How to Read a METAR: Aviation Weather Reports Explained

What is a METAR?

A METAR is a standardized observation of weather at or near an aerodrome. It is a compact report, normally identified by an airport or weather-station code and an observation time in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). It describes observed conditions; it is not a forecast.

Where METAR data comes from

Reports may be produced by automated observing systems, human observers or a combination of both under the responsible national aviation-meteorology authority. PlanetVexa retrieves its connected airport reports from the NOAA Aviation Weather Center (AWC), preserves the raw report and labels decoded fields as normalized presentation.

Anatomy of a METAR

Most reports progress from station and time to wind, visibility, present weather, cloud layers, temperature/dew point and pressure. Optional remarks can follow.

Worked syntax example only — not a current observation.

Airport or station identifier

KJFK identifies the reporting station. Many stations use a four-character ICAO identifier; local practices and identifiers vary.

Observation time

281151Z means day 28 at 11:51 UTC. The final Z indicates Zulu time, the aviation name for UTC.

Wind

18012G20KT reports wind from 180 degrees at 12 knots, gusting to 20 knots. VRB may replace direction when the wind is variable.

Visibility

10SM reports ten statute miles in U.S.-formatted reports. Other regions commonly report visibility in metres. Units must be read from the report convention.

Weather phenomena

-RA means light rain. Intensity, proximity and descriptors can combine with precipitation, obscuration and other phenomena.

Clouds and ceiling

SCT020 BKN040 describes scattered cloud at 2,000 feet and broken cloud at 4,000 feet above the reporting reference. Broken and overcast layers can establish a ceiling; scattered layers do not.

Temperature and dew point

22/18 means 22 °C air temperature and 18 °C dew point. An M prefix denotes a value below zero.

Pressure or altimeter

A2992 is an altimeter setting of 29.92 inches of mercury. A Q group expresses pressure in hectopascals, such as Q1013.

Flight category

PlanetVexa displays a VFR, MVFR, IFR or LIFR category when the source provides it. The label summarizes ceiling and visibility context and never replaces the full report.

METAR example decoded

METAR vs TAF

A METAR reports observed conditions at a time. A TAF describes expected conditions during a validity window. Read the TAF guide next to compare them.

FAQ