1. Printed Reports and Forecasts
Chapter 9, Section C

2. Weather Source Aviation Weather Center DTC Duats GTE Duats
awc/aviation_weather_center.html
DTC Duats
GTE Duats

3. METAR Aviation routine weather reports
METAR are routinely taken every hour at 50 past the hour. They are usually entered into the computer on the hour
SPECI are special aviation weather report

4. Visibility
Prevailing visibility is the greatest distance an observer can see and identify objects through at least half of the horizon
RVR - Runway visual range is based on what a pilot in a moving aircraft should see when looking down the runway

5. Sky Condition
Ceiling is defined as the height of the lowest layer of clouds or obscuring phenomena that is reported as broken or overcast
If tops are know, your can find the thickness of clouds by adding the airport elevation to the height to the base of the clouds and subtract from the height of the cloud tops

6. Obscurations
With obscurations such as fog, haze and smoke, the vertical distance that you can see is reported as vertical visibility
VV008 would indicate that the sky is obscured with a vertical visibility of 800 feet

7. Obscurations
FG - Fog is used when visibility is less than 5/8 of a mile
BR - Mist is used when visibility is between 5/8 of a mile and 6 miles
SQ - Squall indicates an increase of wind speed by 15 knots to a sustained speed of 20 knots or more for at least one minute

8. Remarks Codes A02 - automated station with precipitation discriminator
RAE42SNB42 - rain ended and snow began at 42 past the hour
PRESFR - Pressure falling rapidly
SLP - Sea level pressure millibars
T Temperature .8o C and dewpoint is -1.6o C

9. RADAR Weather Reports
Defines areas of precipitation especially thunderstorms
You must plot using Azimuth and range from reporting stations referencing true north
Much easier to use RADAR Summary charts or doppler radar or national RADAR compostite

10. PIREPs
Pilot weather reports - best reports for bases and tops of clouds, in-flight visibility, icing conditions, wind shear and turbulence
PIREPs use a standard format Mandatory
UA routine report UUA urgent report
OV location in relation to a navaid
TM time in Coordinated Universal Time
FL Altitude or flight level
TP aircraft type

11. PIREPs SK Sky cover WX Flight visibility and weather TA temperature
WV wind
TB turbulence
IC icing
RM remarks

12. TAF
Terminal Aerodrome Forecast - valid for a 24 hour period and scheduled four times a day
Primary source of destination weather
AMD means and amended forecast
COR means a corrected forecast
RTD indicates a delayed forecast

13. Contractions VRB - wind direction is veriable 00000KT - calm wind
P6SM - prevailing visibility expected to be greater than 6 statue miles
SKC - sky clear
PROB TSRA - 40% probability of thunderstorms with heavy rain between 2100Z and 0200 Z

14. Area Forecast FA
Issued three times a day and include a forecast period of 18 hours
We are in the Chicago region
Consists of four sections
Heading
Precautionary statements
Synopsis
VFR Clouds and Weather

15. Area Forecast FA
VFR Clouds and weather section summarizes sky condition, cloud heights, visibility, obstructions to vision, precipitation, and sustained surface winds of 20 knots or greater
When winds are to be 20 knots or greater the categorical outlook includes the contraction WND

16. Wind and Temperature Aloft
Usually given for nine level between 3,000 and 39,000 feet
Winds are given in true direction and speed in knots
Winds not forecast within 1,500 feet of station elevation
Temperature not forecast for the 3,000-foot level or with 2,500 feet of the station elevation

17. Wind and Temperature Aloft
Uses a four digit code for wind speed and direction, the first two digits are the wind direction in hundreds of degrees
The second two digits indicate wind speed
A two digit temperature code in degrees Celsius follows the wind speed and direction code
All temperature above 24,000 feet are negative