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How to read METAR and TAF weather reports

METARs report the weather at an airport right now; TAFs forecast it for the next 24–30 hours. Both follow a fixed order, so once you know the groups, any report becomes readable.

Updated: 6 min read

METAR and TAF are the standard aviation weather formats used at airports worldwide. Pilots, dispatchers, drone operators and flight-sim enthusiasts read them every day, and they’re also handy for anyone who wants a precise, no-nonsense picture of the weather at an airport. The format looks cryptic, but it follows a strict order defined by the World Meteorological Organization and ICAO. This guide walks through each group with real-style examples. Paste any report into our METAR/TAF decoder to get a plain-English translation.

For training and interest only. Always use official briefing sources for flight planning.

METAR: the structure

A typical METAR (London Heathrow style):

METAR EGLL 081250Z 24012G24KT 210V280 9999 -RA FEW012 BKN025 14/11 Q1008 TEMPO 4000 RA
Group Example Meaning
Type METAR Routine report (SPECI = special report after a significant change)
Station EGLL ICAO airport code (London Heathrow)
Date/time 081250Z Day 08, 12:50 UTC (Z = Zulu = UTC)
Wind 24012G24KT From 240°, 12 knots, gusting 24 knots
Wind variation 210V280 Direction varying between 210° and 280°
Visibility 9999 10 km or more
Weather -RA Light rain
Clouds FEW012 BKN025 Few clouds at 1,200 ft, broken at 2,500 ft
Temp/dew point 14/11 14 °C, dew point 11 °C
Pressure Q1008 QNH 1008 hPa
Trend TEMPO 4000 RA Temporarily 4,000 m visibility in rain

Decoding each group

Wind

dddffGfmfmKT: direction (degrees true, where the wind blows from), speed, optional gust, units.

  • 00000KT: calm.
  • VRB03KT: variable direction, 3 knots.
  • 31015G27KT: from 310°, 15 knots, gusts 27 knots.
  • Some countries use MPS (metres per second) instead of knots.

Visibility

  • ICAO format: metres, four digits. 9999 = 10 km or more; 0800 = 800 m; 0000 = less than 50 m.
  • US/Canada format: statute miles, e.g. 10SM, 1/2SM, P6SM (more than 6 miles in TAFs).
  • RVR (runway visual range) may follow, e.g. R27L/0600N = runway 27L, 600 m, no change.

Present weather

Intensity or proximity prefix, then descriptor, then phenomenon:

Code Meaning Code Meaning
- Light RA Rain
(none) Moderate DZ Drizzle
+ Heavy SN Snow
VC In the vicinity GR Hail
SH Showers FG Fog (visibility < 1,000 m)
TS Thunderstorm BR Mist
FZ Freezing HZ Haze
BL Blowing SQ Squall

Examples: +TSRA = thunderstorm with heavy rain; FZFG = freezing fog; VCSH = showers in the vicinity; -SHSN = light snow showers.

Clouds

Amount in oktas (eighths of the sky) plus base height in hundreds of feet above the airport:

Code Coverage
FEW 1–2 oktas
SCT Scattered, 3–4 oktas
BKN Broken, 5–7 oktas
OVC Overcast, 8 oktas
VV Vertical visibility (sky obscured), e.g. VV002 = 200 ft
NSC No significant cloud
SKC / CLR Sky clear (CLR = automated, US)

BKN008 means broken cloud at 800 ft. Suffixes CB (cumulonimbus) and TCU (towering cumulus) flag convective cloud: SCT030CB. The ceiling is the lowest BKN or OVC layer.

CAVOK

Replaces visibility, weather and cloud groups when visibility is 10 km or more, there’s no cloud below 5,000 ft (or the highest minimum sector altitude, if higher), no CB or TCU, and no significant weather. Not used in the US.

Temperature and dew point

14/11 = 14 °C and dew point 11 °C. M means minus: M02/M05 = −2 °C, dew point −5 °C. When temperature and dew point are close (within 2–3 °C), fog or low cloud is likely, especially overnight.

Pressure

  • Q1008 = QNH 1008 hPa (most of the world).
  • A2992 = 29.92 inches of mercury (US, Canada).

