METAR Decoder
Type an airport code or paste a METAR.
KJFK
IFRNew York/JF Kennedy Intl, NY, USObserved 49 min ago
Wind 240° 3 kt · vis 2.0 SM · ceiling 500 ft · mist · 18°C
Tap any group above to see what it means.
KJFK in plain English
Wind
3 kt
From 240° (WSW)
Visibility
2 SM
2 statute miles
Altimeter
29.86inHg
= 1011 hPa
Clouds · ceiling 500 ft
Ceiling = lowest broken (BKN), overcast (OVC) or obscured (VV) layer. FEW and SCT don’t count.
Temp / dewpoint
18° / 17°C
Spread 1°C — fog / low cloud risk
Weather
- BRMist
Forecast (TAF) · 7 periods
TAF KJFK 061521Z 0615/0718 19006KT 5SM -RA BR BKN007 BKN035 FM061800 18005KT 4SM RA BR OVC006 TEMPO 0618/0620 SCT006 FM062000 32005KT 6SM -RA BR OVC015 FM070000 32005KT P6SM VCSH OVC050 FM070400 31006KT P6SM BKN150 FM071300 30010KT P6SM FEW035
Initial (day 06 15Z to day 07 18Z)IFR
Wind from 190° at 6 kt, visibility 5 statute miles, light rain, mist, broken 700 ft, broken 3,500 ft
From day 06 18:00ZIFR
Wind from 180° at 5 kt, visibility 4 statute miles, rain, mist, overcast 600 ft
Temporarily day 06 18Z–20Z
Scattered 600 ft
From day 06 20:00ZMVFR
Wind from 320° at 5 kt, visibility 6 statute miles, light rain, mist, overcast 1,500 ft
From day 07 00:00ZVFR
Wind from 320° at 5 kt, visibility more than 6 SM, showers in the vicinity, overcast 5,000 ft
From day 07 04:00ZVFR
Wind from 310° at 6 kt, visibility more than 6 SM, broken 15,000 ft
From day 07 13:00ZVFR
Wind from 300° at 10 kt, visibility more than 6 SM, few 3,500 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.
Weather and cockpit planning guides
TAF Decoder
Decode terminal aerodrome forecasts after checking the current METAR.
Aviation Weather Guide
Clouds, fronts, icing, thunderstorms, and real go/no-go decisions.
Best ADS-B Receivers
Portable in-flight weather and traffic for EFB users.
Best EFB Apps
Compare ForeFlight, Garmin Pilot, SkyDemon, and free EFB apps.
Related Pilot Tools
More free tools: Crosswind Calculator · Density Altitude Calculator · E6B Flight Computer · Wind Correction Angle · Holding Pattern Entry · VOR Simulator