All about METARs!

Format of METARs

METAR KGFK 151834Z 19028G38KT 1/2SM BLSN FEW006 OVC055 M12/M13 A2946 RMK AO2 PK WND 18033/1828 SLP028 P0000 T11171133

Required information section comes at the beginning - this is what we will be concentrating on
Remarks section - starts with RMK: we will only look at one group in this section

Type of report

METAR KGFK 151834Z 19028G38KT 1/2SM BLSN FEW006 OVC055 M12/M13 A2946 RMK AO2 PK WND 18033/1828 SLP028 P0000 T11171133

2 types of reports
- METAR: standard report at standard time (shortly before the top of every hour)
- SPECI: special report at non-standard time; reported usually because of hazardous changes in weather

Four-Letter Station ID

METAR KGFK 151834Z 19028G38KT 1/2SM BLSN FEW006 OVC055 M12/M13 A2946 RMK AO2 PK WND 18033/1828 SLP028 P0000 T11171133

For the continental U.S., this is the letter K followed by the 3-letter airport identifier:
- PA represents Alaska and PH represents Hawaii
- C is for Canada
- M is for Mexico

For example: KGFK is Grand Forks & KMSP is Minneapolis/St. Paul.

Click the map here to see other familiar airport identifiers!

Image Description: Station Identifiers on map of US. Categorized by state. * Note this list does not include all identifiers in the contiguous US. It is a partial list. Alabama - KBHM Arizona - KPHX Arkansas - KLIT California - KSFO, KLAX, KSAN Colorado - KDEN Florida - KJAX, KMIA Georgia - KATL Idaho - KBOI Illinois - KORD Indiana - KIND Kansas - KMCI Louisiana - KMSY Massachusetts - KBOS Michigan - KDTW Minnesota - KMSP Missouri - KSTL Montana - KBIL Nebraska - KOMA Nevada - KLAS New Hampshire - KMHT New Mexico - KABQ New York - KBUF, KJFK North Carolina - KCLT North Dakota - KGFK, KFAR Ohio - KCLE Oklahoma - KOKC Oregon - KPDX Pennsylvania - KPIT South Carolina - KCAE South Dakota - KRAP Tennessee - KMEM, KBNA Texas - KDFW, KSAT, KIAH Utah - KSLC Virginia - KIAD Washington - KSEA Wisconsin - KGRB Wyoming - KCYS

Date & Time

METAR KGFK 151834Z 19028G38KT 1/2SM BLSN FEW006 OVC055 M12/M13 A2946 RMK AO2 PK WND 18033/1828 SLP028 P0000 T11171133

Always has a "Z" at the end
The first 2 digits are the day of the current month
The next 4 digits are the time (in UTC) Visit this page if you would like a refresher on time conversions!

Wind Category

METAR KGFK 151834Z 19028G38KT 1/2SM BLSN FEW006 OVC055 M12/M13 A2946 RMK AO2 PK WND 18033/1828 SLP028 P0000 T11171133

Always has "KT" at the end, for units of knots
The first 3 digits are wind direction
- - Reported as where the wind is coming from
The next 2 digits are sustained wind speed (reported in knots)
Gusts are reported after the "G", if applicable
Winds "000" mean calm/no wind

Image Description: Wind Direction Identifier Shape of a circle cut into quarters. The right point is labeled as 90° (East). The bottom point is labeled as 180° (South). The left point is labeled as 270°(West). The top point is labeled as 360°(North).

Visibility Category

METAR KGFK 151834Z 19028G38KT 1/2SM BLSN FEW006 OVC055 M12/M13 A2946 RMK AO2 PK WND 18033/1828 SLP028 P0000 T11171133

Always has "SM" at the end, for units of statute miles (sm)
- - Can be reported as a whole number or a fraction
If visibility is less than 1/4 mile at an automated station, it is reported M1/4SM

Here the "M" stands for "less than"

Visibility can be recorded less than 1/4 mile with a human observer

Significant Weather Category

METAR KGFK 151834Z 19028G38KT 1/2SM BLSN FEW006 OVC055 M12/M13 A2946 RMK AO2 PK WND 18033/1828 SLP028 P0000 T11171133

These acronyms & abbreviations report all significant weather in the vicinity of the site
Will not be included if there is nothing to report
This group can have as many as 3 parts: (1) Qualifier, (2) Descriptor, and (3) Precipitation or Limitation to Visibility

Qualifier for Weather

If the condition is moderate (no symbol), it should still be stated as such (i.e., moderate rain, moderate snow, etc.)