1013.25 hPa = 29.92 inHg is the standard atmosphere.

  • NOSIG: no significant change expected in the next 2 hours.
  • BECMG / TEMPO: as in TAFs, for the next 2 hours.
  • RMK: remarks, used heavily in US METARs (e.g. RMK AO2 SLP132 T01390111 with sea-level pressure and precise temperatures).

TAF: the forecast

TAF EGLL 081100Z 0812/0918 23012KT 9999 SCT030
  TEMPO 0812/0818 24015G28KT 5000 SHRA BKN014
  BECMG 0820/0823 VRB04KT
  PROB30 0902/0907 3000 BR BKN006
Group Meaning
081100Z Issued on day 08 at 11:00 UTC
0812/0918 Valid from day 08 12:00 UTC to day 09 18:00 UTC
23012KT 9999 SCT030 Base forecast: wind 230° 12 kt, visibility 10 km+, scattered cloud at 3,000 ft
TEMPO 0812/0818 ... Between 12:00 and 18:00 on day 08, temporarily gusts 28 kt, 5,000 m in rain showers, broken cloud at 1,400 ft
BECMG 0820/0823 VRB04KT Between 20:00 and 23:00, wind gradually becoming variable 4 kt
PROB30 0902/0907 ... 30% probability between 02:00 and 07:00 on day 09 of 3,000 m in mist with broken cloud at 600 ft

TAF change groups

Code Meaning
FM081500 From 15:00 UTC on day 08, conditions change completely (rapid change)
BECMG Gradual, permanent change within the period
TEMPO Temporary fluctuations, each lasting less than 1 hour, totalling less than half the period
PROB30 / PROB40 30% or 40% probability
PROB30 TEMPO 30% probability of temporary conditions

TAFs at major airports typically cover 24 or 30 hours and are reissued every 6 hours, with amendments (TAF AMD) when the forecast changes significantly.

Worked example: a US METAR

METAR KJFK 081251Z 05008KT 3SM BR OVC006 12/11 A3002 RMK AO2 SLP165

New York JFK, day 08 at 12:51 UTC: wind from 050° at 8 knots, visibility 3 statute miles in mist, overcast at 600 ft (a low ceiling), temperature 12 °C, dew point 11 °C, altimeter 30.02 inHg, automated station with precipitation sensor, sea-level pressure 1016.5 hPa.

Common mistakes

  • Reading times as local time: METAR and TAF times are always UTC. See our time zones guide.
  • Confusing wind “from” with “to”: 270° is a westerly, blowing from the west.
  • Reading cloud heights as thousands: BKN008 is 800 ft, not 8,000 ft.
  • Mixing up metres and statute miles for visibility.
  • Treating TEMPO conditions as the main forecast, or ignoring them.

Checklist

  • Check station, date and UTC time first.
  • Decode wind, visibility, weather and clouds in order.
  • Identify the ceiling (lowest BKN/OVC).
  • Compare temperature and dew point for fog risk.
  • Note QNH units (hPa or inHg).
  • In TAFs, read the base forecast, then each FM, BECMG, TEMPO and PROB group in time order.

For converting UTC report times to your local time, use our time zone converter.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between METAR and TAF?

A METAR is an observation of current conditions at an airport, usually issued every 30 or 60 minutes. A TAF is a forecast for the area around the airport, typically covering 9 to 30 hours and updated every few hours.

What does CAVOK mean?

Ceiling and Visibility OK: visibility of 10 km or more, no cloud below 5,000 ft (or the highest minimum sector altitude, if higher), no cumulonimbus or towering cumulus, and no significant weather.

What is QNH in a METAR?

QNH is the air pressure adjusted to mean sea level, shown as Q1013 (hectopascals) in most countries or A2992 (inches of mercury) in the US and Canada. Pilots set it on the altimeter to read altitude above sea level.

What do BECMG and TEMPO mean in a TAF?

BECMG (becoming) means conditions change gradually and permanently during the stated period. TEMPO means temporary fluctuations lasting less than an hour each, and in total less than half the period.

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