What Are METAR and TAF, Explained for Travelers
Pilots and dispatchers consume aviation weather in two cryptic formats: METAR and TAF. Here's how to read them — and how flight trackers turn them into delay predictions.
METAR vs TAF in one line
- METAR = current weather observation at an airport (updated every ~hour).
- TAF = forecast of expected weather at an airport for the next 24–30 hours.
A real METAR
KJFK 191751Z 24014KT 10SM FEW040 SCT200 22/14 A3001
Parsed:
- KJFK — airport (JFK).
- 191751Z — 19th, 17:51 UTC.
- 24014KT — wind 240° at 14 knots.
- 10SM — visibility 10 statute miles.
- FEW040 SCT200 — few clouds at 4,000 ft, scattered at 20,000 ft.
- 22/14 — temp 22°C, dewpoint 14°C.
- A3001 — altimeter 30.01 inches.
A real TAF
KJFK 191720Z 1918/2024 24012KT P6SM SCT040 BKN150 …
Means: forecast issued 17:20Z on the 19th, valid 18Z on the 19th to 24Z on the 20th, with periods of changing wind, visibility, and ceilings.
Why flight trackers care
Convective TAFs (with TS or +TSRA) at your destination are the strongest leading indicator of arrival delay. A FlightyFlow delay-risk badge that goes amber 4 hours before your flight is almost always responding to a TAF change.
How to read them yourself
NOAA Aviation Weather Center publishes both for free. Pair with a NEXRAD radar layer for full context.
Frequently asked
What is a METAR in plain English?+
A current aviation weather observation at an airport, formatted in a standard cryptic code, updated about every hour.
What is a TAF?+
Terminal Aerodrome Forecast — a 24- to 30-hour forecast of conditions expected at an airport, used by dispatchers and pilots for fuel and routing decisions.
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