TAF Decoder
Moderate
(no qualifier)
Calm Wind
00000KT
Date and Time of Origin
051130Z = 5th day of month at 1130 Zulu
Valid Period Date and Time
091212 = forecast valid from the 9th at 1200Z til the 10th at 1200Z
Wind
14008KT = wind one four zero at zero eight knots
Wind gust
35012G20KT = wind three five zero at one two gust two zero knots
Visibility
5SM = visibility five statute miles
FM0100 SKC
After 0100Z sky clear
FM1430 OVC020
After 1430Z ceiling two thousand overcast
BL
Blowing
BKN
Broken
OVC012 BECMG 1416 BKN020
Ceiling one thousand two hundred overcast. Then a gradual change to ceiling two thousand broken between 1400Z and 1600Z
PROB40 1014 1SM RASN
Chance between 1000Z and 1400Z of visibility one rain and snow
PROB40 2024 2SM FZRA
Chance between 2000Z and 0000Z of visibility two freezing rain
PROB40 2102 1/2SM +TSRA
Chance between 2100Z and 0200Z of visibility one-half thunderstorm, heavy rain
Temporary Group
Conditions in wind, visibility, weather, or sky condition which are expected to last for generally less than an hour at a time, and are expected to occur during less than half the time period
COR TAF
Corrected TAF
CB
Cumulonimbus clouds
RTD TAF
Delayed TAF
DZ
Drizzle
DU
Dust
DS
Duststorm
SCT005 BKN025CB BKN250
Five hundred scattered, ceiling two thousand five hundred broken cumulonimbus clouds, two five thousand broken
FG
Fog (vis 5/8SM or less)
FZ
Freezing
FC
Funnel Cloud
GR
Hail
HZ
Haze
+
Heavy
IC
Ice Crystals
PL
Ice Pellets
VV008
Indefinite ceiling eight hundred
-
Light
DR
Low Drifting
WS010/18040KT
Low Level Wind shear at one thousand, wind one eight zero at four zero
BR
Mist (fog with vis > 5/8SM)
NSW
No Significant Weather (only in BECMG or TEMPO)
Great visibility
P6SM = visibility more than six statute miles
PR
Partial
BC
Patches
Weather
Qualifiers for Intensity/Proximity, Descriptors, Precipitation, Obscuration, Other
RA
Rain
SA
Sand
SS
Sandstorm
MI
Shallow
SH
Showers
SKC
Sky Clear
GS
Small Hail or Snow Pellets (less than 1/4" in diameter)
FU
Smoke
SN
Snow
SG
Snow Grains
PY
Spray
SQ
Squalls
TAF acronym
Terminal Aerodrome Forecast
SCT030 TEMPO 1923 BKN030
Three thousand scattered with occasional ceiling three thousand broken between 1900Z and 2300Z
TS
Thunderstorm
Sequence of Elements
Type of Report, ICAO Station Identifier, Date and Time of Origin, Valid Period Date and Time, Forecast
UP
Unknown precipitation (automated stations only)
Variable Wind
VRB16G28KT = Wind variable at one six gust two zero knots
VV
Vertical Visibility
4SM HZ TEMPO 0006 2SM BR HZ
Visibility four in haze with occasional visibility two in mist and haze between 0000Z and 0600Z
VA
Volcanic Ash
PO
Well-Developed Dust/Sand Whirls
+FC
Well-Developed Funnel Cloud, Tornado or Waterspout
Forecast Meteorological Conditions Basic Format
Wind - Visibility - Weather - Sky Condition - Optional Data (Wind Shear)
TAF AMD
amended forecast
Sky Conditions
describes cloud conditions
Becoming Group
gradual change in conditions is expected over a longer time (~2hrs)
VC
in the Vicinity
Optional Data (Wind Shear)
low level winds (WS)
TAF
routine forecast
SCT
scattered
ICAO Station Identifier
three-letter identifier following "k" for continental US ex: KAFF
