A Terminal Aerodrome Forecast (TAF) is a concise statement of the expected
meteorological conditions at an airport during a specified period (usually 24 hours).
Each ICAO state may modify the code as needed. The TAF code, as described here, is the
one used in the United States. TAFs use the same weather code found in METAR weather
reports.
TAF Report Elements
TAF
KOKC
051130Z
051212
14008KT
5SM
BR
BKN030
TEMPO 1316
1 1/2SM
BR
FM1600
16010KT
P6SM
SKC
BECMG 2224
20013G20KT
4SM
SHRA
OVC020
PROB40 0006
2SM
TSRA
OVC008CB
BECMG 0608
21015KT
P6SM
NSW
SCT040
=
A TAF report contains the following sequence of elements in the following order:
1. Type of Report
2. ICAO Station Identifier
3. Date and Time of Origin
4. Valid Period Date and Time
5. Forecast Meteorological Conditions
The international TAF also contains forecast temperature, icing, and turbulence. These
three elements are not included in National Weather Service (NWS) prepared TAFs.
The U.S. has no requirement to forecast temperatures in an aerodrome forecast and the NWS
will continue to forecast icing and turbulence in AIRMETs and SIGMETs.
The report type header will always appear as the first element in the TAF forecast. There
are two types of TAF reports, a routine forecast, TAF, and an amended forecast,
TAF AMD. An amended TAF is issued when the current TAF no longer adequately
describes the ongoing weather or the forecaster feels the TAF is not representative of
the current or expected weather.
Corrected (COR) or delayed (RTD) TAFs are identified only in the communications header
which precedes the forecast text.
The TAF code uses the ICAO four-letter location identifiers. In the conterminous United
States, the three-letter identifier is prefixed with a K. For example SEA (Seattle)
becomes KSEA. Elsewhere, the first one or two letters of the ICAO identifier indicate in
which region of the world and country (or state) the station is. Pacific locations such
as Alaska, Hawaii, and the Marianas islands start with P followed by an A, H, or G
respectively. The last two letters reflect the specific station identification. If the
location's three-letter identification begins with an A, H, or G, the P is just added to
the beginning. If the location's three-letter identification does not begin with
an A, H, or G, the last letter is dropped and the P is added to the beginning.
Examples:
ANC (Anchorage, AK) becomes PANC
OME (Nome, AK) becomes PAOM
HNL (Honolulu, HI) becomes PHNL
KOA (Keahole Point, HI) becomes PHKO
GRO (Rota Becomesland) becomes PGRO
UAM (Anderson AFB) becomes PGUA
Canadian station identifiers start with C. Mexican and western Caribbean station
identifiers start with M. The identifier for the eastern Caribbean is T, followed by the
individual country's letter.
This element is the UTC date and time the forecast is actually prepared. The format is a
two-digit date and four-digit time followed, without a space, by the letter Z.
Routine TAFs are prepared and filed approximately one-half hour prior to scheduled
issuance times. TAFs are scheduled for issuance foure times daily at 0000Z, 0600Z, 1200Z,
and 1800Z.
Example:
091050Z - Forecast prepared on the ninth day of the month at 1050Z.
The UTC valid period of the forecast is a two-digit date followed by the two-digit
beginning hour and two-digit ending hour. Routine TAFs are valid for 24-hours. Valid
periods beginning at 0000Z shall be indicated as 00. Valid periods ending at
0000Z shall be indicated as 24. The 24 indication applies to all time group
ending times.
In the case of an amended forecast, or a forecast which is corrected or delayed, the
valid period may be for less than 24 hours. Where an airport or terminal operates on a
part-time basis (less than 24 hours/day) the TAFs issued for those locations will have
the abbreviated statement NIL AMD SKED AFT (closing time)Z, added to the
end of the forecast. For the TAFS issued while these locations are closed, the word
NIL will appear in place of the forecast text. A delayed (RTD) forecast
will then be issued for these locations after two complete observations are received.
Examples:
091212 - Forecast valid from the ninth at 1200Z til the tenth at
1200Z.
110024 - Forecast valid from the eleventh at 0000Z till the twelfth at
0000Z.
010524 - Amended forecast valid from the first at 0500Z till the second
at 0000Z.
