What Is a METAR? How to Read an Airport Weather Report
A METAR is the coded report of the surface weather observed at an airport: wind, visibility, runway visual range, present weather, sky condition, temperature, dewpoint, and altimeter setting, plus remarks [1, para. 24.4.1]. METARs are routine reports made near the top of each hour; a SPECI is an unscheduled report issued between them when conditions cross set thresholds [1, paras. 24.4.1 and 24.4.2].
Key takeaways
- A METAR is an observation of what is happening now; a TAF is the forecast. Read them together [1, paras. 24.4 and 27.4].
- METAR times are UTC, and METAR wind is relative to true north [1, para. 24.4.3.5]; ASOS radio and telephone broadcasts give magnetic [1, para. 24.3.1.2].
- A SPECI means something changed enough to matter. AWOS stations don't issue them, so a quiet AWOS doesn't prove steady weather [1, paras. 24.3.2 and 24.4.2].
Every briefing starts with what is happening now, and at an airport that means the METAR. This page decodes the FAA Aviation Weather Handbook's sample METAR, explains SPECIs and automated stations, and shows where METARs mislead. The rules come from the Handbook, FAA Order JO 7900.5E (the FAA's surface weather observing order), and the AIM [1][2][3]. For the forecast side, see What Is a TAF?
What does a METAR report, and what doesn't it?
"The METAR and SPECI are the code form used for aviation surface observations (reports) to satisfy World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and ICAO instructions for reporting surface meteorological data." [1, para. 24.4] The FAA order puts it more simply: "METAR is a scheduled observation." [2, para. 3.3]
A U.S. report has two parts: "the body (consisting of a maximum of 11 groups) and the remarks (consisting of two categories)". When an element doesn't occur or can't be observed, its group is left out [1, para. 24.4.3].
A METAR doesn't forecast. It is a snapshot at one point; the TAF, pilot reports, and in-flight advisories cover the rest.
Manual, automated, and augmented reports
Most U.S. METARs now come from machines: "automated and augmented observations make up the vast majority of today’s surface observations in the United States." [1, para. 24.2.1]
- Automated. From ASOS or AWOS with no human input. "Automated observations contain 'AUTO' in the report unless they are augmented by a human weather observer." [1, para. 24.2.2]
- Augmented. A certified observer or tower controller adds elements the system can't report or deems significant. "'AUTO' is not used in augmented reports." [1, para. 24.2.3]
- Manual. A human observer certified by the FAA makes the whole observation [1, para. 24.2.1].
ASOS "serves as the nation’s primary surface weather observing network" [1, para. 24.3.1]. Two automated-station details matter. ASOS reports clouds only up to 12,000 ft, so CLR means no layers detected at or below 12,000 ft, not an empty sky [1, paras. 24.3.1.2 and 24.4.3.9]. And automated values are time averages: "sky condition is an evaluation of sensor data gathered during the 30-minute period ending at the actual time of the observation", while other elements use the last 10 minutes or less [1, para. 24.2.4].
How do you read a METAR? A worked decode
The groups always run in the same order [1, Figure 24-1][3, para. 7-1-29]. Here is the Handbook's own sample METAR, printed exactly as it appears in the FAA Aviation Weather Handbook [1, para. 24.4.3.1]. It is an official teaching example, not a live report. Hover, focus, or tap any group for its meaning.
Scroll sideways to see the full line.
METAR KOKC 011955Z AUTO 22015G25KT 180V250 3/4SM R17L/2600FT +TSRA BR OVC010CB
18/16 A2992 RMK AO2 TSB25 TS OHD MOV E SLP132Official sample METAR, FAA Aviation Weather Handbook (FAA-H-8083-28B), Section 24.4.3 [1, para. 24.4.3]. The Handbook built it to show every group, so it pairs AUTO with a cumulonimbus (CB) tag, which the same Handbook says is appended at manual stations [1, para. 24.4.3.9]. Treat it as a teaching composite.
