Reading METARs can be overwhelming. Here’s a comprehensive key for every METAR code. If you’d like to see an interactive example, check out our basics guide.
| Abbreviation | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| $ | maintenance check indicator | - light intensity |
| + | heavy intensity | / separator between temperature and dew point data |
| ACC | altocumulus castellanus | ACFT MSH mishap |
| ACSL | altocumulus standing lenticular cloud | AO1 automated station without precipitation discriminator |
| AO2 | automated station with precipitation discriminator | ALP airport location point |
| APCH | approach | APRNT apparent |
| APRX | approximately | ATCT airport traffic control tower |
| AUTO | fully automated report | B began |
| BC | patches | BKN broken |
| BL | blowing | BR mist |
| C | center (with reference to runway designation) | CA cloud-air lightning |
| CB | cumulonimbus cloud | CBMAM cumulonimbus mammatus cloud |
| CC | cloud-cloud lightning | CCSL cirrocumulus standing lenticular cloud |
| cd | candela | CG cloud-ground lightning |
| CHI | cloud-height indicator | CHINO sky condition at secondary location not available |
| CIG | ceiling | CLR clear |
| CONS | continuous | COR correction to a previously disseminated observation |
| DOC | Department of Commerce | DOD Department of Defense |
| DOT | Department of Transportation | DR low drifting |
| DS | duststorm | DSIPTG dissipating |
| DSNT | distant | DU widespread dust |
| DVR | dispatch visual range | - |
| DZ | drizzle | E east, ended, estimated ceiling (SAO) |
| FAA | Federal Aviation Administration | FC funnel cloud |
| FEW | few clouds | FG fog |
| FIBI | filed but impracticable to transmit | FIRST first observation after a break in coverage at manual station |
| FMH-1 | Federal Meteorological Handbook No.1, Surface Weather Observations & Reports (METAR) | - |
| FMH2 | Federal Meteorological Handbook No.2, Surface Synoptic Codes | - |
| FRQ | frequent |
| FT | feet |
| FZ | freezing |
| G | gust |
| GS | small hail and/or snow pellets |
| HZ | haze |
| ICAO | International Civil Aviation Organization |
| INTMT | intermittent |
| L | left (with reference to runway designation) |
| LST | Local Standard Time |
| LWR | lower |
| max | maximum |
| MI | shallow |
| MOV | moved/moving/movement |
| N | north |
| NCDC | National Climatic Data Center |
| NOS | National Ocean Survey |
| NOTAM | Notice to Airmen |
| NWS | National Weather Service |
| OFCM | Office of the Federal Coordinator for Meteorology |
| OVC | overcast |
| P | indicates greater than the highest reportable value |
| PL | ice pellets |
| PNO | precipitation amount not available |
| PRES | pressure |
| PRESFR | pressure falling rapidly |
| PWINO | precipitation identifier sensor not available |
| R | right (with reference to runway designation), runway |
| RTD | Routine Delayed (late) observation |
| RVR | Runway Visual Range |
| RY | runway |
| SA | sand |
| SCSL | stratocumulus standing lenticular cloud |
| SCT | scattered |
| SFC | surface |
| SH | shower(s) |
| SLP | sea-level pressure |
| SM | statute miles |
| SNINCR | snow increasing rapidly |
| SPECI | an unscheduled report taken when certain criteria have been met |
| SS | sandstorm |
| SW | snow shower, southwest |
| TS | thunderstorm |
| TWR | tower |
| UP | unknown precipitation |
| V | variable |
| VC | in the vicinity |
| VISNO | visibility at secondary location not available |
| VRB | variable |
| W | west |
| WMO | World Meteorological Organization |
| WSHFT | wind shift |
| Z | zulu, i.e., Coordinated Universal Time |
| SE | southeast |
| SG | snow grains |
| SKC | sky clear |
| SLPNO | sea-level pressure not available |
| SN | snow |
| SP | snow pellets |
| SQ | squalls |
| STN | station |
| TCU | towering cumulus |
| TSNO | thunderstorm information not available |
| UNKN | unknown |
| UTC | Coordinated Universal Time |
| VA | volcanic ash |
| VIS | visibility |
| VR | visual range |
| VV | vertical visibility |
| WG/SO | Working Group for Surface Observations |
| WND | wind |
Here’s the structure to all METARs:
| Category | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| TYPE OF REPORT | METAR: hourly (scheduled) report; SPECI: special (unscheduled) report. | METAR |
| STATION IDENTIFIER | Four alphabetic characters; ICAO location identifier. | KABC |
| DATE/TIME | All dates and times in UTC using a 24-hour clock; two-digit date and four-digit time; always appended with Z to indicate UTC. | 121755Z |
| REPORT MODIFIER | Fully automated report, no human intervention; removed when observer signed-on. | AUTO |
| WIND DIRECTION AND SPEED | Direction in tens of degrees from true north (first three digits); next two digits: speed in whole knots; as needed Gusts (character) followed by maximum observed speed; always appended with KT to indicate knots; 00000KT for calm; if direction varies by 60° or more a Variable wind direction group is reported. | 21016G24KT 180V240 |
| VISIBILITY | Prevailing visibility in statute miles and fractions (space between whole miles and fractions); always appended with SM to indicate statute miles; values <1/4 reported as MI1/4. | 1SM |
| RUNWAY VISUAL RANGE | 10-minute RVR value in hundreds of feet; reported if prevailing visibility is < one mile or RVR ≤ 6000 feet; always appended with FT to indicate feet; value prefixed with M or P to indicate value is lower or higher than the reportable RVR value. | R11/P6000FT |
| WEATHER PHENOMENA | RA: liquid precipitation that does not freeze; SN: frozen precipitation other than hail; UP: precipitation of unknown type; intensity prefixed to precipitation: light (-), moderate (no sign), heavy (+); FG: fog; FZFG: freezing fog (temperature below 0°C); BR: mist; HZ: haze; SQ: squall; maximum of three groups reported; augmented by observer: FC (funnel cloud/tornado/waterspout); TS (thunderstorm); GR (hail); GS (small hail; <1/4 inch); FZRA (intensity; freezing rain); VA (volcanic ash). | -RA BR |
| SKY CONDITION | Cloud amount and height: CLR (no clouds detected below 12000 feet); FEW (few); SCT (scattered); BKN (broken); OVC (overcast); followed by 3-digit height in hundreds of feet; or vertical visibility (VV) followed by height for indefinite ceiling. | BKN015 OVC025 |
| TEMPERATURE/DEW POINT | Each is reported in whole degrees Celsius using two digits; values are separated by a solidus; sub-zero values are prefixed with an M (minus). | 06/04 |
| ALTIMETER | Altimeter always prefixed with an A indicating inches of mercury; reported using four digits: tens, units, tenths, and hundredths. | A2990 |