Simviation Forum - What does all this mean?

Aug 12^th, 2008 at 4:25am

ThomasKaira Offline
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FS9 still lives.
Where Charlie Don't Surf

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This is a NOAA weather report for Chicago O'Hare:

(In parentheses are known)

FTUS43 KLOT 120500
TAFORD
TAF
KORD (120530Z) 120606 00000KT P6SM (FEW060 BKN250)
FM1400 16005KT P6SM (SCT050 BKN250)
FM2100 10007KT P6SM (FEW050 SCT120 BKN200)
FM0300 10005KT P6SM (BKN050 OVC100=)

Here's another for Madrid Barajas:

2008/08/12 08:00
LEMD 120800Z 22008KT 190V260 9999 FEW070 21/13 Q1010 NOSIG

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Reply #1 - Aug 12^th, 2008 at 6:21am

C Offline
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Earth

Posts: 13144

ThomasKaira wrote on Aug 12^th, 2008 at 4:25am:

This is a NOAA weather report for Chicago O'Hare:

(In parentheses are known)

FTUS43 KLOT 120500
TAFORD
TAF
KORD (120530Z) 120606 00000KT P6SM (FEW060 BKN250)
FM1400 16005KT P6SM (SCT050 BKN250)
FM2100 10007KT P6SM (FEW050 SCT120 BKN200)
FM0300 10005KT P6SM (BKN050 OVC100=)

Ooh good, US TAF decode practice!

The top line I'm not familiar with, but coulf be the identity of the organisation publishing the weather:

TAFORD (Terminal Aerodrome Forecast, O'Hare)
TAF ( " )

Chicago O'Hare, issued on the 12th at 0520Z (UTC/GMT etc). Valid from the 12th, 0600 til 0600 (13th). Wind 000, at 0kts, vis 6 statute miles, cloud few at 6000ft, broken at 25000ft.

From 1400Z, wind 160 at 5kts, vis 6 stat miles, cloud scattered at 5000ft, broken at 25000ft

From 2100Z, wind 100 at 7kts, vis 6 stat miles, cloud few at 5000ft, Scattered at 12000ft, broken at 20000ft...

...and I'm sure my now you could do the last line yourself!

Quote:

Here's another for Madrid Barajas:

2008/08/12 08:00
LEMD 120800Z 22008KT 190V260 9999 FEW070 21/13 Q1010 NOSIG

Madrid Barajas, issued at 0800Z on the 12th. Wind 220 at 8kts, variable between 190 adn 260. Visibilty equal to or greater than 10kilometres, cloud few at 7000ft, temperature 21degC, dew point 13degC, QNH 1010, no significant change expected.

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Reply #2 - Aug 12^th, 2008 at 7:30pm

Mobius Offline
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Highest Point in the Lightning
Storm
Wisconsin

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P6SM means over 6 statue miles visibility, so when you see that, you know the visibility is quite good, but not necessarily exactly 6 miles. Other than that, I agree with everything Charlie said. Wink

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Reply #3 - Aug 13^th, 2008 at 12:22am

ThomasKaira Offline
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FS9 still lives.
Where Charlie Don't Surf

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Here's one with even more info: (Info in parentheses deciphered previously)

(KDEN 130353Z 16008KT 10SM FEW080 SCT120 22/05 A3002) RMK AO2 TSE32 SLP082 TS MOV SE T02170050

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Reply #4 - Aug 13^th, 2008 at 9:34am

C Offline
Colonel
Earth

Posts: 13144

Mobius wrote on Aug 12^th, 2008 at 7:30pm:

P6SM means over 6 statue miles visibility, so when you see that, you know the visibility is quite good, but not necessarily exactly 6 miles. Other than that, I agree with everything Charlie said. Wink

I knew the P meant something - been a while since I flew in the States.

As for the next one you've given us Jet, I'd need to get a book out for that - and its in the car!

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Reply #5 - Aug 14^th, 2008 at 12:24am

Mobius Offline
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Wisconsin

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RMK AO2 TSE32 SLP082 TS MOV SE T02170050

RMK AO2 means the station reporting is an automated station that has a precipitation descriminator.

TSE32 means....um.....yep. I think it might mean thunderstorms reported at 32 past the hour

SLP082 is the sea level pressure in millibars (except it's always 1000 plus whatever the last three numbers are, in this case, 1082 millibars).