Group by group. "Handbook meaning" is quoted exactly from FAA Aviation Weather Handbook 24.4.3; "Plain English" is ours, with the rule behind it cited.
| Group | Handbook meaning | Plain English |
|---|---|---|
| METAR | "The type of report, METAR or SPECI, precedes the body of all reports" | A routine report. An unscheduled special report starts with SPECI instead [1, para. 24.4.3.1]. |
| KOKC | "The station identifier, in ICAO format, is included in all reports to identify the station to which the coded report applies." | The four-letter ICAO identifier. In the contiguous U.S. it is K plus the three-letter identifier [1, para. 24.4.3.2]. |
| 011955Z | "would be disseminated as the 2,000-hour routine report for station KOKC, taken on the 1st of the month at 1955 UTC." | Observed on the 1st at 1955 UTC (Z is Zulu) and sent as the 2000Z routine report [1, para. 24.4.3.3]. |
| AUTO | "The report modifier AUTO identifies the METAR/SPECI as a fully automated report with no human intervention or oversight." | No human checked this report (AUTO). A corrected report shows COR in this spot [1, para. 24.4.3.4]. |
| 22015G25KT | "In the wind group, the wind direction is coded as the first three digits (220) and is determined by averaging the recorded wind direction over a two-minute period." | Wind from 220 degrees true at 15 knots, gusting to 25. Direction is in tens of degrees relative to true north [1, paras. 24.4.3.5 and 24.4.3.5.1]. |
| 180V250 | "The directional variability is coded in a clockwise direction and consists of the extremes of the wind directions separated by a V." | The direction swung between 180 and 250 degrees. This group appears when direction varies 60 degrees or more at more than 6 knots [1, para. 24.4.3.5.3]. |
| 3/4SM | "The visibility group is coded as the surface visibility in statute miles." | Visibility 3/4 statute mile. Automated stations prefix M for "less than", so M1/4SM means below 1/4 SM [1, para. 24.4.3.6]. |
| R17L/2600FT | "The RVR is an instrument-derived value representing the horizontal distance a pilot may see down the runway." | RVR for Runway 17L is 2,600 ft. RVR is reported when visibility is 1 SM or less and/or RVR is 6,000 ft or less [1, para. 24.4.3.7]. |
| +TSRA | "Thunderstorm, heavy rain." | A thunderstorm with heavy rain [1, para. 24.4.3.8]. |
| BR | "Obscurations are any phenomenon in the atmosphere, other than precipitation, that reduces the horizontal visibility in the atmosphere." | Mist. ASOS reports BR rather than haze when the temperature/dewpoint spread is 4°F (about 2°C) or less [1, paras. 24.3.1.2 and 24.4.3.8.5]. |
| OVC010CB | "The ceiling is the lowest layer aloft reported as broken or overcast." | Overcast at 1,000 ft above ground with cumulonimbus: a 1,000 ft ceiling. Heights are in hundreds of feet [1, para. 24.4.3.9]. |
| 18/16 | "Temperature and dewpoint are coded as two digits rounded to the nearest whole degree Celsius." | Temperature 18°C, dewpoint 16°C. Below zero takes an M, as in 04/M02 [1, para. 24.4.3.10]. |
| A2992 | "an altimeter setting of 29.92 inHg would be coded as A2992." | Altimeter setting 29.92 inches of mercury [1, para. 24.4.3.11]. |
| RMK | "Remarks are separated from the body of the report by the contraction RMK." | Everything after RMK is a remark [1, para. 24.4.3.12]. |
| AO2 | "automated stations with a precipitation discriminator are identified as AO2" | The station can tell precipitation types apart (AO2); AO1 means it can't [1, para. 24.4.3.13.3]. |
| TSB25 | "the thunderstorm identifier TS, followed by either a B for beginning or an E for ending, and the time of occurrence." | The thunderstorm began at 1925Z; remark times in the same hour are minutes only [1, paras. 24.4.3.12 and 24.4.3.13.12]. |
| TS OHD MOV E | "the thunderstorm identifier TS, followed by the location of the thunderstorm(s) from the station, and the direction of movement, when known." | The storm is overhead (OHD) [1, paras. 24.4.3.12 and 24.4.3.13.13] and moving toward the east [3, para. 7-1-28]. |
| SLP132 | "A sea level pressure of 1,013.2 mb would be coded SLP132." | SLP 1013.2 millibars [1, para. 24.4.3.13.22]. |
Read as a whole: a thunderstorm with heavy rain overhead and moving east, gusts to 25 knots, 3/4 mile visibility, and a 1,000 ft overcast ceiling. The visibility alone makes it LIFR (less than 1 mile); the ceiling by itself would be MVFR [3, para. 7-1-7]. You don't need the category to see the problem: there is a thunderstorm over the field.
