METAR and SPECI decoding

Code
# Example Decode Notes
element
1 Identificatio METAR METAR METAR- aviation routine
n EGLL London report, SPECI- selected special
291020Z Heathrow (not from UK civil
METAR or 'ten twenty aerodromes)
SPECI Zulu on the Station four-letter indicator
Location 29th' usually omitted when METARs
indicator are presented in a bulletin
Date/time
2 Wind 31015G27 'three-one- Max only given if _10KT than
KT zero mean. VRB=variable.
Wind 280V350 degrees, 00000KT=calm.
direction/spe fifteen knots, Variation given in clockwise
ed max twenty direction, but only when mean
Extreme seven knots' speed is greater than 3KT.
direction 'varying
variance between two
eight zero
and three
five zero
degrees'.
3 Visibility 1400SW 'one 0000='less than 50 meters'
6000N thousand 9999='ten kilometers or
Minimum four hundred more'. Direction of minimum
visibility meters to visibility given by eight-point
Maximum south west'. compass.
visibility 'six Given when minimum
thousand visibility <1500m and
meters to maximum >5000m.
the north'.
4 RVR R27R/1100 'RVR, RVR tendency (U=increasing;
runway two D=decreasing; N=no change)
seven right, may be added after figure
one e.g. R27R/1100D; P1500 =
thousand more then 1500m;
one hundred M0050=less than 50m.
meters'. Significant variations-
example: R24/0950V1100, i.e.
varying between two values.
5 Present +SHRA 'heavy rain + = Heavy (well developed in
weather showers' the case of +FC and +PO); - =
 Light; no qualifier =
Moderate.
BC =
BL =
Patche BR = Mist
Blowing
s
DS =
DR =
Duststor DU = Dust
Drifting
m
FC =
DZ =
Funnel FG = Fog
Drizzle
cloud
FU = FZ = GR = Hail
Smoke Freezing (>5 mm)
SR =
Small
HZ = IC = Ice
hail or
Haze crystals
snow
pellets
MI =
PL = Ice PO = Dust
Shallo
pellets devils
w
PR = RA =
SA = Sand
Banks Rain
SH = SG =
Shower Snow SN = Snow
s grains
SS = TS =
SQ =
Sandstor Thunderstor
Squalls
m m
VA =
VC = In
Volcani
vicinity
c ash
6 Cloud FEW005 'few at five SKC = Sky clear (0 oktas),
BKN025 hundred FEW = 'few' (1-2 oktas), SCT
SCT010CB feet, = 'Scattered' (3-4 oktas), BKN
scattered = 'Broken' (5-7 oktas), OVC =
cumulonimb 'Overcast' (8 oktas)
us at one There are only two cloud
thousand groups reported: TCU =
feet, broken towering cumulus and CB =
at two cumulonimbus. VV/// = 'state
thousand of sky obscured' (cloud base
five hundred not discernable): Figures in
 feet'. lieu of '///' give vertical
visibility in hundreds of feet.
Up to three, but occasionally
more, cloud groups may be
reported.
7 CAVOK CAVOK 'cav-oh-kay' Visibility greater or equal to
10km, no cumulonimbus, no
cloud below 5000ft or highest
MSA (greater) and no weather
significant to aviation. CAVOK
will replace visibility and
cloud groups.
8 Temp and 10/30 'temperature If dew point is missing,
dew point ten, dew example would be reported as
point three'. 10///.
9 QNH Q0995 'niner niner Q indicates millibars. If the
five'. letter A is used QNH is in
inches and hundredths.
1 Recent RETS 'Recent RE = recent, weather codes
0 weather thunderstor given above. Up to three
m'. groups may be present.
1 Wind shear WS RWY24 'wind shear Will not be reported at
1 runway two present for UK aerodromes.
four'.
1 Trend BECMG 'becoming BECMG = Becoming TEMPO =
2 FM1100 from 1100, Temporarily NOSIG = No sig
23035G50 230 degrees change NSW = No sig
KT TEMPO 35KT, max weather AT = At FM = From
FM0630 TL 50KT, TL = Until NSC = No sig cloud
0830 3000 temporarily Any of the wind forecast,
SHRA from 0630 visibility, weather or cloud
until 0830, groups may be used, and
3000 CAVOK. Multiple groups may
meters, be present.
Moderate
rain
showers'.

Example:
SAUK02 EGGY 301220 METAR EGLY 24015KT 200V280 8000 -RA
FEW010 BKN025 OVC080 18/15 Q0983 TEMPO 3000 RA BKN008
OVC020

A example of the above METAR for 1220UTC on the 30th of the month,
in plain language: EGLY; Surface wind: mean 240 deg true, 15KT;
varying between 200 and 280 deg; minimum vis 8km; light rain; cloud;
1-2 oktas base 1000ft, 5-7 oktas 2500ft, 8 oktas 8000ft; temperature
+18C, dew point +15C; QNH983 mb; Trend: temporarily 3000m in
moderate rain with 5-7 oktas 800ft, 8 oktas 2000ft.