METAR Decoder
Type an airport code or paste a METAR.
KJFK
VFRNew York/JF Kennedy Intl, NY, USObserved 16 min ago
Wind 030° 5 kt · vis 6+ SM · no ceiling · 7°C
Tap any group above to see what it means.
KJFK in plain English
Wind
5 kt
From 030° (NNE)
Visibility
10 SM
10 statute miles
Altimeter
30.44inHg
= 1031 hPa
Clouds · no ceiling
Ceiling = lowest broken (BKN), overcast (OVC) or obscured (VV) layer. FEW and SCT don’t count.
Temp / dewpoint
7° / 4°C
Spread 3°C — fog / low cloud risk
Weather
No precipitation or obscuration reported
Forecast (TAF) · 5 periods
TAF KJFK 280832Z 2809/2912 05004KT P6SM SCT250 FM281400 08005KT P6SM SCT250 FM281600 16008KT P6SM SCT250 FM290400 18005KT P6SM FEW250 FM290700 22005KT P6SM FEW250
Initial (day 28 09Z to day 29 12Z)VFR
Wind from 050° at 4 kt, visibility more than 6 SM, scattered 25,000 ft
From day 28 14:00ZVFR
Wind from 080° at 5 kt, visibility more than 6 SM, scattered 25,000 ft
From day 28 16:00ZVFR
Wind from 160° at 8 kt, visibility more than 6 SM, scattered 25,000 ft
From day 29 04:00ZVFR
Wind from 180° at 5 kt, visibility more than 6 SM, few 25,000 ft
From day 29 07:00ZVFR
Wind from 220° at 5 kt, visibility more than 6 SM, few 25,000 ft
How do I decode a METAR?
A METAR is an hourly airport weather observation for pilots. Read it left to right; the groups always come in the same order: station, day and time in UTC, wind (degrees true, knots), visibility, present weather, clouds (hundreds of feet above ground), temperature/dewpoint in Celsius, altimeter, then remarks after RMK. A group that does not apply is simply left out. The go/no-go items are ceiling, visibility, wind, weather hazards and the pressure setting.
The FAA's own example, decoded group by group:
METAR KOKC 011955Z AUTO 22015G25KT 180V250 3/4SM R17L/2600FT +TSRA BR OVC010CB 18/16 A2992 RMK AO2 TSB25 TS OHD MOV E SLP132| Group | What it is | Means |
|---|---|---|
METAR | Type of report | Routine hourly report (SPECI = special, unscheduled report) |
KOKC | Station | ICAO identifier: Oklahoma City (K + the 3-letter code in the lower 48) |
011955Z | Day and time | 1st of the month at 19:55 UTC (Z = Zulu) |
AUTO | Report modifier | Fully automated report, no human oversight (COR = corrected) |
22015G25KT | Wind | From 220 degrees TRUE at 15 knots, gusting 25 knots |
180V250 | Variable wind | Direction varying between 180 and 250 degrees |
3/4SM | Visibility | Three-quarters of a statute mile |
R17L/2600FT | Runway visual range | Runway 17L: 2,600 feet |
+TSRA BR | Present weather | Thunderstorm with heavy rain, and mist |
OVC010CB | Sky condition | Overcast at 1,000 feet above the ground, cumulonimbus (a 1,000 ft ceiling) |
18/16 | Temperature / dewpoint | 18 °C, dewpoint 16 °C (M = minus) |
A2992 | Altimeter | 29.92 inches of mercury |
RMK AO2 TSB25 TS OHD MOV E SLP132 | Remarks | Automated station with a precipitation sensor; thunderstorm began at :25, overhead, moving east; sea-level pressure 1013.2 hPa |
Source: FAA Aviation Weather Handbook (FAA-H-8083-28A), Chapter 24: Observations (the example and every rule above). Last reviewed by Renzo Madueño, former A320 first officer and FAA commercial pilot. Step-by-step practice: how to read a METAR.
