How to Read METARs and TAFs: A Student Pilot’s Guide

METARs and TAFs look like alphabet soup the first time you see them — but they follow a strict, predictable order. Once you know the pattern, you can read them at a glance, and a whole block of FAA written test questions turns into easy points.

What is a METAR?

A METAR is an observation — the actual weather measured at an airport at a specific time, usually issued once an hour. Think of it as a snapshot of what the weather is right now.

Reading a METAR, field by field

Every METAR reports the same fields in the same order:

Station & time — KSFO 121956Z: San Francisco, 12th of the month at 1956 Zulu (UTC).
Wind — 27015G25KT: from 270° true at 15 knots, gusting 25.
Visibility — 10SM: 10 statute miles.
Weather — codes like RA (rain), BR (mist), TS (thunderstorm).
Sky condition — FEW/SCT/BKN/OVC plus cloud height in hundreds of feet AGL (e.g. BKN025 = broken at 2,500 ft).
Temperature / dewpoint — 16/09 in °C. A small spread suggests fog potential.
Altimeter — A2992 = 29.92 inHg.

A worked example

KORD 121951Z 18012KT 6SM BR BKN008 OVC015 14/13 A2989

Translation: Chicago O'Hare, 12th at 1951Z, wind from 180° at 12 knots, 6 statute miles visibility in mist, broken clouds at 800 ft and overcast at 1,500 ft, temperature 14°C / dewpoint 13°C (very small spread — fog likely), altimeter 29.89. That ceiling and visibility mean it's IFR.

What is a TAF?

A TAF (Terminal Aerodrome Forecast) is a forecast for a 5-statute-mile radius around an airport, typically valid 24–30 hours. It uses the same codes as a METAR, plus change groups:

FM (from) — a rapid, permanent change at a stated time.
BECMG (becoming) — a gradual change over a period.
TEMPO (temporary) — brief fluctuations expected to last less than an hour at a time.
PROB30/40 — a 30% or 40% probability of the stated conditions.

Rule of thumb: a METAR tells you what is; a TAF tells you what will be.

Flight category cheat sheet

Test questions love asking you to classify conditions by ceiling and visibility:

VFR — ceiling above 3,000 ft AND visibility greater than 5 SM.
MVFR (marginal) — ceiling 1,000–3,000 ft AND/OR visibility 3–5 SM.
IFR — ceiling 500–below 1,000 ft AND/OR visibility 1–below 3 SM.
LIFR — ceiling below 500 ft AND/OR visibility below 1 SM.

Why it matters on the test

Expect several questions that ask you to decode a raw report or determine the flight category. Practice on real reports (you can pull current METARs and TAFs from aviationweather.gov) and these become reliable points.

Frequently asked questions

Is the time in a METAR local or Zulu?

Always Zulu (UTC), marked with a Z. Convert to local as needed.

Is the wind direction true or magnetic?

In a written METAR/TAF it's true. (Wind given by the tower over the radio is magnetic.)

Want timed practice on weather questions? Start free and drill the Weather category. ✈️