Report Type
| Code | Meaning |
|---|---|
| METAR | Periodic or routine report, generated once an hour or half hour. |
| SPECI | Special report issued when conditions have significantly changed. |
Speed Unit
| Code | Meaning |
|---|---|
| KT | Knots |
| MPS | Metres per second |
| KMH | Kilometres per hour |
Length Unit
| Code | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Metre | Metre, standard unit |
| Foot | Foot, used by FAA for RVR |
| Mile | Mile, more formally statute mile, used by FAA |
Wind Variable Direction
| Field | Explanation |
|---|---|
| wvdLeft | The left extreme of the wind direction in degrees. |
| wvdRight | The right extreme of the wind direction in degrees. |
Wind Speed
| Field | Explanation |
|---|---|
| wsUnit | Wind speed unit |
| wsValue | Value of the wind speed in the unit. |
Wind
| Field | Explanation |
|---|---|
| wDirection | Mean true direction in degrees rounded off to the nearest 10 degrees from which the wind is blowing, when absent the direction is variable. |
| wSpeed | Mean speed of the wind over the 10-minute period immediately preceding the observation. |
| wGust | Maximum gust wind speed if relevant. |
| wVariation | Variable wind direction if relevant. |
Visibility Tendency
| Code | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Down | Visibility is decreasing. |
| Up | Visibility is increasing. |
| NoChange | No significant change in visibility. |
Visibility Distance
| Field | Explanation |
|---|---|
| vdUnit | Distance unit |
| vdValue | Distance value in the unit. |
| vdFraction | Distance fraction in the unit, e.g., (1, 4) for a 1/4. |
Runway Designator
| Field | Explanation |
|---|---|
| RunwayDesignator | Runway designator, 2 digits possibly appended with L(eft), C(entral), or R(ight) for parallel runways. |
Extreme RVR
| Code | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Lower | Indicates an extreme lower value of runway visual range. |
| Higher | Indicates an extreme higher value of runway visual range. |
Runway Visual Range
| Field | Explanation |
|---|---|
| rvrDesignator | Runway designator. |
| rvrMeanVisibility | Mean visibility in meters. |
| rvrOutsideMeasuringRange | Present only if the RVR values are outside the measuring range of the observing system. |
| rvrVisibilityTendency | Visibility tendency. |
Visibility
| Field | Explanation |
|---|---|
| vPrevailing | Prevailing horizontal visibility in meters; 9999 indicates visibility over 10 km. |
| vLowest | Lowest visibility if reported. |
| vLowestDirection | Direction of the lowest visibility. |
| vRunways | Visual range for each runway. |
Weather Qualifier
| Code | Meaning |
|---|---|
| LightWeather | Light weather. |
| HeavyWeather | Heavy weather. |
| InVicinityWeather | In vicinity, i.e., not on location but within 8000 m. |
Weather Descriptor
| Code | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Shallow | |
| Patches | |
| Partial | |
| Drifting | |
| Blowing | |
| Showers | |
| Thunderstorm | |
| Freezing |
Weather Phenomenon
| Code | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Drizzle | |
| Rain | |
| Snow | |
| SnowGrains | |
| IceCrystals | |
| IcePellets | |
| Hail | |
| SmallHail | |
| UnknownPrecipitation | |
| Mist | Visibility > 1000 m. |
| Fog | Visibility < 1000 m. |
| Smoke | |
| VolcanicAsh | |
| WidespreadDust | |
| Sand | |
| Haze | |
| Spray | |
| Dust | Well-developed dust/sand whirls. |
| Squall | |
| FunnelCloud | Tornado, waterspout are always +FC, i.e., heavy FunnelCloud. |
| Sandstorm | |
| DustStorm |
Cloud Type
| Code | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Cumulonimbus | |
| ToweringCumulus |
Cloud Amount Type
| Code | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Few | Few amount of clouds. |
| Scattered | Scattered amount of clouds. |
| Broken | Broken amount of clouds. |
| Overcast | Overcast amount of clouds. |
Cloud Amount
| Field | Explanation |
|---|---|
| caType | Type of cloud amount. |
| caHeight | Height of cloud base in hundreds of feet. |
| clType | Type of clouds if relevant. |
Vertical Visibility
| Field | Explanation |
|---|---|
| vvExtent | Extent of vertical visibility in hundreds of feet above field elevation. |
No Cloud Observed
| Code | Meaning |
|---|---|
| NoCloudBelow1500 | No clouds observed below 1500 feet. |
| NoCloudBelow3600 | No clouds observed below 3600 feet. |
| SkyClear | Sky clear; no clouds observed. |
Clouds
| Variant | Explanation |
|---|---|
| CloudAmounts | Cloud amount observations. |
| ObscuredSky | Obscured sky observations. |
| NoneObserved | No clouds observed conditions. |
Pressure Unit
| Code | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Hpa | hPa (standard). |
| InchesHg | inches of mercury (US) |
Pressure
| Field | Explanation |
|---|---|
| pUnit | Pressure unit. |
| pValue | Pressure value. |
Report Modifiers
| Field | Explanation |
|---|---|
| reportCorrected | Whether the report was corrected. |
| reportAuto | Whether the report contains fully automated observations without human intervention. |
| reportMissed | Whether the report corresponds to a missing report. |
Aerodrome Report
| Field | Explanation |
|---|---|
| reportType | Type of the report. |
| reportModifiers | Modifiers (cor, auto, nil). |
| reportStation | ICAO code for the observing station (an aerodrome). |
| reportDate | When the observation was made. |
| reportWind | Wind related observations. |
| reportVisibility | Visibility related observations. |
| reportWeather | Weather related observations. |
| reportClouds | Clouds related observations. |
| reportTemperature | Temperature rounded to nearest whole degree Celsius. |
| reportDewPoint | Dew point rounded to nearest whole degree Celsius. |
| reportPressure | Mean sea level pressure (“QNH”). |
| reportRemarks | Report components and miscellaneous abbreviations. |
Weather Descriptor
| Code | Meaning |
|---|---|
| MI | Shallow |
| BC | Patches |
| PR | Partial |
| DR | Drifting |
| BL | Blowing |
| SH | Showers |
| TS | Thunderstorm |
| FZ | Freezing |
Weather Phenomenon
| Code | Meaning |
|---|---|
| DZ | Drizzle |
| RA | Rain |
| SN | Snow |
| SG | SnowGrains |
| IC | IceCrystals |
| PL | IcePellets |
| GR | Hail |
| GS | SmallHail |
| UP | UnknownPrecipitation |
| BR | Mist |
| FG | Fog |
| FU | Smoke |
| VA | VolcanicAsh |
| DU | WidespreadDust |
| SA | Sand |
| HZ | Haze |
| PY | Spray |
| PO | Dust |
| SQ | Squall |
| FC | FunnelCloud |
| SS | Sandstorm |
| DS | DustStorm |
Clarity Sky
| Code | Meaning |
|---|---|
| NSC | NoneObserved NoCloudBelow1500 |
| NCD | NoneObserved SkyClear |
| CLR | NoneObserved NoCloudBelow3600 |
| SKC | NoneObserved SkyClear |