How to Read a METAR
A METAR (Meteorological Aerodrome Report) is a standardized format for reporting weather observations at airports. Every METAR follows the same structure:
TYPE STATION DATE/TIME WIND VISIBILITY WEATHER CLOUDS TEMP/DEW ALTIMETER RMK- Station — 4-letter ICAO code (e.g., KJFK, EGLL, KLAX)
- Date/Time — DDHHMMz format in UTC (e.g., 121856Z = 12th day at 18:56 UTC)
- Wind — Direction (3 digits) + speed (2 digits) in knots, with optional gusts (e.g., 31015G25KT)
- Visibility — In statute miles (10SM) for US, or meters (9999 = 10 km or more) for ICAO
- Weather — Phenomena codes like RA (rain), SN (snow), FG (fog), TS (thunderstorm)
- Clouds — Coverage + height in hundreds of feet AGL (e.g., SCT040 = scattered at 4,000 ft)
- Temp/Dewpoint — In Celsius, M prefix for negative (e.g., M02/M17 = -2°C / -17°C)
- Altimeter — A followed by inHg (A3042) or Q followed by hPa (Q1024)
- Remarks — Everything after RMK contains additional meteorological details
Pilots use METARs to determine flight category (VFR, MVFR, IFR, LIFR) based on ceiling height and visibility. This is critical for go/no-go decisions, approach planning, and alternate airport selection.
METAR Weather Abbreviation Reference
Common weather codes used in METAR reports. Combine intensity prefixes (+/-) with weather phenomena (e.g., +TSRA = thunderstorm with heavy rain).
| Code | Meaning |
|---|---|
RA | Rain |
SN | Snow |
FG | Fog |
BR | Mist |
HZ | Haze |
TS | Thunderstorm |
SH | Showers |
DZ | Drizzle |
GR | Hail |
GS | Small Hail |
FZ | Freezing |
PL | Ice Pellets |
IC | Ice Crystals |
FU | Smoke |
VA | Volcanic Ash |
SQ | Squall |
+ | Heavy |
- | Light |
VC | Vicinity |
BL | Blowing |
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I decode a METAR?
Read it left to right; the groups always come in the same order: report type, station (ICAO code), day and time in UTC (Z), wind (direction in degrees true, speed and gusts in knots), visibility (statute miles in the US), present weather, sky condition (cloud cover and height in hundreds of feet above ground), temperature/dewpoint in Celsius, altimeter setting, and remarks after RMK. Example from the FAA: 22015G25KT = wind from 220 degrees true at 15 knots, gusting 25. Source: FAA Aviation Weather Handbook, FAA-H-8083-28A, Chapter 24.
What does METAR stand for?
METAR stands for Meteorological Aerodrome Report (from French: Météorologique Aviation Régulière). It is a standardized format for reporting weather at airports, issued every hour or when conditions change significantly (SPECI).
How do you read wind in a METAR?
Wind is reported as a 5-digit group: the first 3 digits are the direction the wind blows FROM, in degrees TRUE (not magnetic, unlike ATIS), and the last 2 are the speed in knots. For example, 27015KT means wind from 270° true at 15 knots. Gusts are shown with G (e.g., 27015G25KT). Source: FAA Aviation Weather Handbook, FAA-H-8083-28A, 24.4.3.5.
What does VV mean in a METAR?
VV stands for Vertical Visibility, used when the sky is obscured (fog, heavy precipitation). VV003 means vertical visibility is 300 feet. This indicates you cannot see the sky — only straight up to 300 feet.
What is the difference between METAR and TAF?
METAR reports current weather conditions at an airport. TAF (Terminal Aerodrome Forecast) predicts weather for the next 24-30 hours. Both use similar notation but TAFs include forecast periods and expected changes.
How often are METARs updated?
Routine METARs are produced once an hour, near the top of the hour. A SPECI (special report) is issued in between as soon as conditions change significantly, for example a ceiling or visibility crossing set values, a thunderstorm starting or ending, or a wind shift. Source: FAA Aviation Weather Handbook, FAA-H-8083-28A, 24.4.
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