TS MOV SE means the thunderstorms are moving south-east (I think, I don't know what else it would be)

T02170050 is a way of more accurately describing the temperature and dewpoint. The first four numbers are the temperature to the hundredth of a degree Celsius and the last four are the dewpoint to the hundredth of a degree Celsius. In this case the temperature is 21.7°C and the dewpoint is 5.0°C.

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Reply #6 - Aug 14^th, 2008 at 12:45am

Splinter562 Offline
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Tampa, FL

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Mobius wrote on Aug 14^th, 2008 at 12:24am:

TSE32 means....um.....yep. I think it might mean thunderstorms reported at 32 past the hour

Very close, took me a minute to remember too:
Thunderstorms Ended at 32 past the hour.

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Reply #7 - Aug 14^th, 2008 at 7:30pm

Mobius Offline
Colonel
Highest Point in the Lightning
Storm
Wisconsin

Posts: 4369

Splinter562 wrote on Aug 14^th, 2008 at 12:45am:

Mobius wrote on Aug 14^th, 2008 at 12:24am:

TSE32 means....um.....yep. I think it might mean thunderstorms reported at 32 past the hour

Very close, took me a minute to remember too:
Thunderstorms Ended at 32 past the hour.

Ahh, that's right. I remember reading that somewhere recently but I just couldn't remember where. Decoding a TAF is a team effort. Grin

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Reply #8 - Aug 14^th, 2008 at 11:19pm

Dr.bob7 Offline
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Cessna 172SP a true aircraft
Castle Rock Colorado

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I only can read the wind speed and direction from METARs been forever since i saw one

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Reply #9 - Aug 15^th, 2008 at 12:11am

Splinter562 Offline
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Tampa, FL

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Posts: 217

If you think TAFs are hard to decode, you should see some of the other encoded products they have. Here are some examples from the FAA publication Aviation Weather Services:

Pilot Weather Reports (PIREPs)
KOKC UA/OV KOKC090064/TM 1522/FL080/TP C172/SK SCT090-TOPUNKN/WX FV05SM HZ/TA M04/WV 24540KT/TB LGT/RM IN CLR

UA - Routine PIREP
/OV KOKC090064 - Position: 64 NM east on Oklahoma City on the 090 radial
/TM 1522 - Time: 1522Z
/FL080 - At flight level 080
/TP C172 - Type: Cessna 172
/SK SCT090-TOPUNKN - Sky cover: Scattered at 9,000 MSL, height of tops unknown
/WX FV05SM HZ - Flight visibility: 5 statue miles in haze
/TA M04 - Temperature: -4 C
/WV 24540KT - Winds: 240 at 40 knots
/TB LGT - Light turbulence
/RM IN CLR - Remarks: In clear skys

An even harder one is the Radar Weather Reports:

TLX 1935 LN 8TRW++ 86/40 164/60 20W C2425 MTS 570 AT 159/65 AUTO ^ MO1 NO2 ON3 PM34 QM3 RL2=

TLX - Location ID (Oklahoma City, apparently)
1935 - Time: 1935Z
LN - Line of echos
8 - Coverage: 8/10s of coverage in the line
TRW++ - Type: Thunderstorms (T) with heavy rain showers (RW++)
86/40 164/60 - Returns in a line from a point 086° and 40NM from the station to a point 164° and 60NM from the station
20W - Line is 20NM wide
C2425 - Cell is moving 240° at 25KTS
MTS 570 AT 159/65 - Maximum Tops: FL570 located at 159° and 65NM from the station
AUTO - Report is automatically generated
^ MO1 NO2 ON3 PM34 QM3 RL2= - Encoded digital data (for computers not pilots)

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Reply #10 - Aug 16^th, 2008 at 12:41am

AA Offline
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Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

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Thought I'd share some unusual METAR reports. They're not all that hard to read, but they are interesting. From Tinker AFB, Oklahoma City on May 3rd, 1999.