This is the body of the TAF. The basic format is:
Wind - Visibility - Weather - Sky Condition - Optional Data (Wind Shear)
The wind, visibility, and sky condition elements are always included in the initial time
group of the forecast. Weather is included in the initial time group only if significant
to aviation. If a significant, lasting change in any of the elements is expected during
the valid period, a new time period with changes is included. It should be noted that,
with the exception of a FM group, the new time period will include only those elements
which are expected to change; i.e., if a lowering of the visibility is expected but the
wind is expected to remain the same, the new time period reflecting the lower visibility
would not include a forecast wind. The forecast wind would remain the same as in the
previous time period.
Any temporary conditions expected during a specific time period are included with that
time period.
The wind group includes forecast surface winds. The surface wind is the expected wind
direction (first three digits) and speed (last two or three digits if 100 knots or
greater). The contraction KT follows to denote the units of wind speed in
knots. Wind gusts are noted by the letter G appended to the wind speed
followed by the highest expected gust (two or three digits if 100 knots or greater).
Calm winds (three knots or less) are encoded as 00000KT.
Variable winds are encoded when it is impossible to forecast a wind direction due to
winds associated with convective activity or low wind speeds. A variable wind direction
is noted by VRB where the three digit direction usually appears.
Examples:
18010KT - Wind one eight zero at one zero knots
35012G20KT - Wind three five zero at one two gust two zero
knots
00000KT - Wind calm
VRB16G28KT - Wind variable at one six gust two eight knots
The expected prevailing visibility is forecast in statute miles and fractions of statute
miles followed by SM to note the units of measure. Statute miles followed
by fractions of statute miles are separated with a space, for example, 1 1/2SM. Forecast
visibility greater than 6 statute miles is indicated by coding P6SM.
Directional or variable visibility is not forecasted and the visibility group is
omitted if missing.
Examples:
1/2SM - Visibility one-half statute mile
2 1/4SM - Visibility two and one-quarter statute miles
5SM - Visibility five statute miles
P6SM - Visibility more than six statute miles
The expected weather phenomenon or phenomena is coded in TAF reports using the same
format, qualifiers, and phenomena contractions as METAR reports (except UP).
Qualifiers of Intensity or Proximity
- - Light
- Moderate (no qualifier)
- + Heavy or well-developed
- VC in the Vicinity
Qualifier Descriptor
- MI Shallow
- BC Patches
- DR Low Drifting
- BL Blowing
- SH Showers
- TS Thunderstorm
- FZ Freezing
- PR Partial
Precipitation
- DZ Drizzle
- RA Rain
- SN Snow
- SG Snow Grains
- IC Ice Crystals
- PL Ice Pellets
- GR Hail
- GS Small Hail or Snow Pellets (less than 1/4 inch in
diameter)
- UP Unknown precipitation (automated stations only)
Obscuration
- BR Mist (Foggy conditions with visibilities greater than
5/8 statute mile)
- FG Fog (visibility 5/8 statute mile or less)
- FU Smoke
- DU Dust
- SA Sand
- HZ Haze
- PY Spray
- VA Volcanic Ash
Other
- PO Well-Developed Dust/Sand Whirls
- SQ Squalls
- FC Funnel Cloud
- +FC Well-Developed Funnel Cloud, Tornado or Waterspout
- SS Sandstorm
- DS Duststorm
Obscurations to vision will be forecast whenever the prevailing visibility is forecast to
be 6 statute miles or less.
: ie. (KOKC)
If no significant weather is expected to occur during a specific time period in the
forecast, the weather group is omitted for that time period. If, after a time
period in which significant weather has been forecast, a change to a forecast of no
significant weather occurs, the contraction NSW (No Significant Weather)
will apear as the weather group in the new time period. However, NSW is only included in
the BECMG or TEMPO groups.
TAF sky condition forecasts use the METAR format. Cumulonimbus clouds (CB)
are the only cloud type forecast in TAFs.
When the sky is obscured due to a surface-based phenomenon, vertical visibility
(VV) into the obscuration is forecast. The format for vertical visibility
is VV followed by a three-digit height in hundreds of feet.
Note: Ceiling layers are not designated in the TAF code. For aviation purposes,
the ceiling is the lowest broken or overcast layer or vertical visibility into a complete
obscuration.
