im ila r t o t h o s e f o u n d in M E T A R s .

M E T A R a n d T A F d a ta a c c e s s

T h e U . S . N a t io n a l W e a t h e r S e r v ic e p r o v id e s a c c e s s t o M E T A R a n d T A F r e p o r t s a t t h e ir A v i a t io n D ig it a l D a t a S e r v ic e
s it e .