Meteorological Aerodrome Report (METAR)

A METAR is an aviation weather report that provides the current, observed meteorological conditions at an aerodrome. It is updated every hour (routine METAR), or as needed (special METAR – SPECI), and is used by pilots, dispatchers, and air traffic controllers for real-time weather assessment.
METARs are essential for preflight planning, in-flight updates, and runway and approach decision-making.

• Inform pilots of actual conditions at departure, enroute alternate, and destination airports
• Support decisions on VFR vs. IFR, fuel planning, and alternate selection
• Aid ATC in assigning runways and approach types
• Evaluate if conditions meet landing/takeoff minima

A standard METAR includes:

• Aerodrome ICAO identifier
• Time of observation (UTC)
• Wind speed and direction
• Visibility
• Significant weather phenomena
• Cloud layers and coverage
• Temperature and dew point
• QNH (sea-level pressure)
• Runway condition reports (optional)
• Recent weather changes and trends

LOWW 081250Z 28010KT 9999 FEW020 SCT040 BKN080 17/10 Q1013 NOSIG

Decoded:

• LOWW: Vienna International Airport
• 081250Z: Observed on the 8th at 12:50 UTC
• 28010KT: Wind from 280° at 10 knots
• 9999: Visibility 10 km or more
• FEW020 SCT040 BKN080: Few clouds at 2000 ft, scattered at 4000 ft, broken at 8000 ft
• 17/10: Temperature 17°C, dew point 10°C
• Q1013: Pressure 1013 hPa
• NOSIG: No significant weather change expected in next 2 hours

• ✅ Provide a reliable snapshot of current flight conditions
• ✅ Help verify actual weather matches or deviates from the forecast
• ✅ Allow pilots to evaluate departure and destination safety
• ✅ Support fuel and alternate decisions, especially under IFR

• “Wien Tower, copied latest METAR: visibility 3000 meters, broken clouds at 900 feet.”
• “METAR indicates wind 220 at 12 knots, request runway 22.”

• Always compare latest METAR and TAF
• Use “CAVOK” to quickly assess favorable VFR conditions
• Check for wind shifts, low clouds, or pressure drops indicating change
• Practice reading raw METARs with LearnATC training tools