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How to Read a METAR

Aviation Weather Guide · 5 min read

A METAR (Meteorological Aerodrome Report) is a standardized weather observation issued hourly (or more frequently as a SPECI when conditions change significantly). Here's how to decode one field by field.

Example METAR

Field-by-Field Breakdown

Report Type — METAR

METAR is a routine observation. SPECI is a special observation issued when conditions change rapidly (e.g., visibility drops below 3 miles).

Station Identifier — KLAX

The 4-letter ICAO airport identifier. US airports start with K (e.g., KLAX = Los Angeles). Hawaii uses PH, Alaska uses PA, Puerto Rico uses TJ.

Date/Time — 151853Z

Day of month (15) followed by time in UTC (18:53Z). Always in Zulu/UTC — never local time.

Wind — 25012KT

Direction the wind is blowing from in degrees true (250°), speed in knots (12 kt). 00000KT means calm. Gusts appear as 25012G22KT. VRB means variable direction.

Visibility — 10SM

Prevailing visibility in statute miles. P6SM means "greater than 6 statute miles." Values below 3SM are significant for IFR conditions.

Sky Conditions — FEW025 SCT060

Cloud coverage and height in hundreds of feet AGL:

• FEW — 1–2 oktas (1/8 to 2/8 coverage)
• SCT (Scattered) — 3–4 oktas
• BKN (Broken) — 5–7 oktas — this defines the ceiling
• OVC (Overcast) — 8 oktas — also defines the ceiling
• CLR / SKC — clear below 12,000 ft / sky clear
• VV (Vertical Visibility) — used when sky is obscured (e.g., fog, smoke)

So FEW025 = few clouds at 2,500 ft, SCT060 = scattered at 6,000 ft.

Temperature / Dewpoint — 18/10

Temperature and dewpoint in Celsius. A small spread (e.g., 18/16) means high humidity and possible fog or low clouds. Negative values are prefixed with M (e.g., M05/M08).

Altimeter Setting — A2992

Barometric pressure in inches of mercury (29.92 inHg). Set this in your altimeter before flight. In metric countries you'll see Q followed by hectopascals (e.g., Q1013).

Remarks — RMK AO2 SLP132

Additional info after RMK. Common items:

• AO2 — automated station with precipitation discriminator
• SLP132 — sea-level pressure 1013.2 hPa
• TSNO — thunderstorm information not available
• PRESRR / PRESFR — pressure rising/falling rapidly

Quick Reference: Flight Categories from a METAR

• VFR — ceiling > 3,000 ft AND visibility > 5 SM
• MVFR — ceiling 1,000–3,000 ft OR visibility 3–5 SM
• IFR — ceiling 500–999 ft OR visibility 1–3 SM
• LIFR — ceiling < 500 ft OR visibility < 1 SM

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