Figure 1-1. Sample METAR Printout

METEOROLOGY FLIGHT PLANNING

CHAPTER ONE

104.

THE AVIATION ROUTINE WEATHER REPORT

METAR provide a rapid and efficient means of transmitting the latest observed weather

information for various stations throughout the world. These reports are transmitted over

available computer/teletype circuits.

A METAR example is shown below in Figure 1-1.

SAU55 KAWN 151800

METAR KALO 151756Z 14015KT 6SM BLDU OVC015 09/07 A3024 RMK SLP240

RADAT 80052

METAR KBAL 151758Z 35012KT 1 1/2SM R10/6000FT RA BR HZ BKN005 OVC010 08/06

A2978 RMK SLP085

METAR KRDR 151756Z 09009KT 15SM SCT050 BKN090 OVC200 M15/M18 A2997 RMK

PSR09P SLP149

METAR KHAR 151757Z 05015G22KT 1 1/2SM RA BR BKN011 OVC015 07/05 A2986

RMK PK WND 05025/32 SLP112

METAR KNKX 151758Z 08012KT 8SM BKN007 OVC040 09/07 A2984 RMK BINOVC

BKN TOPS 020 SLP105

METAR KCBM 151755Z 00000KT 10SM SCT012 BKN029 OVC120 M06/M07 A2998 RMK

IR18 SLP156

METAR KPAM 151757Z 17015G22 5SM HZ SCT007 BKN040 OVC050 22/21 A2990 RMK

SCT007VBKN SLP125

METAR KPHX 151756Z 33007KT 20SM SKC M14/M24 A3021 RMK SLP230

METAR KVPS 151758Z 18009KT 7SM OVC006 19/17 A2994 RMK CIG005V007 SLP139

METAR KOZR 151755Z 22012G16 15SM OVC017 23/17 A2987 RMK OVC TOPS 045/054

SLP115

METAR KBNA 151759Z 27003KT 1 1/2SM DZ BR SCT000 SCT017 OVC025 19/16 A2977

RMK VIS 1V2 CIG 023V027 BR SCT000 TOPS OVC 066

Figure 1-1 Sample METAR Printout

METARs are used to communicate the latest observed weather to meteorologists and aircrew so

they can determine the existing weather at the destination or alternate, and whether a field is

operating under conditions of instrument flight rules (IFR) or visual flight rules (VFR). These

users can also use METARs to determine weather trends by checking the last several hours of

reports to see if they indicate improving or deteriorating conditions. Additionally, METARs can

provide a comparison between the observed and forecast weather, to determine if conditions are

actually developing as originally forecast.

AVIATION ROUTINE WEATHER REPORTS AND TERMINAL AERODROME

FORECASTS 1-3