Skip navigation

METAR

While Environment Canada generates the information for these weather reports, they are issued by Nav Canada. A number of different reports are generated reflecting the various needs of the pilot. While there is some variation from country to country, these reports follow a standardized encoding and pattern of presenting the meteorological data in a compact format.

The Graphical Area Forecast (GFA) is a weather forecast for a defined area in graphic format covering a 12-hour period depicted in three frames spaced at 6 hours apart. Each frame consists of two charts: one showing the clouds and weather conditions, the other showing icing, turbulence and freezing level over the same area and for the same time.

A METAR is the basic routine aviation report of weather at a specific location called a station and is usually produced hourly. If there is a sudden, significant change in the weather, then a special METAR called a SPECI is produced as soon as is possible. Here is a sample of the format.

METAR CWIK 292000Z AUTO 30015G25KT 3/4SM -SN BKN008 OVC040 M05/M08 A2992 RMK SLP134



METAR Type of report. Aviation Routine Weather Report.
A special is indicated by SPECI.
CCCC=CWIK Broadview, Saskatchewan Station identifier will be 4-letter ICAO identifiers.
AUTO AWOS Indicator This indicates that the report is from an AWOS autostation.
YYGGggZ-292000Z Date/Time 29th day of the month, 2000 co-ordinated universal time (UTC).
dddffGfmfmKT=30015G25KT Wind Wind is from 300 degrees True at 15 knots gusting to 25 knots.
VVVVDv=3/4SM Visibility Prevailing visibility is 3/4 statute miles (SM and fractions of SM with no maximum visibility value reported. AWOS sites will report a "sensor equivalent visibility".
w'w'=-SN Present Weather Present weather is light snow.
Present weather from an AWOS is currently only given as precipitation occurrence and intensity. AWOS can report one of the following METAR AUTO types:
    SN - Snow
SHGR - Hail
DZ - Drizzle
RA - Rain
UP - Undetermined Type
FZDZ - Freezing Drizzle
FZRA - Freezing Rain
    Mixed Precipitation, showers, obstructions to vision or recent weather are among the METAR present weather groups NOT reported by AWOS.
    Intensity can be one of the following for each type:
    Light (-),
(e.g. -RA, Light Rain);
    Moderate ( ),
(e.g. SN, Moderate Snow);
    Heavy (+),
(e.g. +DZ, Heavy Drizzle).
NOTE:
Very light intensity is treated as no precipitation except when the Ice Accretion Sensor is also present and reporting weather (L) or (R). In this case very light intensity will be changed to light intensity.
NSNSNShshsh s=BKN008 OVC040 Sky Condition The cloud layer at 800 feet is broken, covering from 5/8 to 7/8 of the observed sky.
    The next layer at 4000 feet is overcast covering, combined with the lower layer, 8/8 of the sky, as observed from the ground.
    Layers are reported based on the summation of the layer amounts as observed from the surface up.
    The layer amounts are reported in eighths of sky coverage (oktas) as follows:
    FEW - 1 to 2,
SCT - 3 to 4,
BKN - 5 to 7,
OVC - 8.
    Obscured sky is indicated by vertical visibility sensor (VV) and is reported in hundreds of feet.
    In AWOS reports; cloud types and amounts are not identified, cloud layers are limited to 4 layers, and clear (CLR) will be reported when no layers exist below 10000 feet.
TT/T'dT'd=M05/M08 Temperature/Dew Point Temperature is -5°C,
Dew point is -8°C
    Temperature and dew point are reported to the nearest whole °C. Negative values will be preceded by the letter "M".
APHPHPHPH=A2992 Altimeter The altimeter setting is 29.92 inches of mercury. The letter "A" prefixing the 4_digit number group indicates inches of mercury for station pressure.
PCPN 2.8MM PAST HR Remarks Precipitation 2.8 millimetres over the past hour.
SLP=SLP134 Mean Sea Level Pressure The mean sea level pressure sensor is 1013.4 hPa.
    The mean sea level pressure sensor, indicated in hectopascals, will always be the last field of the METAR report, prefixed with "SLP".