Remarks worth reading
| Remark | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| LTG DSNT W | Lightning 10 to 30 NM away, here to the west. Within 5 NM it shows as TS in the body; 5 to 10 NM, as VCTS [1, para. 24.4.3.13.10]. |
| TSNO, PWINO, RVRNO | A sensor is out: lightning, present weather, or RVR. With TSNO, no TS in the body doesn't mean no thunderstorm [1, para. 24.4.3.14.2.1]. |
| NOSPECI | A manual station that doesn't take SPECIs; nothing new until the next METAR [1, para. 24.4.3.13.24]. |
What is a SPECI?
"A SPECI is an unscheduled report taken when any of the criteria given in Table 24-2 are observed during the period between hourly reports." [1, para. 24.4.2] It reads like a METAR except for the first word: "SPECIs contain all data elements found in a METAR." Its time is when the criterion was met [1, para. 24.4.3.3], and "All SPECIs are issued as soon as possible when relevant criteria are observed." [1, para. 24.4.2]
When is a SPECI issued?
| Element | A SPECI is issued when (visibility in statute miles, heights in feet above ground) |
|---|---|
| Wind shift | Direction changes 45 degrees or more in less than 15 minutes, with speed 10 knots or more throughout |
| Visibility | It drops below, or rises to equal or exceed, 3, 2, 1, 1/2, or 1/4 mile, or the lowest standard instrument approach minimum |
| Runway visual range | The highest value for the designated runway crosses 2,400 ft during the preceding 10 minutes |
| Tornado, funnel cloud, waterspout | One is observed, or disappears from sight or ends |
| Thunderstorm | One begins (not required for a new storm if one is already reported) or ends |
| Precipitation | Hail begins or ends; freezing precipitation, ice pellets, or snow begins, ends, or changes intensity |
| Squall | Wind suddenly increases by at least 16 knots and is sustained at 22 knots or more for at least one minute |
| Ceiling | It forms, dissipates, or crosses 3,000, 1,500, 1,000, or 500 ft, or the lowest standard instrument approach minimum (200 ft if none is published) |
| Sky condition | A layer appears below 1,000 ft when the previous report had none below 1,000 ft |
| Volcanic eruption | An eruption is first noted |
| Aircraft mishap | The station is notified, unless there has been an intervening observation |
| Miscellaneous | The observer judges any other situation critical; the local ATC facility may add site-specific criteria |
Source: FAA Aviation Weather Handbook Table 24-2 and FAA Order JO 7900.5E paragraph 3.11, paraphrased [1, Table 24-2][2, para. 3.11]. The two agree; the wind shift and squall wording follows the order.
Three details catch pilots out:
- A METAR can carry SPECI news. "Whenever SPECI criteria are met at the time of the routine METAR, a METAR is issued." [1, para. 24.4.2]
- Only what the station can sense. "The SPECI criteria are applicable only to stations that have the capability of evaluating the event." [2, para. 3.3]
- AWOS doesn't issue SPECIs. "AWOS generates a METAR at 20-minute intervals and does not report SPECIs." [1, para. 24.3.2] The FAA order agrees, listing AWOS among systems without SPECI capability, with one exception: FAA AWOS-C, "an AWOS modified by the FAA to report METAR/SPECI data similar to an ASOS" [2, para. 4.2]. At manual stations that don't take SPECIs, the remark NOSPECI says so [1, para. 24.4.3.13.24].