Examples:
SKC - Sky clear
SCT005 BKN025CB BKN250 - Five hundred scattered, ceiling two
thousand five hundred broken cumulonimbus clouds, two five thousand
broken.
VV008 - Indefinite ceiling eight hundred
Optional Data (Wind Shear)
Wind shear is the forecast of non-convective low level winds (up to 2000 feet) and is
entered after the sky conditions when wind shear is epxected. The forecast includes the
height of the wind shear followed by the wind direction and wind speed at the indicated
height. Height is given in hundreds of feet AGL up to and including 2,000 feet. Wind
shear is encoded with the contraction WS followed by a three-digit
height, slant character, and winds at the height indicated in the same format as surface
winds. The wind shear element is omitted if not expected to occur.
Example:
WS010/18040KT - Low level wind shear at one thousand, wind one eight
zero at four zero.
The probability or chance of thunderstorms or other precipitation events occuring, along
with associated weather conditions (wind, visibility, and sky conditions).
The PROB40 group is used when the occurrence of thunderstorms or
precipitation is in the 30% to less than 50% range, thus the probability value
40 is appended to the PROB contraction. This is followed
by a four-digit group giving the beginning hour and ending hour of the time period during
which the thunderstorms or precipitation is expected.
Note: PROB40 will not be shown during the first six hours of a forecast.
Examples:
PROB40 2102 1/2SM +TSRA - Chance between 2100Z and 0200Z of
visibility one-half thunderstorm, heavy rain.
PROB40 1014 1SM RASN - Chance between 1000Z and 1400Z of
visibility one rain and snow.
PROB40 2024 2SM FZRA - Chance between 2000Z and 0000Z of
visibility two freezing rain.
Forecast Change Indicators
The following change indicators are used when either a rapid, gradual, or temporary
change is expected in some or all of the forecast meteorological conditions. Each change
indicator marks a time group within the TAF report.
The FM group is used when a rapid change, usually occuring in less than
one hour, in prevailing conditions is expected. Typically, a rapid change of prevailing
conditions to more or less a completely new set of prevailing conditions is associated
with a synoptic feature passing through the terminal area (cold or warm frontal passage).
Appended to the FM indicator is the four-digit hour and minute the change
is expected to begin and continues until the next change group or until the end of the
current forecast.
A FM group will mark the beginning of a new line in a TAF report. Each
FM group contains all the required elements -- wind, visibility, weather,
and sky condition. Weather will be omitted in FM groups when it is not
significant to aviation. FM groups will not include the contraction NSW.
Examples:
FM0100 SKC - After 0100Z sky clear
FM1430 OVC020 - After 1430Z ceiling two thousand overcast
The BECMG group is used when a gradual change in conditions is expected
over a longer time period, usually two hours. The time period when the change is expected
is a four-digit group with the beginning hour and ending hour of the change period which
follows the BECMG indicator. The gradual change will occur at an
unspecified time within this time period. Only the conditions are carried over from the
previous time group.
Example:
OVC012 BECMG 1416 BKN020 - Ceiling one thousand two hundred overcast.
Then a gradual change to ceiling two thousand broken between 1400Z and 1600Z.
The TEMPO group is used for any conditions in wind, visibility, weather,
or sky condition which are expected to last for generally less than an hour at a time
(occasional), and are expected to occur during less than half the time period. The
TEMPO indicator is followed by a four-digit group giving the beginning
hour and ending hour of the time period during which the temporary conditions are
expected. Only the changing forecast meteorological conditions are included in
TEMPO groups. The omitted conditions are carried over from the previous
time group.
Examples:
SCT030 TEMPO 1923 BKN030 - Three thousand scattered with
occasional ceilings three thousand broken between 1900Z and 2300Z.
4SM HZ TEMPO 0006 2SM BR HZ - Visibility four in haze with
occasional visibility two in mist and haze between 0000Z and 0600Z.
=: ie. (KOKC)
The = indicates the end of the individual TAF transmission. TAFs are
bundled together and transmitted as a single document. The = provides a
convenient means of separating this document into the individual TAF reports.
Source: FAA Training Center publication National Air Traffic Training Program, Air
Traffic Guide, Aviation Routine, Weather Report (METAR), Aerodrome Forecast (TAF)
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