*Visibility restrictions do not need a qualifier*

*Only go with precipitation*

Descriptors for Weather

Precipitation

Obstructions to Visibility

Other Reports

Cloud Cover

METAR KGFK 151834Z 19028G38KT 1/2SM BLSN FEW006 OVC055 M12/M13 A2946 RMK AO2 PK WND 18033/1828 SLP028 P0000 T11171133

3 letter abbreviation indicates the amount of cloud cover
3 numbers indicate the height of the cloud base in hundreds of feet AGL (above ground level)
- - We always add two zeroes on the end
  - In this case, Few clouds at 600 ft AGL and Overcast at 5500 ft AGL

*May have more than one of this group if multiple cloud layers are present (like the example above)

Important Notes

When more than one layer is reported, layers are given in ascending order according to height.
- - For each layer above a lower layer, the sky cover designator for the layer represents the total sky covered by that layer and all lower layers
SKC is reported at manual stations when the sky is clear
CLR is reported at automated stations when no clouds are detected below 12,000 ft

Ceiling Height

The lowest BKN or OVC layer
The ceiling height in the above METAR is the overcast layer at 5,500 feet AGL

Temperature & Dewpoint Temperature

METAR KGFK 151834Z 19028G38KT 1/2SM BLSN FEW006 OVC055 M12/M13 A2946 RMK AO2 PK WND 18033/1828 SLP028 P0000 T11171133

Temperature and Dewpoint Temperature reports in the nearest whole degree Celsius
- - Example: 20/15: Temperature: 20°C (68°F), Dewpoint Temperature: 15°C (59°F)
Numbers preceded by a “M” indicate negative values
- - In the example above, Temperature: -12°C and Dewpoint Temperature: -13°C

Altimeter Setting

METAR KGFK 151834Z 19028G38KT 1/2SM BLSN FEW006 OVC055 M12/M13 A2946 RMK AO2 PK WND 18033/1828 SLP028 P0000 T11171133

Always begins with an “A” followed by 4 digits
Reports the Altimeter setting pressure in inches of mercury (inHg)
Decimal goes between the two middle numbers
- - Above example: A2946 = 29.46 in Hg
This is NOT the same as sea level pressure!

Sea Level Pressure

METAR KGFK 151834Z 19028G38KT 1/2SM BLSN FEW006 OVC055 M12/M13 A2946 RMK AO2 PK WND 18033/1828 SLP028 P0000 T11171133

Begins with “SLP” followed by 3 digits
3 digits indicate sea level pressure in millibars (mb)
Typical sea level pressure is between 950 and 1050 millibars, with the exception of extreme events.

Decoding Sea Level Pressure

Using the previous example: SLP028

A decimal goes between the second and third numbers: 02.8
If the two numbers before the decimal are greater than 50, add a 9 to the front
If they are less than 50, add a 10 to the front: 1002.8 mb
Another example: SLP982 -> 98.2
98 is greater than 50, so add a 9 in front: 998.2 mb

Remarks Section

METAR KGFK 151834Z 19028G38KT 1/2SM BLSN FEW006 OVC055 M12/M13 A2946 RMK AO2 PK WND 18033/1828 SLP028 P0000 T11171133

Certain remarks are reported routinely, and others are included when considered significant to aviation by the observer.