Where can you see every METAR field and code?
Official list of every METAR field and code
- Start here: FAA Aviation Weather Handbook, Figure 24-1, "METAR/SPECI Coding Format," and Sections 24.4.3 to 24.4.3.14 (PDF pages 291 to 310). Every body group and remark, in order, with examples [1, para. 24.4.3].
- Table 24-2, SPECI criteria (PDF page 290), Table 24-3, present weather codes (PDF page 296), and Table 24-6, remarks (PDF page 303) [1, Tables 24-2, 24-3, and 24-6].
- AIM 7-1-28, Key to Aerodrome Forecast (TAF) and Aviation Routine Weather Report (METAR), and AIM 7-1-29, ICAO Weather Formats [3, paras. 7-1-28 and 7-1-29].
- FAA Order JO 7900.5E, Surface Weather Observing, paragraph 3.11, SPECI criteria (PDF page 25), the order FAA and contract weather observers work under [2, para. 3.11].
- To practice on live data: the Aviation Weather Center (AWC) METAR Data page shows current METARs raw or decoded [6], and its Product Info page summarizes the METAR product [5].
Links checked September 29, 2026: all returned HTTP 200.
Source note: Handbook Sections 26.3.2 and 27.4 point readers to "Section 24.3" for METAR weather codes. Section 24.3 covers ASOS and AWOS; the codes are in Section 24.4, which this page cites [1, paras. 24.3, 24.4, 26.3.2, and 27.4].
How do the METAR and the TAF work together?
The TAF page has the side-by-side comparison (TAF vs. METAR). They share a language: "TAFs use the same weather codes found in METARs" [1, para. 27.4], so if you can read one, you can read most of the other. The METAR is also the check on the forecast: if it is already worse than the TAF period you're in, the forecast is behind the weather. Forecasters amend a TAF when amendment criteria are expected or have occurred [4, sec. 4.7]; until then, the METAR shows the gap.
Where do METARs mislead pilots?
- It is one point. A METAR describes the station. A few miles away, across a ridge or along a shoreline, the weather can be different.
- The broadcast and the METAR can differ. "ASOS broadcasts can be different from the METAR seen on the internet or FIS-B, since the broadcast is the OMO ASOS data." [1, para. 24.3.1.1] Wind differs too: network METARs give degrees true, local radio and telephone give degrees magnetic [1, para. 24.3.1.2].
- CLR is not a clear sky. It means nothing detected at or below 12,000 ft [1, para. 24.4.3.9].
- Averages lag. Automated clouds are averaged over 30 minutes and visibility over 10, and the averaging reports deteriorating conditions much quicker than improving ones [1, para. 24.3.1.1].
- A missing group is not good news. Groups are omitted when an element can't be observed [1, para. 24.4.3]. Check for TSNO, PWINO, or $ (maintenance needed) [1, para. 24.4.3.14.2]. And check the time: an AWOS won't send a SPECI to warn you [1, para. 24.3.2].
How do you use a METAR in a go/no-go decision?
The decision is yours as pilot in command. A METAR is one input, and a few habits make it a better one:
- Read the trend, not one report. Pull the last several METARs and SPECIs. A lowering ceiling, a shrinking temperature/dewpoint spread, or a string of SPECIs shows which way things are heading.
- Compare to the TAF. If the airport isn't doing what its TAF said, weigh that TAF less for your arrival.
- Use categories, then your own minimums. VFR, MVFR, IFR, and LIFR are defined in AIM 7-1-7 [3, para. 7-1-7]. Your personal minimums matter more.
- Look between airports. PIREPs report conditions aloft (PIREP guide), and AIRMETs and SIGMETs flag hazards en route (advisories guide).
- Write it down. A FRAT turns the hazards into a record [7, ch. 3].
Where does the METAR fit in a disciplined decision?
