Figure 1-11. Present Weather Codes Reportable in METAR

CHAPTER ONE

METEOROLOGY FLIGHT PLANNING

In addition to the notes of Figure 1-11, the following are a few of the conventions used to report

present weather conditions in METAR/SPECI observations.

1. Present weather given in the body of the report occurs at the point of observation or within

five miles from the station. If the letters "VC" are used, the weather is in the vicinity of five to

ten miles. Any reported weather occurring beyond ten miles of the point of observation will be

included in the remarks portion of the METAR.

Intensity refers to the precipitation, not its descriptor (TS or SH).

TS may be coded by itself, or it may be coded with RA, SN, PL, GS, or GR.

WEATHER PHENOMENA1

QUALIFIER

INTENSITY DESCRIPTOR PRECIPITATION

OBSCURATION

OTHER

PROXIMITY

MI Shallow

Light

DZ Drizzle

BR Mist

PO Well-

PR Partial

Developed

RA Rain

FG Fog

Moderate BC Patches

Dust/ Sand

Whirls

DR Low

SN Snow

FU Smoke

+ Heavy

Drifting

SQ Squalls

SG Snow Grains

VA Volcanic Ash

VC In the

BL Blowing

Vicinity

FC Funnel Cloud(s)

IC Ice Crystals

(Tornado or

SH Shower (s)

Waterspout)3

PL Ice Pellets

Widespread Dust

TS Thunder-

SS Sandstorm

GR Hail2

storm

SA Sand

DS Duststorm

Freezing

GS Small Hail

HZ Haze

and/or Snow

PY Spray

Pellets

UP Unknown

Precipitation

1. Weather groups are constructed by considering columns one to five above in sequence, i.e.,

intensity, followed by description, followed by weather phenomena (e.g., heavy rain shower(s)

is coded as +SHRA).

2. No symbol denotes moderate intensity. No intensity is assigned to Hail (GR) or Icing (IC).

3. Tornadoes and waterspouts in contact with the surface are coded +FC.

Figure 1-11 Present Weather Codes Reportable in METAR

1-10 AVIATION ROUTINE WEATHER REPORTS AND TERMINAL AERODROME

FORECASTS