RMK

Information included by national decision but not disseminated internationally

Visibility 30 m (100 ft)
Replaced when no CB

Cloud type –
whichever is greater,
visibility in

Nil Significant Cloud

NsNsNshshshs (cc)
VERTICAL VISIBILITY

Replaced when sky

FORECAST CLOUDS

and no cloud below

SIGNIFICANCE OR

1 500 m (5 000 ft) or

OF OPERATIONAL

only CB
Indicator Vertical

Vertical units of

highest minimum
vertical visibility

are forecast and

expected to be

undertaken by:

appropriate by:
sector altitude,
VVhshshs
obscured and

forecasts are

Forecast height
CAVOK is not
TWO HOURS FROM TIME OF OBSERVATION

NSC

of base of cloud
Forecast cloud
amount
TREND FORECAST

of

Significant
significant

FORECAST Forecast significant

Replaced
w’w’

Weather
weather

NSW

WEATHER weather (see table)

when

ends
by:

Nil

FORECAST Forecast prevailing

VVVV

VISIBILITY visibility in metres 9999 = 10 km or more Abbreviated decode of METAR and SPECI
For details of codes, see
Wind speed units
KT or

Manual on Codes,
MPS

Forecast maximum wind speed (gust) (WMO–No. 306).

Indicator of Gust
00000 = calm
FORECAST

dddffGfmfm
WIND

Forecast mean wind speed

DECODE

STATE OF THE SEA

Smooth (wavelets)

Forecast mean wind direction in degrees

true, rounded to nearest 10°
a Clouds of operational significance (i.e. below 1 500 m (5 000 ft) or below the highest minimum sector altitude, whichever is greater, and CB or TCU).
Calm (rippled)
Calm (glassy)

Phenomenal
Descriptive

(VRB = VaRiaBle)
Very rough
Moderate

Very high
TTGGgg

Associated time group in hours and minutes UTC

Rough
CHANGE

terms

Slight
TIME
AND

High

Can be AT or FM = FromM or TL = TilL

BECMG = BECoMinG or see Table: Aerodrome Forecast –
figure
NOSIG

Code
TTTTT

CHANGE
S'

TEMPO = TEMPOrary
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

TAF decode for definitions

or

INDICATORS NOSIG = NO SIGnificant change

(WTsTs/HHsHsHs) (DRDR/ERCReReRBRBR)

Friction coefficient/braking action

SPECI

waterspout)
whirls (dust

(tornado or

SS Sandstorm
THE RUNWAYb

Depth of deposit
DS Duststorm
PO Dust/sand

is, intensity, followed by description, followed by weather phenomena. An example could be: +SHRA
The w'w' groups are constructed by considering columns 1 to 5 in the table above in sequence, that
OTHER
STATE OF

cloud(s)
SQ Squalls
FC Funnel
devils)

Extent of runway contamination

5

DR (low drifting) less than 2 m above the ground, BL (blowing) 2 m or more above the ground.

Runway deposits
w'w' – SIGNIFICANT PRESENT, FORECAST AND RECENT WEATHER

GR is used when hailstone diameter is 5 mm or more. When less than 5 mm, GS is used.
BR – visibility at least 1 000 m but not more than 5 000 m. FG – visibility less than 1 000 m.

Indicator of runway
WEATHER PHENOMENA

OBSCURATION
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

VA Volcanic ash

Significant wave height, in decimetres

WAVE HEIGHT

DU Widespread
SIGNIFICANT
SEA-SURFACE TEMPERATURE
AND

H indicator of the significant wave height

FU Smoke
4

SA Sand
HZ Haze
BR Mist

dust
FG Fog

Temperature in whole degrees Celsius

Group indicator letter
OR

S' state of the water surface (see code S')

(WTsTs/SS’)

VC – between 8 and 16 km of the aerodrome reference point.

PRECIPITATION

S indicator of state of the sea

STATE OF

snow pellets

precipitation
THE SEA

(covering part of SG Snow grains

PL Ice pellets

GS Small hail

Temperature in whole degrees Celsius

UP Unknown

b State of the runway to be provided by appropriate airport authority.

METAR

DZ Drizzle

and/or
3

SN Snow

Group indicator letter

A precipitation combination has dominant type first.
RA Rain

GR Hail

Runway designator – for parallel runways

wind shear by:

may have LL, L, C, R or RR appended

WS ALL RWY
runways are
WS RDRDR

(L = left; C = centre; R = right)

affected by
SHEAR
WIND

Replaced

the aerodrome)
when all

TS Thunderstorm

(supercooled)

RUNWAY
DESCRIPTOR

DR Low drifting

SH Shower(s)

Wind Shear
FZ Freezing
BC Patches

BL Blowing
MI Shallow

PR Partial
2
WEATHER

QPHPHPHPH REw’w’
RECENT

REcent weather since previous report (intensity NOT to be reported)

QUALIFIER

(heavy shower(s) of rain).