PlaneWX is decision support for general aviation pilots, built around one idea: "Fly like it's your job." Treat the weather decision the way a professional crew would, with the same process every time. That process is a loop: Brief, then FRAT, then Fly or Stay, then Debrief, with a Mentor if you want one. The METAR is part of the Brief. Here's how PlaneWX handles it, as described in the help center [8]:
- Brief: fresh observations. "Near departure, a fresh METAR (observation within about 90 minutes of your time at that airport) can drive ceiling and visibility." When the METAR is older or the station isn't reporting live, PlaneWX uses the covering TAF or a nearby proxy and notes it on the briefing. "A leftover cached SPECI from an out-of-service station is not scored as current conditions." (WX Score)
- Brief: fields without a METAR. "Lots of good GA fields have no METAR, no TAF, or only one of the two." PlaneWX picks a nearby station, labels it on a Proxy weather line, and lets you change the pick (Weather Proxies).
- Brief: storms happening now. METARs at departure, arrival, within 30 NM, and along the route corridor are scanned for convective signs such as TS, CB, hail, and lightning, and active thunderstorm observations are never suppressed (Convective Scoring).
- Brief: density altitude and freshness. Within 6 hours of departure, density altitude uses METAR temperature, dewpoint, and altimeter (Density Altitude). In the final hour, a live fetch pulls METARs straight from the Aviation Weather Center (Auto-Refresh).
- FRAT. The flight risk assessment opens within 4 hours of departure, and your own ratings drive it (FRAT).
- Fly or Stay. "PlaneWX never recommends GO or NO-GO. You make the call as PIC." (The Risk Loop)
- Debrief. Self Debrief looks back at the flight, a good time to compare the METARs you briefed with what you found. It is a PlaneWX Labs feature for Pro Plus (The Risk Loop).
The help center is plain about the limits: "PlaneWX is not a substitute for a complete, independent pre-flight weather briefing. Pull one from a source you already trust before you fly." (The Risk Loop)
See how a PlaneWX briefing reads the METARs for your next trip, or read how weather proxies work. Prefer meters? See Visibility in Meters (announcement). For more sources, see the best weather resources for private pilots.
Frequently asked questions
What does METAR stand for?
Aviation Routine Weather Report. It is the code form used in the U.S. for scheduled surface weather observations [1, para. 24.4][2, para. 3.3].
How often are METARs issued?
Routine METARs are made near the top of each hour, which is why they are often called hourly reports [1, para. 24.4.1]. SPECIs are added between them when criteria are met [1, para. 24.4.2], and AWOS stations generate a METAR every 20 minutes [1, para. 24.3.2].
What's the difference between a METAR and a SPECI?
A METAR is scheduled. A SPECI is an unscheduled report taken when Table 24-2 criteria are observed between hourly reports, and it contains every element of a METAR [1, para. 24.4.2][2, para. 3.3].
What does AUTO mean in a METAR?
The report is fully automated, with no human intervention or oversight. Augmented reports don't carry AUTO, and a corrected report shows COR in its place [1, paras. 24.2.3 and 24.4.3.4].
What do AO1 and AO2 mean?
Both mark automated stations. AO2 stations have a precipitation discriminator; AO1 stations don't [1, para. 24.4.3.13.3].
Is METAR wind true or magnetic?
True. METAR wind direction is coded relative to true north. ASOS broadcasts on local radio and telephone give magnetic direction [1, paras. 24.3.1.2 and 24.4.3.5].
Why does the ASOS broadcast differ from the METAR?
The broadcast is the ASOS one-minute observation, which can differ from the METAR you see online or on FIS-B [1, para. 24.3.1.1].
Does AWOS issue SPECIs?
No. AWOS generates a METAR every 20 minutes and does not report SPECIs [1, para. 24.3.2]. The exception is the FAA's AWOS-C, which is modified to report METAR and SPECI data like ASOS [2, para. 4.2].
How does PlaneWX use METARs?
Near departure, a fresh METAR (within about 90 minutes) can drive ceiling and visibility in the WX Score; otherwise PlaneWX uses the covering TAF or a labeled proxy station. METARs are also scanned for thunderstorms and used for density altitude. PlaneWX never recommends GO or NO-GO; you make the call as PIC [8].
