METAR & TAF Code Reference
Every group in a METAR or TAF, with its plain-English meaning. Use it alongside the decoder — read the raw report yourself, then check each piece here.
Anatomy of a METAR
Every group, labeled. Tap any part to see what it means.
Routine aviation weather observation.
Anatomy of a TAF
A TAF reuses the same weather codes, but adds a valid period and change groups (FM, BECMG, TEMPO). Tap any part.
Terminal Aerodrome Forecast.
How to read a METAR
A METAR is always written in the same order, which is the secret to reading it fast. Work left to right:
- Station (ICAO id) → Time (DDHHMMZ)
- Wind → Visibility → Weather
- Sky cover → Temperature/dew point → Altimeter
- RMK (remarks — automated/extra detail)
Example: KLAX 261853Z 26014G22KT 10SM FEW012 SCT250 22/15 A2992 RMK AO2 — Los Angeles, the 26th at 18:53 UTC, wind 260° at 14 kt gusting 22, 10 sm visibility, a few clouds at 1,200 ft and scattered at 25,000 ft, 22 °C / dew point 15 °C, altimeter 29.92, automated station.
A TAF uses the same weather codes but adds time/change groups (a valid period, then FM, BECMG, TEMPO, and PROB groups) that tell you when each set of conditions applies. Master the groups below and you can read either report.
Report types
| METAR | Routine aerodrome weather observation (issued ~hourly). |
| SPECI | Special observation issued off-schedule when conditions change significantly. |
| TAF | Terminal Aerodrome Forecast — a forecast for a ~5 sm radius of the airport, valid 24–30 hours. |
| AMD | Amended forecast (TAF only). |
| COR | Corrected report. |
| AUTO | Fully automated observation, no human augmentation. |
| NIL | No data available for that report. |
Time & TAF change groups
All times are Zulu (UTC). TAFs use these to say when each forecast applies.
| DDHHMMZ | Day-of-month, hour, minute in Zulu (UTC). e.g. 261853Z = the 26th at 18:53 UTC. |
| DDHH/DDHH | TAF valid period: from day/hour to day/hour (UTC). e.g. 2618/2724. |
| FMDDHHMM | TAF "from" group — a rapid, permanent change beginning at this time. e.g. FM261900. |
| BECMG DDHH/DDHH | Becoming — a gradual, permanent change over the stated window. |
| TEMPO DDHH/DDHH | Temporary fluctuations expected, each lasting under an hour, within the window. |
| PROB30 / PROB40 | 30% or 40% probability of the conditions that follow. |
Wind
| dddffKT | Direction (true °) and speed in knots. e.g. 26014KT = from 260° at 14 kt. |
| dddffGggKT | With gusts. e.g. 26014G22KT = from 260° at 14 kt, gusting 22 kt. |
| 00000KT | Wind calm. |
| VRBffKT | Variable direction at ff knots (light/variable wind). |
| dddVddd | Wind direction variable between two values. e.g. 220V300. |
| KT / MPS | Speed unit: knots (US) or meters per second (some international). |
Visibility
| #SM | Visibility in statute miles. e.g. 10SM, 3SM. |
| M / fractions | Fractions and prefixes: 1/2SM, 2 1/2SM; P6SM = greater than 6 sm; M1/4SM = less than 1/4 sm. |
| #### (meters) | International visibility in meters; 9999 = 10 km or more; 0800 = 800 m. |
| CAVOK | Ceiling And Visibility OK: vis ≥ 10 km, no cloud below 5,000 ft / MSA, no significant weather. |
| R##/####FT | Runway Visual Range (RVR) for a runway, in feet. e.g. R06L/2000FT. |
Weather — intensity / proximity
A weather group is built as: intensity + descriptor + phenomenon, e.g. +TSRA = heavy thunderstorm with rain; FZFG = freezing fog; VCSH = showers in the vicinity.
| - | Light intensity. |
| (none) | Moderate intensity. |
| + | Heavy intensity. |
| VC | In the vicinity (5–10 sm of the field, not at it). |
Weather — descriptor
| MI | Shallow |
| PR | Partial |
| BC | Patches |
| DR | Low drifting |
| BL | Blowing |
| SH | Showers |
| TS | Thunderstorm |
| FZ | Freezing |
Weather — phenomena
| DZ | Drizzle |
| RA | Rain |
| SN | Snow |
| SG | Snow grains |
| IC | Ice crystals |
| PL | Ice pellets |
| GR | Hail |
| GS | Small hail / snow pellets |
| UP | Unknown precipitation |
| BR | Mist (vis ≥ 5/8 sm) |
| FG | Fog (vis < 5/8 sm) |
| FU | Smoke |
| VA | Volcanic ash |
| DU | Widespread dust |
| SA | Sand |
| HZ | Haze |
| PY | Spray |
| PO | Dust/sand whirls |
| SQ | Squall |
| FC | Funnel cloud / tornado / waterspout |
| SS | Sandstorm |
| DS | Duststorm |
| NSW | No significant weather (TAF trend) |
Sky cover
| SKC / CLR | Sky clear (CLR = clear below 12,000 ft at an automated station). |
| FEW | Few — 1/8 to 2/8 sky cover. |
| SCT | Scattered — 3/8 to 4/8. |
| BKN | Broken — 5/8 to 7/8 (a "ceiling"). |
| OVC | Overcast — 8/8. |
| ### | Cloud height in hundreds of feet AGL. e.g. BKN012 = broken at 1,200 ft. |
| CB / TCU | Cumulonimbus / towering cumulus appended to a layer. e.g. BKN040CB. |
| VV### | Vertical visibility into an obscured sky (sky obscured). e.g. VV002 = 200 ft. |
Temperature & dew point
| T/D | Temperature / dew point in whole °C. e.g. 19/15. |
| M prefix | M = minus (below zero). e.g. M05/M10 = −5 °C / −10 °C. |
Altimeter / pressure
| A#### | Altimeter in inches of mercury (US). e.g. A2992 = 29.92 inHg. |
| Q#### | Altimeter (QNH) in hectopascals / millibars. e.g. Q1013. |
Flight categories (derived)
Not printed in the METAR, but derived from ceiling + visibility — and heavily tested.
| VFR | Ceiling > 3,000 ft AND visibility > 5 sm. |
| MVFR | Marginal VFR — ceiling 1,000–3,000 ft and/or visibility 3–5 sm. |
| IFR | Ceiling 500–< 1,000 ft and/or visibility 1–< 3 sm. |
| LIFR | Low IFR — ceiling < 500 ft and/or visibility < 1 sm. |
Common remarks (RMK)
| RMK | Start of the remarks section (automated/manual detail). |
| AO1 / AO2 | Automated station without / with a precipitation sensor. |
| SLP### | Sea-level pressure (hPa, abbreviated). e.g. SLP132 = 1013.2 hPa. |
| PK WND | Peak wind since the last report. |
| T######## | Hourly temperature/dew point to the tenth of a degree (coded). |
| $ | Maintenance indicator — the automated station needs maintenance. |
Official source cards
This reference summarizes the official decode keys. For the full, authoritative documents:
Practice reading weather for your written
Weather theory and METAR/TAF interpretation are guaranteed exam topics. Drill them with ACS-aligned questions and the AI tutor, Ace.
Take a free practice test →