Types of Remarks

Tornadic Activity: Augmented; report should include TORNADO, FUNNEL CLOUD, or WATERSPOUT, time begin/end, location, movement; e.g. TORNADO B25 N MOVG E.
Type of automated station: A02; automated station with precipitation discriminator
Peak wind: PK WND dddff(f)/(hh)mm; direction in tens of degrees, speed in whole knots, and time; e.g. PK WND 200032/25
Wind shift: WSHFT (hh)mm; e.g. WSHFT 1715
Tower or surface visibility: TWR VIS vvvvv: visibility reported by tower personnel; SFC VIS vvvvv: visibility reported by ASOS; e.g. TWR VIS 2
Variable prevailing visibility: VIS vnvnvnvnvnVvxvxvxvxvx reported if prevailing visibility is < 3 miles and variable; e.g. VIS 3/4 V 1 ½
Visibility at second location: VIS vvvvv [LOC]; reported if different than the reported prevailing visibility in body of report; e.g. VIS ¾ RWY11
Dispatch visual range: DVR/VRVRVRVRFT or DVR/VnVnVnVnVVxVxVxVxFT; computed from ASOS visibility; e.g. DVR/5000FT, DVR/1200V2600FT
Lightning: [FREQ]LTG[LOC] when detected the frequency and location is reported; e.g., FRQ LTN NE
Beginning and ending of precipitation and thunderstorms: w’w’B(hh)mmE(hh)mm; TSB(hh)mmE(hh)mm; e.g. RAB07
Virga: Augmented; precipitation not reaching the ground; e.g. VIRGA
Variable ceiling height: CIGhnhnhnVhxhxhx; reported if ceiling in body of report is <3000 feet and variable; e.g. CIG 013V017
Ceiling height at second location: CIG hhh [LOC]; ceiling height reported if secondary ceilometer site is different than the ceiling height in the body of the report; e.g. CIG 017 RWY11
Pressure rising or falling rapidly: PRESRR or PRESFR; pressure rising or falling rapidly at time of observation
Sea Level Pressure: SLPppp; tens, units, and tenths of SLP in millibars: e.g. SLP125 (1012.5 mb)
Synoptic cloud types: Augmented; 8/CLCMCH
Snow increasing rapidly: SNINCR [inches/hr]/[inches on ground]; snow increasing rapidly at time of observation; e.g. SNOINCR 1/5/
Depth of snow on the ground: 4/sss; depth measured in inches; e.g. 4/005
Water equivalent of snow on the ground: 933RRR; measured in tenths of inches; e.g. 933005
Duration of sunshine: 98mmm; minutes of sunshine duration; e.g. 98120
Hourly precipitation amount: Prrrr; in .01 inches since last METAR; a trace is P0000; e.g. P0001
3 and 6-hour precipitation amount: 6RRRR; precipitation amount in .01 inches for past 6 hours reported in 00,06,12, and 18 UTC observations and for past 3 hours in 03, 09, 15, and 21 UTC observations; a trace is 60000; e.g. 60009
24 hour precipitation amount: 7R24R24R24R24; precipitation amount in .01 inches for past 24 hours reported in 12 UTC observation; e.g. 70015
Hourly temperature and dew point: TsnTnTnTnsnT’nT’nT’n; tenth of degree Celsius; sn:1 if temperature below 0°C and 0 if temperature 0°C or higher; e.g. T00640054
6 hour maximum temperature: 1snTxTxTx; tenth of degree Celsius; 00, 06, 12, 18 UTC; sn: 1if temperature below 0°C and 0 if temperature 0 °C or higher; e.g. 10066
6 hour minimum temperature: tenth of degree Celsius; 00,06,12,18 UTC; sn: 1 if temperature below 0°C and 0 if temperature 0°C or higher; e.g. 21012
24 hour maximum/minimum temperature: 4snTxTxTxsnTnTnTn; tenth of degree Celsius; reported at midnight local standard time; sn: 1 if temperature below 0°C and 0 if temperature 0°C or higher; e.g. 400461006
Pressure tendency: 5appp; the character (a) and change in pressure (ppp; tenths of millibars) the past 3 hours; e.g. 58033
Sensor status indications: RVRNO

Decoding a METAR - Example #1

KGFK 172149Z 25022G48KT 10SM +FC -TSRA BR SCT018CB OVC033 23/21 A2934

Location: Grand Forks

Date and Time: 17th day of the month at 21:49 Zulu or 4:49 pm CDT

Winds: Out of the WSW at 22 knots, gusting up to 48 knots

Visibility: 10 statute miles

Significant weather: Tornado, Thunderstorm with light rain, mist

Cloud levels: Scattered cumulonimbus at 1800 ft AGL, overcast at 3300 ft AGL

Temperature: 23°C

Dewpoint: 21°C

Altimeter: 29.34 in Hg

Decoding a METAR - Example #2

KGFK 121053Z 34026G34KT 1 3/4SM –SN BLSN OVC016 M16/M19 A2968 RMK AO2 PK WND 34034/1052 SLP072

Location: Grand Forks

Date and Time: 12th day of the month/1053 UTC

Winds: From the NW at 26 kts gusting to 34 kts

Visibility: 1 3/4 statute miles

Significant Weather: Light snow, blowing snow

Cloud levels: Overcast at 1600 ft AGL

Temperature: -16 °C

Dewpoint: -19 °C

Altimeter: 29.68 in Hg

Sea Level Pressure: 1007.2 mb

AtSci 110 METAR Appendix

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