Glossary
Every term below links to the FAA, NWS, or NOAA document that defines it. The same definitions appear when you hover, focus, or tap a dotted term on this page.
- AIRMET (Airmen’s Meteorological Information)
- An en route advisory for weather that may affect aircraft safety at intensities below SIGMET criteria, such as IFR conditions, mountain obscuration, moderate turbulence or icing, and strong surface winds. Source: FAA Aviation Weather Handbook, 26.3
- Altimeter group
- Coded as A plus four digits in inches of mercury without the decimal point, so A2992 is an altimeter setting of 29.92 inHg. Source: FAA Aviation Weather Handbook, 24.4.3.11
- AO2: METAR remark
- Remark for an automated station that has a precipitation discriminator, a sensor that can identify the type of precipitation. AO1 means the station has none. Source: FAA Aviation Weather Handbook, 24.4.3.13.3
- ASOS (Automated Surface Observing System)
- The automated weather station network that is the nation’s primary source of surface observations. Source: FAA Aviation Weather Handbook, 24.3.1
- AUTO (Automated report): report modifier
- Marks a METAR or SPECI produced entirely by automated equipment with no human observer checking it. Augmented reports leave it out. Source: FAA Aviation Weather Handbook, 24.4.3.4
- AWC (Aviation Weather Center)
- The NWS center in Kansas City that issues national aviation forecasts such as AIRMETs, SIGMETs, and Convective SIGMETs. Source: FAA Aviation Weather Handbook, 2.2.2.1.2
- AWOS (Automated Weather Observing System)
- An automated weather station similar to ASOS that generally reports fewer elements. Source: FAA Aviation Weather Handbook, 24.3.2
- Ceiling
- The lowest broken or overcast layer, or the vertical visibility into an obscuration. VV008, BKN008, and OVC008 all mean an 800 ft ceiling. Source: NWSI 10-813, Appendix B2.7.1
- CLR (Clear): METAR only
- A METAR code from automated stations meaning no clouds detected below 12,000 feet; it is not used in TAFs. Source: AIM, 7-1-28
- Dewpoint
- The temperature to which air must be cooled, at constant pressure and moisture content, to become saturated. Source: FAA Aviation Weather Handbook, 24.4.3.10
- FRAT (Flight Risk Assessment Tool)
- A form or checklist for recording flight hazards and the risk they add up to before you fly. Source: FAA Risk Management Handbook, Chapter 3, Using a Flight Risk Assessment Tool (FRAT)
- G (Gust)
- Follows the mean wind speed and gives the peak gust, for example 16015G25KT is 15 knots gusting to 25. Source: NWSI 10-813, Appendix A and B2.4.1
- IFR (Instrument flight rules): flight category
- Ceiling 500 to less than 1,000 feet and/or visibility 1 to less than 3 miles. Source: AIM, 7-1-7
- LIFR (Low IFR): flight category
- Ceiling below 500 feet and/or visibility below 1 mile. Source: AIM, 7-1-7
- METAR (Aviation Routine Weather Report)
- The standard coded report of the surface weather actually observed at an airport. Source: FAA Aviation Weather Handbook, 24.4
- MVFR (Marginal VFR): flight category
- Ceiling 1,000 to 3,000 feet and/or visibility 3 to 5 miles. Source: AIM, 7-1-7
- PIREP (Pilot Weather Report)
- A report of weather a pilot actually encountered in flight, shared to help other pilots and forecasters. Source: FAA Aviation Weather Handbook, 24.5.1
- RMK (Remarks)
- Separates the body of a METAR from its remarks, which add detail such as the station type, storm information, and sea level pressure. Source: FAA Aviation Weather Handbook, 24.4.3.12
- RVR (Runway visual range)
- An instrument-derived value for how far a pilot can see down the runway, reported in feet, for example R17L/2600FT. Source: FAA Aviation Weather Handbook, 24.4.3.7
