Upgrade to remove ads
Only $35.99/year

METAR Codes

Terms in this set (173)

-
Type: Intensity Meaning: Light intensity
+
Type: Intensity Meaning: Heavy intensity
MI
Type: Descriptor Meaning: Shallow (French: Mince)
BC
Type: Descriptor Meaning: Patches (French: Bancs)
BL
Type: Descriptor Meaning: Blowing
TS
Type: Descriptor Meaning: Thunderstorm
RA
Type: Precipitation Meaning: Rain
SN
Type: Precipitation Meaning: Snow
IC
Type: Precipitation Meaning: Ice Crystals
GR
Type: Precipitation Meaning: Hail (French: Grêle)
UP
Type: Precipitation Meaning: Unknown Precipitation
FG
Type: Obscuration Meaning: Fog
BR
Type: Obscuration Meaning: Mist (French: Brume)
DU
Type: Obscuration Meaning: Widespread Dust
SA
Type: Obscuration Meaning: Sand
SQ
Type: Other Meaning: Squall
DS
Type: Other Meaning: Duststorm
FC
Type: Other Meaning: Funnel Cloud
B
Type: Time Meaning: Began At Time
2 digits
Type: Time Meaning: Minutes of current hour
blank
Type: Intensity Meaning: Moderate intensity
VC
Type: Intensity Meaning: In the vicinity
PR
Type: Descriptor Meaning: Partial
DR
Type: Descriptor Meaning: Low drifting
SH
Type: Descriptor Meaning: Showers
FZ
Type: Descriptor Meaning: Freezing
DZ
Type: Precipitation Meaning: Drizzle
SG
Type: Precipitation Meaning: Snow Grains
PL
Type: Precipitation Meaning: Ice Pellets
GS
Type: Precipitation Meaning: Small Hail and/or Snow Pellets (French: Grésil)
VA
Type: Obscuration Meaning: Volcanic Ash
HZ
Type: Obscuration Meaning: Haze
FU
Type: Obscuration Meaning: Smoke (French: Fumée)
PY
Type: Obscuration Meaning: Spray
PO
Type: Other Meaning: Dust or Sand Whirls
SS
Type: Other Meaning: Sandstorm
E
Type: Time Meaning: Ended At Time
4 digits
Type: Time Meaning: Hour/Minutes Zulu Time
SKC
"Type: Cloud reporting Meaning: ""No cloud/Sky clear"" used worldwide but in North America is used to indicate a human generated report[14][15]"
CLR
"Type: Cloud reporting Meaning: ""No clouds below 12,000 ft (3,700 m) (U.S.) or 25,000 ft (7,600 m) (Canada)"", used mainly within North America and indicates a station that is at least partly automated[14][15]"
NSC
"Type: Cloud reporting Meaning: ""No (nil) significant cloud"", i.e., none below 5,000 ft (1,500 m) and no TCU or CB. Not used in North America."
FEW
"Type: Cloud reporting Meaning: ""Few"" = 1-2 oktas"
SCT
"Type: Cloud reporting Meaning: ""Scattered"" = 3-4 oktas"
BKN
"Type: Cloud reporting Meaning: ""Broken"" = 5-7 oktas"
OVC
"Type: Cloud reporting Meaning: ""Overcast"" = 8 oktas, i.e., full cloud coverage"
VV
"Type: Cloud reporting Meaning: Clouds cannot be seen because of fog or heavy precipitation, so vertical visibility is given instead."
$
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: maintenance check indicator
ACC
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: altocumulus castellanus
ACSL
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: altocumulus standing lenticular cloud
ALQDS
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: All Quadrants (Official)
AO1
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: automated station without precipitation discriminator
APCH
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: approach
APRX
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: approximately
AUTO
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: fully automated report
CA
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: cloud-air lightning
CBMAM
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: cumulonimbus mammatus cloud
CCSL
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: cirrocumulus standing lenticular cloud
CG
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: cloud-ground lightning
CHINO
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: sky condition at secondary location not available
CONS
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: continuous
DOC
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: Department of Commerce
DOT
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: Department of Transportation
DSNT
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: distant
E
"Type: Abbreviation Meaning: east, ended, estimated ceiling (SAO)"
FIBI
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: filed but impracticable to transmit
FMH-1
"Type: Abbreviation Meaning: Federal Meteorological Handbook No.1, Surface Weather Observations & Reports (METAR)"
FROPA
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: frontal passage
FRQ
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: frequent
FZRANO
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: freezing rain sensor not available
HLSTO
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: hailstone
INCRG
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: increasing
KT
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: KNOTS
LAST
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: last observation before a break in coverage at a manual station
LTG
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: lightning
M
"Type: Abbreviation Meaning: minus, less than"
METAR
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: routine weather report provided at fixed intervals
MOV
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: moved/moving/movement
N
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: north
NCDC
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: National Climatic Data Center
NOS
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: National Ocean Survey
NOTAM
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: Notice to Airmen
NWS
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: National Weather Service
OFCM
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: Office of the Federal Coordinator for Meteorology
OVR
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: over
PCPN
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: precipitation
PNO
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: precipitation amount not available
PRESFR
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: pressure falling rapidly
PWINO
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: precipitation identifier sensor not available
RTD
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: Routine Delayed (late) observation
RVR
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: Runway visual range
RWY
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: runway
SCSL
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: stratocumulus standing lenticular cloud
SFC
"Type: Abbreviation Meaning: surface, i.e., ground level)"
SLPNO
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: sea-level pressure not available
SNINCR
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: snow increasing rapidly
SPECI
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: an unscheduled report taken when certain criteria have been met