Indicator of REcent weather
–

QNH rounded down to the whole nearest hectopascal or to

Heavy or well-

tenths and hundredths of an inch, depending on indicator

VC In the vicinity

PRESSURE
developed in

of PO and FC
(no qualifier)
INTENSITY OR
PROXIMITY
REPORT

Moderate

Indicator of QNH in hectopascals. If Q = A then QNH is in inches

the case
Light
1

Dewpoint temperature in whole degrees Celsius

Notes:
T'T'/T'dT'd
POINT

(if below 0 °C preceded by M)

TEMP.

DEW-
AND

Temperature in whole degrees Celsius

+

(if below 0 °C preceded by M)

Ceiling And Visibility OK. Replaces visibility RVR, present weather and cloud if: (1) Visibility is 10 km or more; (2) No cumulonimbus cloud and no cloud
CAVOK
below 1 500 m (5 000 ft) or below the highest minimum sector altitude, whichever is greater; and (3) No significant present weather (see table w'w')
Cloud type — only CB (cumulonimbus) or TCU (Towering CUmulus) indicated Vertical visibility
visibility is available by

are no such clouds, no

information on vertical

visibility and CAVOK is

Nil Significant Cloud

Replaced when there

restriction on vertical
NsNsNshshshs (cc)

No Cloud Detected
or /// if it cannot be observed by automatic system in units of 30 m

automatic system is
Replaced when sky

not appropriate by:

used and no cloud

CLOUDSa
WEATHER

the group below: (100 ft) /// =

is obscured and

Height of base of clouds in units of 30 m (100 ft)

Replaced when
VVhshshs
vertical visibility

NCD
NSC

detected by:
FEW – FEW (1–2 oktas) unavailable
Cloud amount: SCT – SCaTtered (3–4 oktas)
BKN – BroKeN (5–7 oktas) Indicator of
OVC – OVerCast (8 oktas) Vertical Visibility
PRESENT

50 m STEP if 400 ≤ RVR < 800 m

w'w'

Present weather (see table w'w')

WEATHER RVR tendency indicator

100 m STEP if RVR ≥ 800 m

RDRDR /VRVRVRVRi

25 m STEP if RVR < 400 m

RVR tendency indicator over past 10 min. U = upward; D = downward;
ACTIVE RUNWAYS
WHERE REQUIRED,

RVR in metres (1-min mean minimum value

RUNWAY VISUAL

N = no distinct change. Omitted if impossible to determine

RDRDR/VRVRVRVRi

there are significant

RANGE (RVR)

variations in RVR by
during last 10 min)
UP TO FOUR

RVR (10-min mean) at the touchdown zone P2000 = more

the group below:

Replaced when
than 2 000 m, M0050 = less than 50 m Runway designator – for parallel runways may
have LL, L, C, R or RR
AERODROME

Runway designator – for parallel runways may have

LL, L, C, R or RR appended (L = left; C=centre; R = right) Indicator of RVR

Note:
Indicator of RVR

and visibility < 1 500 m

visibility ≠ prevailing
General direction of lowest
PREVAILING

or visibility < 50% of

same and minimum

VnVnVnVn NDV
Prevailing visibility in metres or lowest visibility if visibility is not the Abbreviation for

visibility is not the

VISIBILITY

visibility or most operationally

Followed by
prevailing by the

VnVnVnVnDv
same and fluctuating and the prevailing visibility cannot be determined
VVVV

Followed when
no directional
significant if minimum visibility

group below:
variations
9999 = 10 km or more observed in more than one direction
Lowest visibility Lowest visibility
Wind speed units used
dddffGfmfm KT or
SURFACE WIND

MPS

Other extreme direction of wind

wind speed ≥ 3 KT
there is a variation

less than 180° and

Maximum wind speed (gust) – if necessary

of 60° or more but

P99 KT (P49 MPS)

dndndnVdxdxdx
(50 MPS) or more

in wind direction
(measured clockwise)

00000 = calm

by group below:
Followed when
Indicator of Gust – if necessary

fmfm = 100 KT
mean ff or
Mean wind speed (10-min mean or since discontinuity) Indicator of Variability
Mean wind direction in degrees true rounded off
to nearest 10° (VRB = VaRiaBle when ff < 3 kt) Extreme direction of wind
AUTO Fully automated observation indicator
IDENTIFICATION GROUPS

COR CCCC YYGGggZ NIL

NIL – Code word used as appropriate
Indicator of UTC
In individual messages, day of the month and time of observation in hours and
minutes UTC
ICAO four-letter location indicator
COR – Code word used as appropriate

