Weather Card

MetFlight GA – http://metflight.metra.co.nz IFIS – www.ifis.airways.co.nz

UTC calculation SIGMET
table SIGMETs provide information on observed or forecast hazardous METAR and SPECI
weather conditions. A METAR is a routine meteorological report, compiled manually, provided for a specific aerodrome,
UTC NZST NZDT
Issue times As required and presented in code.
0000 1200 1300 Four hours (six hours for volcanic ash and tropical cyclones), A METAR AUTO is a routine meteorological report provided by an automatic weather station (AWS)
Validity
reviewed after three hours or when further information available for a specific aerodrome, also presented in code.
0100 1300 1400 Feet above mean sea level up to 10,000 feet, flight levels A SPECI is a METAR issued outside of the routine issue time of a METAR.
Heights
from FL 100 METARs issued hourly, on the hour
0200 1400 1500 Area New Zealand FIR (NZZC) and Auckland Oceanic FIR (NZZO) METAR AUTOs issued every half hour, 24 hours a day
Issue times
SPECIs issued when required and will have issue time other than on the hour –
0300 1500 1600 ARFOR AWS does not issue SPECIs
Area forecasts are forecasts for a specific region. They are intended for
0400 1600 1700 Heights Feet above aerodrome level
domestic VFR and IFR flights below 10,000 feet. The 17 ARFOR areas are
designated by two-letter codes. Within 8 km of the aerodrome reference point
0500 1700 1800
Issue times 0530-0610 and 1130-1210 local time Area When the term VC is used this applies to the area between 8 and 16 km from the
Heights Feet above mean sea level aerodrome reference point
0600 1800 1900
Area Within the named area, eg TA (Tamaki) Speed Knots
0700 1900 2000 Wind Degrees true. When direction varies by 60 degrees or more, the
Speed Knots Direction
Wind extreme directions are given, separated by the letter V, e.g. 260V330
0800 2000 2100 Direction Degrees true
Up to 9999 metres – in metres, eg 7000
Up to 9999 metres – in metres, eg 7000
Visibility Above 9999 metres – in kilometres, eg 20KM
0900 2100 2200 Above 9999 metres – in kilometres, eg 20KM
Visibility Visibility variation shown by adding the direction, eg 2000SW – visibility variation
Type AS, AC, NS, SC, ST, TCU, CB not reported in METAR AUTO
1000 2200 2300 Cloud
Amount SKC, FEW, SCT, BKN, OVC CAVOK and 9999 may be used at Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch only
1100 2300 0000 Temperature Degrees Celsius Type CB, TCU
Cloud
Amount NSC, SKC, FEW, SCT, BKN, OVC
1200 0000 0100 TAF and TREND
Temperature/
A TAF is an aerodrome forecast provided for a specific aerodrome Degrees Celsius
Dew Point
1300 0100 0200 presented in code.
A TREND is a forecast, valid for two hours, attached to the end of a METAR Pressure (QNH) hectoPascals (hPa)
1400 0200 0300 or SPECI stating any significant changes from those described. While the
TREND is valid it supersedes the aerodrome TAF. ATIS and BWR
1500 0300 0400 NZAA, NZWN and NZCH: 2300, 0500, 1100, and 1700 UTC The ATIS is a continuous plain language broadcast of the current conditions at an aerodrome,
Issue times on a discrete frequency.
All other aerodromes: 0230-0430, 0930-1015, and
1600 0400 0500 1400-1445 local time A BWR is a verbal weather report or comment on present weather conditions and intended for aviation use.