SW
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: southwest
TS
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: thunderstorm
TWR
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: tower
UTC
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: Coordinated Universal Time
VIS
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: visibility
VR
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: visual range
W
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: west
WMO
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: World Meteorological Organization
WS
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: wind shear
Z
"Type: Abbreviation Meaning: Zulu, i.e., Coordinated Universal Time"
/
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: indicator that visual range data follows; separator between temperature and dew point data.
ACFT MSHP
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: aircraft mishap
ALP
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: airport location point
ALQS
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: All Quadrants (Unofficial)
AO2
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: automated station with precipitation discriminator
APRNT
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: apparent
ATCT
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: airport traffic control tower
C
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: center (with reference to runway designation)
CB
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: cumulonimbus cloud
CC
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: cloud-cloud lightning
cd
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: candela
CHI
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: cloud-height indicator
CIG
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: ceiling
COR
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: correction to a previously disseminated observation
DOD
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: Department of Defense
DSIPTG
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: dissipating
DVR
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: dispatch visual range
FAA
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: Federal Aviation Administration
FIRST
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: first observation after a break in coverage at manual station
FMH2
"Type: Abbreviation Meaning: Federal Meteorological Handbook No.2, Surface Synoptic Codes"
FROIN
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: Frost On The Indicator
FT
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: feet
G
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: gust
ICAO
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: International Civil Aviation Organization
INTMT
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: intermittent
L
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: left (with reference to runway designation)
LST
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: Local Standard Time
LWR
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: lower
MAX
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: maximum
MIN
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: minimum
MT
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: mountains
N/A
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: not applicable
NE
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: northeast
NOSPECI
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: no SPECI reports are taken at the station
NW
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: northwest
OCNL
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: occasional
OHD
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: overhead
P
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: indicates greater than the highest reportable value
PK WND
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: peak wind
PRES
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: Atmospheric pressure
PRESRR
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: pressure rising rapidly
R
"Type: Abbreviation Meaning: right (with reference to runway designation), runway"
RV
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: reportable value
RVRNO
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: RVR system values not available
S
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: south
SE
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: southeast
SLP
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: sea-level pressure
SM
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: statute miles
SOG
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: Snow on the ground
STN
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: station
TCU
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: towering cumulus
TSNO
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: thunderstorm information not available
UNKN
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: unknown
V
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: variable
VISNO
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: visibility at secondary location not available
VRB
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: variable
WG/SO
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: Working Group for Surface Observations
WND
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: wind
WSHFT
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: wind shift
MPS
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: meters per second
NOSIG
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: no significant change
CAVOK
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: Ceiling And Visibility Okay
A
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: Altimeter
RMK
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: Remarks section follows
AO
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: Automated observation
P
Type: Abbreviation Meaning: P0002 indicates that 0.02 inches (0.5 mm) of liquid-equivalent precipitation accumulated during the last hour.
T
"Type: Abbreviation Meaning: T10171017 is a breakdown of the temperature and dew point in eight digits separated into two groups of four. The first four digits (1017) indicate the temperature. The first digit (1) designates above or below zero Celsius (0=above zero 1=below zero). The next three digits in the group ""017"" give the temperature in degrees and tenths of a degree Celsius, _01.7 °C (28.9 °F). The last four digits ""1017"" indicate the dew point, _01.7 °C (28.9 °F). Note: ASOS software, as of this update, uses whole degrees in °F to compute the °C values in this group."
Sets with similar terms