- SIGMET (Significant Meteorological Information)
- An unscheduled warning of en route weather that may affect the safety of aircraft operations, such as severe icing, severe turbulence, widespread dust storms or sandstorms, and volcanic ash. Source: FAA Aviation Weather Handbook, 26.2
- SLP (Sea level pressure): METAR remark
- Remark giving the pressure reduced to sea level in tenths of a millibar with the leading 9 or 10 dropped, so SLP132 is 1013.2 mb. Source: FAA Aviation Weather Handbook, 24.4.3.13.22
- SPECI (Aviation Selected Special Weather Report)
- An unscheduled weather report issued between hourly METARs when conditions change significantly. Source: FAA Aviation Weather Handbook, 24.4.2
- TAF (Terminal Aerodrome Forecast)
- A coded forecast of the weather expected within 5 statute miles of the center of an airport’s runway complex for a set time period. Source: FAA Aviation Weather Handbook, 27.4
- TS (Thunderstorm)
- A local storm produced by a cumulonimbus cloud and always accompanied by lightning and thunder. Source: FAA Aviation Weather Handbook, 22.1
- VFR (Visual flight rules): flight category
- Ceiling greater than 3,000 feet and visibility greater than 5 miles. Source: AIM, 7-1-7
This page explains published FAA and NWS guidance. The METAR shown is an official teaching example from the FAA Aviation Weather Handbook, not a live report. Always get a current briefing before you fly.
References
- FAA-H-8083-28B, "Aviation Weather Handbook." Federal Aviation Administration, Flight Standards Service. April 2, 2026. Paragraphs cited: 24.2.1 to 24.2.4, 24.3, 24.3.1, 24.3.1.1, 24.3.1.2, 24.3.2, 24.4, 24.4.1, 24.4.2 (Table 24-2), 24.4.3 (Figure 24-1) to 24.4.3.14.2.2 (Tables 24-3 and 24-6), 26.3.2, 27.4. https://www.faa.gov/regulationspolicies/handbooksmanuals/aviation/faa-h-8083-28b-aviation-weather-handbook. PDF: https://www.faa.gov/sites/faa.gov/files/FAA-H-8083-28B.pdf
- FAA Order JO 7900.5E, "Surface Weather Observing," with Change 1. Federal Aviation Administration, Air Traffic Organization. Change 1 effective July 1, 2021. Paragraphs cited: 3.3, 3.11, 4.2, 13.11. https://www.faa.gov/documentLibrary/media/Order/JO_7900.5E_with_Change_1.pdf
- "7-1-7. Categorical Outlooks," "7-1-28. Key to Aerodrome Forecast (TAF) and Aviation Routine Weather Report (METAR)," and "7-1-29. International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Weather Formats." Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM), Chapter 7, Section 1. Federal Aviation Administration. Effective July 9, 2026 (Change 3). https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/atpubs/aim_html/chap7_section_1.html
- NWS Instruction 10-813, "Terminal Aerodrome Forecasts." National Weather Service. October 30, 2024. Section cited: 4.7. https://www.weather.gov/media/directives/010_pdfs/pd01008013curr.pdf
- "Product Info." NWS Aviation Weather Center. Accessed September 29, 2026. https://aviationweather.gov/help/data/
- "METAR Data." NWS Aviation Weather Center. Accessed September 29, 2026. https://aviationweather.gov/data/metar/
- FAA-H-8083-2A, "Risk Management Handbook." Federal Aviation Administration. 2022. Chapter 3, "Using a Flight Risk Assessment Tool (FRAT)." https://www.faa.gov/regulationspolicies/handbooksmanuals/risk-management-handbook-faa-h-8083-2a
- PlaneWX Help Center: "WX Score," "Weather Proxies," "Convective Scoring," "Density Altitude," "Auto-Refresh," "Visibility in Meters," "FRAT," "The Risk Loop." PlaneWX. Accessed September 29, 2026. WX Score · Weather Proxies · Convective Scoring · Density Altitude · Auto-Refresh · Visibility in Meters · FRAT · The Risk Loop