METAR

SPECI
METAR – Aviation routine weather report code name

or
SPECI – Aviation special weather report code name
 Z Indicator of UTC
TNYYTFTF /YeYeGFGFZ)
(TXYYTFTF /YeYeGFGFZ
BY REGIONAL
AGREEMENT

TEMPERATURE

YeYeGFGF Date and time UTC to which forecast temperature refers

FORECAST

YYTFTF Date and forecast temperatures at GFGF

Temperatures below 0 °C preceded by M
TX, TN Indicators of maximum and minimum forecast temperatures, respectively
Note: Meteorological offices to issue 30-h TAFs are determined by regional air navigation agreement.
DATE AND TIME

YYGGgg is the time in hours and minutes UTC. All forecast conditions before this
YYGG/YeYeGeGe

If one set of weather conditions is expected to change more or less completely

Beginning day and time (UTC) YYGG and end day and
This takes the form FMYYGGgg where FM is the abbreviation for FroM and

time (UTC) YeYeGeGe of forecast period

Clouds of operational significance (i.e. below 1 500 m (5 000 ft) or below highest minimum
to a different set of conditions, thus indicating the beginning of another

Abbreviated decode of TAF

For details of codes, see
group are superseded by conditions indicated after the group.

Type of significant changes:

SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN FORECAST

BECMG – BECoMinG, used where changes are expected Manual on Codes,

DECODE

to reach or pass through specified values at (WMO–No. 306).

CHANGE
CONDITIONS INDICATED BY:

TTTTT

a regular or irregular rate

TEMPO – TEMPOrary fluctuations of less than one hour
TTYYGGgg

and in aggregate less than half the period

OR

indicated by YYGG/YeYeGeGe
self-contained part of the forecast, by:
DATE AND TIME

sector altitude, whichever is greater, and CB or TCU).

YYGG/YeYeGeGe

Probability is used to indicate the

Beginning day and time (UTC) YYGG

(a) an alternative element or

and end day and time (UTC)

probability of occurence of:

(b) temporary fluctuations

YeYeGeGe of forecast period

TA F

PROBABILITY

Only 30 or 40 used, indicating

PROBC2C2

elements

30% or 40%
PROBability
Ceiling And Visibility OK. Replaces visibility, weather and cloud if:
–

(1) Visibility is forecast to be 10 km or more

CAVOK

(2) No cumulonimbus cloud and no other cloud forecast below 1 500 m (5 000 ft)
or below the highest minimum sector altitude, whichever is greater, and
(3) No significant weather forecast (see Table: Aerodrome Weather Report –
FO R E CA ST

a
METAR and SPECI decode)
visibility is available by:

Cloud type — only CB (cumulonimbus) is indicated

FORECAST CLOUD

Replaced when no CB and no cloud below

information on vertical
NsNsNshshshs (cc)
AND HEIGHTa

Vertical visibility in
Replaced when sky

minimum sector altitude, whichever is

1 500 m (5 000 ft) or below the highest
AMOUNT

Height of base of cloud in units of 30 m (100 ft)

is expected to be

units of 30 m (100 ft)

VVhshshs
obscured and

greater, is forecast and CAVOK is

Nil Significant Cloud

FEW – FEW (1–2 oktas)
Cloud amount: SCT – SCaTtered (3–4 oktas)
Indicator of
BKN – BroKeN (5–7 oktas)
Vertical Visibility

NSC
OVC – OVerCast (8 oktas)

not appropriate by:

FORECAST
Forecast significant weather

weather pheno-
w'w'

menon forecast
SIGNIFICANT
Replaced when
WEATHER (see table w'w' for METAR/SPECI decode)
Nil Significant

NSW
significant

to end by:
Weather
FORECAST Prevailing visibility in metres
VVVV
AERODROME

PREVAILING 9999 = 10 km or more

VISIBILITY
Wind speed units used
KT or
MPS
SURFACE WIND

Maximum wind speed (gust)

FORECAST

00000 = calm

(P49 MPS)

(50 MPS)
dddffGfmfm

or more
Indicator of Gust

P99 KT

100 KT
fmfm =
mean
Mean wind speed
Mean wind direction in degrees true rounded
to nearest 10° (VRB = VaRiaBle when ff < 3 kt)
NIL Y1Y1G1G1/Y2Y2G2G2 CNL

Indicator of cancelled forecast

Period of validity, beginning on Y1Y1 day of month at G1G1
(UTC) and ending on Y2Y2 day of month at G2G2 (UTC)
IDENTIFICATION GROUPS
Indicator of missing forecast
Indicator of UTC

TAF AMD or CCCC YYGGggZ

Date and time of issue of forecast in UTC
ICAO four-letter location indicator
Code names for aerodrome forecast,

TAF COR
amended aerodrome forecast and

TAF or
corrected aerodrome forecast, respectively