What does the proximity indicator VC mean?
The proximity qualifier for vicinity, VC, (weather phenomena observed in the vicinity of but not at the point(s) of observation) shall be coded in combination with thunderstorm (TS), fog (FG), shower(s) (SH), well-developed dust/sand whirls (PO), blowing dust (BLDU), blowing sand (BLSA), blowing snow (BLSN), sandstorm …
What does 00000KT mean?
Wind speeds (ff) are two digits (or three digits if required), in knots. Calm is encoded as “00000KT”.
How do you read the weather ATC?
The first two digits are the date, the 16th of the month, and the last four digits are the time of the METAR, which is always given in coordinated universal time (UTC), otherwise known as Zulu time. A “Z” is appended to the end of the time to denote that the time is given in Zulu time (UTC) as opposed to local time.
How long are Metara good for?
an hour
The METAR only gives you a small snapshot in time. They are only good for an hour. They are usually refreshed around 55 past the hour. TAFs, on the other hand, cover a 24 to 30 hour period and they are published 6 times a day (0000, 0600, 1200, 1800).
What triggers a SPECI?
Significant weather begins: A SPECI is issued if a Tornado, Funnel Cloud, Waterspout or Thunderstorm begins or ends. Signifiant precipitation: A SPECI is issued if Hail, Freezing Precipitation or Ice Pellets begin or end, or if there is a change in the intensity of the Freezing Precipitation or Ice Pellets.
How often are METARs issued UK?
every 30 minutes
METARs are issued every 30 minutes in the UK, at 20 and 50 minutes past the hour.
How long does a SPECI last?
A SPECI has no validity period because it is a report. It “expires” as soon as it is issued since it is simply a statement of the conditions at the time the report was made. TTFs are “mini-forecasts”, highly accurate and valid only for 3 hours from the time of the report to which they are attached.
What does SPECI mean in METAR?
special (unscheduled) report
TYPE OF REPORT METAR: hourly (scheduled) report; SPECI: special (unscheduled) report.
What is 9999 in a TAF?
The largest reportable metric value is 9999. This value represents a visibility greater than 9000 meters (7 SM or more).
How do I read my sky conditions?
Use the 3 letters starting the 6-digit codes to determine cloud coverage. Sky condition codes start with 3 letters and end with 3 numbers. The letters tell you the amount of sky covered by clouds. A METAR report can have more than 1 code describing the different groups of clouds, so be sure to read the entire report.