This web page contains the standards for coding a weather obervation in either aviation routine weather report (METAR) and/or aviation special weather report (SPECI) format. The table below shows the generic format elements of a METAR/SPECI, the element content, and details on that element.
Message elements are shown in the order in which they are placed in the coded METAR.
| Generic Format | Element Content | Element Details |
| METAR or SPECI | type of report | none |
| CCCC | station identification | four letter code to identify the station to which the report applies; location identifiers for the contiguous U.S. start with K |
| YYGGggZ | date and time of report | the actual time of the report or when the criteia for SPECI is met; YY is the day of the month; GGgg is the time in Zulu time (or UTC) |
| AUTO or COR | report modifier | AUTO indicates the observation if fully automated with no human intervention or oversight; COR indicates a corrected observation |
| dddff(f)Gfmfm(fm)KT dndndnVdxdxdx |
wind speed and direction | ddd = wind direction in tens of degrees ff = wind speed in knots (two or three digits) G = gust indicator followed by gust value Variable wind direction a. speeds 6 kts or less - VRB03KT b. speed greater than 6 kt - dddVddd c. calm wind - 000000KT |
| VVVVVSM | surface visibility | in statute miles; code values depend upon whether an automated or manual observation |
|
RDRDR/VRVRVRVRFT
or RDRDR/VNVNVNVNV VXVXVXVXFT |
runway visual range | R = indicator followed by the runway number; reportable values of visual range or variable range values |
| w'w' | present weather | intensity or proximity; descriptor; precipitation; obscuration, or other phenomena |
| NsNsNshshshs
or VVhshshs or SKC/CLR |
sky condition | NNNhhh = cloud amount and height (hundreds of feet) a. SKC or CLR = 0/8 clooud cover b. FEW = 1/8-2/8 cloud cover c. SCT = 3/8-4/8 cloud cover d. BKN = 5/8-7/8 cloud cover e. OVC = 8/8 cloud cover VVhhh = vertical visibility and height (hundreds of feet) |
| T'T'/T'dT'd | temperature and dew point | to the nearest whole degree Celcius; negative values start with M, e.g., M03 is -3 C |
| APHPHPHPH | altimeter setting | tens, units, tenths, hundredths of inches of mercury; no decimal point is coded |
| RMK | remarks | a. automated, manual, and plain language b. additive and maintenance data |
Please note that each element of a coded METAR observation is separated by a space. When an element does not occur, or cannot be observed, the corresponding group and preceding space are omitted from that particular report.
| Generic Format | Remark Content | Remark Details |
| plain language | volcanic eruption | name of volcano, latitude/longitude, date/time of eruption; ash cloud description |
| tornadic activity B/E(hh)mm LOC/DIR (MOV) | tornadoes funnel clouds waterspouts |
type of phenomena; start or end time; location; movement |
| AO1 or AO2 | type of automated station | automated station AO1 = without precip discriminator AO2 = with precip discriminator |
| PK WND dddff(f)/(hh)mm | peak wind | peak wind speed/direction since the last METAR and time example: PK WND 28045/15 |
| WSHFT (hh)mm | wind shift | time the wind shift began; FROPA may be used after the time example: WSHFT 30 FROPA |
| TWR VIS vvvvv or SFC VIS vvvvv |
tower or surface visibility | when multiple observing sites exist |
| VIS vvvvvVvvvvv | variable prevailing visibility | if prevailing visibility is less than 3 miles and rapidly increases or decreases by 1/2 mile example: VIS 1/2V2 |
| VIS DIR vvvvv | sector visibility | VIS - remark identifier DIR - sector to 8 points of compass vvvvv - sector visibility example: VIS NE 2 1/2 |
| VIS vvvvv LOC | visibility at a second location | VIS - remark identifier vvvvv - visibility at second location LOC location example: VIS 2 1/2 RWY11 |
| Frequency LTG(type) LOC | lightning frequency | frequency: a. OCNL - occasional b. FRQ - frequent c. CONS - continuous type: a. CG - cloud to ground b. IC - in cloud c. CC - cloud to cloud d. CA - cloud to air examples: OCNL LTGICCG OHD, LTG DSNT W |
| w'w'B(hh)mmE(hh)mm | beginning/end of precip | w'w' - precip type B - beginning indicator E - end indicator (hh)mmm - (hour) and minute example: RAB05E30SNB20E55 |
| TSB(hh)mmE(hh)mm | beginning/end of thunderstorm | example: TSB0159E30 |
| TS LOC (MOV DIR) | thunderstorm location | LOC - location of thunderstorm MOV DIR - movement with direction example: TS SE MOV NE |
| GR size | hailstone size | GR - remark identifier example: GR 1 3/4 |
| VIRGA (DIR) | virga | VIRGA - remark identifer DIR - direction from station example: VIRGA SW |