1921/2012 = valid from 2100 UTC on the 19th to 1200 Issue times Irregularly, when conditions change or deteriorate
1700 0500 0600 Validity
UTC on the 20th Heights Feet above aerodrome level
1800 0600 0700 Heights Feet above aerodrome level Speed Knots
Wind
Area Within 8 km of the aerodrome reference point Direction Degrees magnetic
1900 0700 0800 Speed Knots Less than 5000 metres – in metres, eg 3000
Wind Visibility
Direction Degrees true 5000 metres or more – in kilometres, eg 5KM
2000 0800 0900
Up to 9999 metres – in metres, eg 7000 Type CB, TCU
Cloud
2100 0900 1000 Above 9999 metres – in kilometres, eg 20KM Amount SKC, FEW SCT, BKN, OVC
Visibility
CAVOK and 9999 may be used at Auckland, Wellington Temperature/
2200 1000 1100 and Christchurch only Degrees Celsius
Dew Point
Type CB Pressure (QNH) hectoPascals (hPa)
2300 1100 1200 Cloud
Amount NSC, SKC, FEW, SCT, BKN, OVC
When Cumulonimbus cloud (CB) is included in meteorological information this implies that there may be associated thunderstorms
March 2010 and the occurrence of severe icing, turbulence and hail.
Met Abbreviations
//* Weather is clear or current COR Corrected METAR Automatic aerodrome routine SH Shower
weather not detectable CU Cumulus AUTO meteorological report SIG Significant
///* Cloud is detected, DP Dew point temperature MI Shallow SIGMET Significant meteorological
no TCU/CB identified DR Low drifting MOD Moderate information
– Light DS Dust storm MOV Moving SKC Sky clear
Moderate DU Dust MS Minus SN Snow
(blank (when included before DZ Drizzle SPECI Aerodrome special
MTW Mountain waves
space) a weather phenomenon) meteorological report
EMBD Embedded NC No change
+ Heavy FC Funnel cloud SQ Squall
NCD* No cloud detected
9999 Visibility 10 km or more FCST Forecast SS Sandstorm
NDV* No directional variation available
ABT About FEW Few (1–2 oktas) ST Stratus
NM Nautical miles
AC Altocumulus FG Fog (visibility less than 1000 m) STNR Stationary
NOSIG No significant change
AGL Above ground level T Temperature, in degrees Celcius
FIR Flight information region
NOTAM Notice to airmen
AIP Aeronautical Information TAF Aerodrome forecast
FISB Flight information
Publication NS Nimbostratus
service broadcast TC Tropical cyclone
AIREP Air report – from aircraft NSC No significant cloud
FL Flight level TCU Towering cumulus
in flight NSW Nil significant weather
FM From TEMPO Temporarily
AMD Amended FRQ Frequent NZZC New Zealand FIR
TIL Until
AMSL Above mean sea level FU Smoke NZZO NZ Oceanic FIR
TL Till
ARFOR Area forecast FZ Freezing OBSC Obscured
TREND Trend forecast
AS Altostratus OCNL Occasional
FZL Freezing level TS Thunderstorm
ATIS Automatic terminal OVC Overcast (8 oktas)
G Gusts TURB Turbulence
information service
GR Hail (5 mm or more) PIREP Pilot report (AIREP)
UTC Coordinated universal time
ATS Air traffic services PL Ice pellets
GS Small hail (smaller than 5 mm) V Variations from mean
AWIB Automatic weather PO Dust/sand whirls
HVY Heavy wind direction
information broadcast
HZ Haze PR Partial VA Volcanic ash
AWS Automatic weather station
IC Ice crystals PROB Probability VC Vicinity of the aerodrome
(produces METAR AUTO)
ICAO International Civil PS Plus VFR Visual flight rules
BC Patches
Aviation Organisation QNH Altimeter sub-scale setting
BECMG Becoming VIS Visibility
ICE Icing RA Rain
BKN Broken (5–7 oktas) VMC Visual meteorological conditions
IFR Instrument flight rules
BL Blowing RE Recent VRB Variable
IMC Instrument meteorological
BLW Below RMK Remark WKN Weakening
conditions
BR Mist (1000–5000 m vis) RVR Runway visual range WDSPR Widespread
ISOL Isolated
BTN Between SA Sand WS Windshear
KM Kilometres
BWR Basic weather report SC Stratocumulus WX Weather
KT Knots
CAT Clear air turbulence LYR Layer SCT Scattered (3–4 oktas) Z Coordinated universal time
CAVOK Cloud and visibility OK M Metres SEV Severe
*used in METAR AUTO only.
CB Cumulonimbus METAR Aerodrome routine SFC Surface
CLD Cloud meteorological report SG Snow grains