METAR & TAF Abbreviations Flashcards

METAR & TAF Abbreviations

• Abbreviations are essential in meteorological reports for concise communication of weather conditions.
• Each abbreviation serves a specific purpose, ranging from intensity indicators to descriptive terms related to visibility and weather phenomena.

Intensity Indicators

• Light intensity is denoted by a dash (-).
• Heavy intensity is indicated by a plus sign (+).

Data and Messages

• /// represents missing data.
• AAA (and sequences like AAB, AAC...) convey amended meteorological messages.
• CCA (and sequences like CCB, CCC...) indicates corrected meteorological messages.
• RRA (and sequences like RRB, RRC...) shows delayed meteorological messages.

Time Indicators

• AT specifies a specific time.
• FM indicates a change occurring from a specified time.
• TL signifies until a particular time.

Weather Conditions

• BC means patches of weather phenomena.
• BECMG denotes a becoming state in weather changes.
• BKN indicates broken clouds, featuring 5-7/8 coverage.
• OVC represents overcast skies (8/8).
• SC indicates scattered clouds (3-4/8).

Specific Weather Phenomena

• BR is for mist, while FG signifies fog.
• DR indicates low drifting phenomena.
• DU denotes widespread dust, and SA indicates sand.
• SN is used for snow and TS for thunderstorms.
• CB stands for cumulonimbus clouds, and TCU indicates towering cumulus clouds.

Precipitation Types

• DZ refers to drizzle, RA means rain, and GR denotes hail.
• SG stands for snow grains, and SH implies showers.
• PL indicates ice pellets, while VA denotes volcanic ash.
• UP signifies unidentified precipitation.

Visibility Terms

• CAVOK means ceiling and visibility are okay.
• VV indicates vertical visibility.
• NSC and NSW are used for nil significant cloud and nil significant weather, respectively.

Atmospheric Conditions

• HZ stands for haze, and FU is used for smoke.
• DS indicates dust-storm conditions, while SS signifies a sandstorm.
• SQ denotes squall, and SQL stands for squall line.

Wind Conditions

• G represents wind gusts, and WS indicates wind shear.
• NDV reflects no directional variation available, while V indicates variable wind.

Miscellaneous

• NCD stands for no clouds detected.
• MI signifies shallow conditions, and EMBD indicates embedded weather in a layer.
• FZ is for freezing conditions, and KT is the measurement unit for knots in wind speed.

Observed Hazards

• PO represents dust or sand whirls (dust devils), while DR refers to low drifting phenomena.
• Numerous abbreviations encompass various weather conditions, making METAR and TAF reports comprehensive and efficient for meteorologists.