| CIG hhhVhhh | variable ceiling height | CIG - remark identifier hhh - ceiling height example: CIG 005V010 |
| w'w' NNNhhh | obscurations | w'w' - obscuration NNN - sky cover amount of obscuration hhh - height of obscuration examples: FG SCT000, FU BKN020 |
| NNN(hhh) V NNN | variable sky condition | NNN - sky cover amount hhh - cloudceiling height example: BKN014 V OVC |
| plain language | significant cloud types | possible cloud types: a. CB - cumulonimbus b. TCU - towering cumulus c. ACC - altocumulus castellanus |
| CIG hhh LOC | ceiling height at second location | CIG - remark identifier hhh - ceiling height LOC - location of second ceilometer example: CIG 002 RWY11 |
| PRESRR PRESFR |
pressure rising or falling rapidly | pressure rising/falling at a rate of 0.06 inch/hour |
| SLPppp | sea level pressure | SLP - remark identifier ppp - sea level pressure in hectopascals example: SLP982 (998.2 hPa) |
| ACFT MSHP | aircraft mishap | when an observation is taken when notified of an aircraft mishap |
| NOSPECI | no SPECI reports taken | at stations where no specials are taken |
| SNINCR inches-this hour/inches-on ground | snow increaing rapidly | whenever snow increases by 1 inch or more in the past hour example: SNINCR 2/10 |
| plain language | other significant information | example: FIRST or LAST |
| Generic Format | Remark Content | Remark Details |
| Prrrr | hourly precip amount | P - group indicator rrrr - water equivalent of precip since last METAR in hundredths of an inch example: P0000 - trace of precip |
| 6RRRR | 3-/6-hour precip amount | 6 - group indicator RRRR - amount of precip in last 3 or 6 hours in hundredths of an inch 6 hourly at 00Z, 06Z, 12Z, 18Z 3 hourly at 03Z, 09Z, 15Z, 21Z example: 60217 = 2.17 inches |
| 7RRRR | 24-hour precip amount | 7 - group indicator RRRR - amount of precip in last 24 hours example: 70125 = 1.25 inches |
| 4/sss | snow depth on ground | 4/ - group indicator sss - snow depth in whole inches exaample: 4/021 = 21 inches |
| 933RRR | water equivalent of snow on ground | 933 - group indicator RRR - water equivalent of snow in tens, units, and tenths of inches example: 933125 = 12.5 inches |
| 8/CLCMCH | cloud types | predominatn type of low cloud (CL), middle cloud (CM), and high cloud (CH) examples: 8/6// = low overcast stratus cloud (no middle or high cloud) 8/903 = low CB, no middle cloud, dense high cirrus |
| 98mmm | duration of sunshine | 98 - group indicator mmm - total minutes of sunshine example: 98096 = 96 minutes of sunshine |
| TsTTTsDDD | hourly temperature and dew point | T - group indicator s - sign of value (0-above zero; 1-below zero) TTT - temperature in tens, units, tenths DDD - dew point in tens, units, enths example: T00261015 = T of 2.6 C and DP of -1.5 C |
| 1sTTT | 6-hourly max temperature | 1 - group indicator s - sign of value (0-above zero; 1-below zero) TTT - max temperature in tens, units, tenths |
| 2sTTT | 6-hourly min temperature | 2 - group indicator s - sign of value (0-above zero; 1-below zero) TTT - min temperature in tens, units, tenths |
| 4sTTTsTTT | 24-hour max/min temperature | 4 - group indicator s - sign of value (0-above zero; 1-below zero) first TTT - max temperature in tens, units, tenths second TTT - min temperature in tens, units, tenths |
| 5appp | 3-hourly pressure tendency | 5 - group indicator a - character of pressure change over the past 3 hours ppp - amount of pressure change in tenths of hectopascals |
METAR KOKC 041452Z 17011KT 10SM TS SCT065CB SCT110 OVC220 27/21 A2990 RMK A02 TSB46 SLP109 OCNL LTGICCG TS VC NE MOV SE SHRA N-NE T02670206 53006
METAR observation from Oklahoma City (KOKC) on the 4th day of the month at 1452Z (15Z). Wind is from the SSW (170 deg) at 11 knots. Visibility is 10 statute miles with thunderstorms (TS) over the airport. There are three cloud layers: scattered clouds at 6,500 feet (SCT065); scattered clouds at 11,000 feet (SCT110); and overcast clouds at 22,000 feet (OVC220). The temperature in whole degrees is 27 C and the dew point is 21 C. The altimeter setting is 29.90 inhces of mercury. The thunderstorm began at 46 minutes past the hour. Sea level pressure is 1010.9 hectopascals (millibars). There is occasional in-cloud and cloud-to-ground lightning. There are thunderstorms in the vicinity, northeast of the airport moving southeast. There are rain showers from north through northeast. The whole number temperature of 27 C is really 26.7 C while the whole number dew point of 21 is really 20.6 C. The character of the pressure change is a check rise (3) with an increase of 0.6 hectopascals.