METAR Decoder
Type an airport code or paste a METAR.
KJFK
VFRNew York/JF Kennedy Intl, NY, USObserved 31 min ago
Wind 330° 15 kt gusting 21 · vis 6+ SM · ceiling 10,000 ft · light rain · 11°C
Tap any group above to see what it means.
KJFK in plain English
Wind
15 kt G21
From 330° (NNW)
Gust spread 6 kt
Visibility
10 SM
10 statute miles
Altimeter
29.99inHg
= 1016 hPa
Clouds · ceiling 10,000 ft
Ceiling = lowest broken (BKN), overcast (OVC) or obscured (VV) layer. FEW and SCT don’t count.
Temp / dewpoint
11° / 7°C
Spread 4°C — fog unlikely
Weather
- -RALight rain
Forecast (TAF) · 5 periods
TAF KJFK 170831Z 1709/1812 34014G25KT P6SM -RA BKN100 FM171100 34016G25KT P6SM SCT100 BKN150 FM171400 36020G29KT P6SM SCT150 FM172300 36014G22KT P6SM SKC FM180400 01011KT P6SM SKC
Initial (day 17 09Z to day 18 12Z)VFR
Wind from 340° at 14 kt, gusting to 25 kt, visibility more than 6 SM, light rain, broken 10,000 ft
From day 17 11:00ZVFR
Wind from 340° at 16 kt, gusting to 25 kt, visibility more than 6 SM, scattered 10,000 ft, broken 15,000 ft
From day 17 14:00ZVFR
Wind from 360° at 20 kt, gusting to 29 kt, visibility more than 6 SM, scattered 15,000 ft
From day 17 23:00ZVFR
Wind from 360° at 14 kt, gusting to 22 kt, visibility more than 6 SM, sky clear
From day 18 04:00ZVFR
Wind from 010° at 11 kt, visibility more than 6 SM, sky clear
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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