KTIK 032255Z 16013G20KT 7SM FEW025 SCT040CB OVC250 22/20 A2957 RMK SLP005 CB 30SW MOV NE CBMAM OHD 8/303 9/305

KTIK 032332Z 16011G20KT 6SM -TSRA FEW023 SCT040CB OVC250 22/19 A2959 RMK TS 15SW MOV NE

KTIK 032355Z 18012KT 6SM -TSRA FEW023 SCT040CB OVC250 21/20 A2962 RMK OCNL LTGICCCCG TS 3SW MOV NE PRESRR SLP023 60001 8/903 9/404 55000

KTIK 040001Z 17007KT 2SM -TSRA BR FEW025 BKN040CB OVC250 21/20 A2962 RMK OCNL LTGICCCCG TS 3SW MOV NE

KTIK 040003Z 17006KT 2SM -TSRA BR BKN020CB BKN080 OVC250 21/20 A2961 RMK OCNL LTGICCCCG TS OHD MOV NE

KTIK 040010Z RMK TORNADO 13SW MOV NE. LARGE TORNADO ON THE GROUND TAKE COVER IMMEDIATELY

KTIK 040019Z 08008KT 1SM +FC TSRAGR OVC020CB 21/20 A2955 RMK TORNADO 9SW MOV NE FRQ LTGICCCCG TS OHD MOV NE GR 1 1/4 PRESFR

KTIK 040031Z 08006KT 6SM +FC OVC020CB 21/20 A2956 RMK TORNADO 5SW MOV NE FRQ LTGICCCCG TS OHD MOV NE PRESRR

KTIK 040036Z 08006KT 6SM +FC OVC020CB 21/20 A2954 RMK TORNADO 3SW MOV NE FRQ LTGICCCCG TS OHD MOV NE PRES UNSTDY

KTIK 040043Z COR RMK TORNADO 1W MOV NE. EVACUATING STATION

KTIK 040119Z RMK TORNADO MOVD NE

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Reply #11 - Aug 16^th, 2008 at 12:48am

AA Offline
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Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

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Or how about this one...

SPECI KFTY 251109Z 32003KT 2 1/2SM -RA BR SCT003 SCT013 OVC044 16/16 A3004 RMK AO2 THE ASOS IS A STUPID PIECE OF SH*T P0004

http://www.wunderground.com/history/airport/KFTY/1999/11/25/DailyHistory.html?re...

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Reply #12 - Aug 16^th, 2008 at 1:14am

Splinter562 Offline
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Tampa, FL

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Posts: 217

AA wrote on Aug 16^th, 2008 at 12:48am:

Or how about this one...

SPECI KFTY 251109Z 32003KT 2 1/2SM -RA BR SCT003 SCT013 OVC044 16/16 A3004 RMK AO2 THE ASOS IS A STUPID PIECE OF SH*T P0004

http://www.wunderground.com/history/airport/KFTY/1999/11/25/DailyHistory.html?re...

That is the best METAR I've ever seen.

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Reply #13 - Aug 16^th, 2008 at 5:07am

Wingo Offline
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Your marmalade is no match
for my VEGEMITE!!
YSBK. Back where I belong.

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For the sake of some fun, here are some Aussie TAFs to decode.

First has a METAR attached

05:30 UTC, 16/08/2008
TAF YMMB 160530Z 160618
21012KT 9999 -SHRA SCT020 BKN040
FM12 23010KT 9999 -SHRA SCT015 BKN025
INTER 0618 5000 SHRA BKN010
RMK
T 12 10 08 06 Q 1018 1020 1021 1022

08:30 UTC, 16/08/2008
METAR YMMB 160830Z AUTO 19007KT 9999NDV // SCT002 SCT046 10/05 Q1020
RMK RF00.0/000.2

Second has a TTF

05:11 UTC, 16/08/2008
TAF YMML 160511Z 160606
20014KT 9999 -SHRA SCT015 BKN025
INTER 0612 5000 SHRA BKN012
TEMPO 1224 5000 SHRA BKN010
INTER 1224 3000 SHRA DZ BKN005
INTER 0006 5000 SHRA BKN012
RMK
T 10 09 08 06 Q 1018 1020 1021 1022

08:54 UTC, 16/08/2008
TTF SPECI YMML 160849Z 18008KT 2500 SHRA FEW012 SCT030 08/06 Q1021
   RMK RF00.8/001.0
   FM0849 20010KT 9999 SHRA SCT010 BKN030
   INTER 0849/1149 5000 SHRA BKN010

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