Jak czytać METAR

• Type and station: METAR or SPECI, plus ICAO airport code
• Time of observation: day and time in UTC
• Wind: direction and speed, including variability and gusts
• Visibility: prevailing visibility and, where used, minimum/sector visibility
• Runway Visual Range (RVR): if below certain thresholds
• Present weather: precipitation, obscuration, and significant phenomena
• Clouds: coverage, base, and significant cloud types
• Temperature and dew point
• Altimeter/QNH: pressure setting
• Recent weather, wind shear, trend and remarks: additional details and local notes

METAR EDDM 011220Z 26012KT 220V290 9999 -RA SCT020 BKN035 18/14 Q1013 NOSIG

• 01 – day of the month (1st)
• 1220 – time in UTC (12:20)
• Z – Zulu, meaning UTC

• 26012KT – wind from 260° at 12 knots
• Direction is always the direction the wind is coming from, in degrees true in METARs (tower reports to aircraft use magnetic for runway alignment).
• KT – units are knots (sometimes MPS for metres per second in some states).
• 220V290 – wind direction varying between 220° and 290°. This is reported when the variation is 60° or more and the mean speed is above a threshold.

• 9999 – 10 km or more
• 8000 – 8 km
• 3000 – 3 km
• 0500 – 500 m
• 0500NW – 500 m in the northwest sector (where sector visibility is reported)

R26L/0600D

• Intensity:
  • - – light
  • (no sign) – moderate
  • + – heavy

• FEW – 1–2 oktas (eighths of sky) covered
• SCT – scattered, 3–4 oktas
• BKN – broken, 5–7 oktas (considered a ceiling)
• OVC – overcast, 8 oktas (also a ceiling)

• SCT020 – scattered cloud with base at 2 000 ft AGL
• BKN035 – broken cloud with base at 3 500 ft AGL (this is the ceiling)

• CB – cumulonimbus (thunderstorm cloud)
• TCU – towering cumulus (strong vertical development, often a precursor to CB)

• NSC – no significant cloud (no cloud below 5 000 ft and none of operational significance)
• NCD – no clouds detected (automated station could not detect any)
• VV/// – vertical visibility when the sky is obscured (e.g. in fog)

• 18 – temperature +18 °C
• 14 – dew point +14 °C

• Q1013 – 1013 hPa (hectopascals)

• NOSIG – no significant change
• BECMG – becoming (permanent or long-lasting change)
• TEMPO – temporary fluctuations expected

METAR EDDM 011220Z 26012KT 9999 -RA SCT020 BKN035 18/14 Q1013 TEMPO 3000 +TSRA BKN010CB

• SLP – sea level pressure (e.g. SLP987 for 998.7 hPa)
• AO1/AO2 – type of automated station (US)
• PK WND 28035/20 – peak wind 35 kt from 280° at minute 20 past the hour
• RAB20 – rain began at 20 past the hour; RAE35 – rain ended at 35
• LTG DSNT SW – lightning distant southwest
• WIND SHEAR RWY26 – reported low-level wind shear on or near runway 26

Example US-style METAR:

• 10SM – visibility in statute miles instead of metres/kilometres
• A2992 – altimeter 29.92 inHg instead of QNH in hPa
• RMK AO2 – automated station with a precipitation sensor

• AUTO – fully automated report (no human observer). Cloud types and some weather may be missing or less reliable.
• COR – corrected METAR. An earlier report had an error and this is the corrected version.
• NIL – no METAR is available at the scheduled time (e.g. METAR EDDM NIL).

• Time – how old is this report?
• Wind – direction, crosswind, gusts, variability vs. runway in use
• Visibility/RVR – legal minima and personal/company minima
• Clouds – ceiling vs. circuit altitude and approach minima
• Weather – precipitation, thunderstorms, icing risk
• Temperature/dew point – fog risk, performance, icing
• QNH – altitude reference, density altitude considerations
• Trend/remarks – is it getting better or worse?

• Compare crosswind and tailwind components to your certified and personal limits.
• Compare visibility and ceiling to approach minima and alternate requirements.
• Use temperature and QNH to estimate density altitude and takeoff/landing distance.
• Use dew point spread and trends to anticipate rapid changes around dawn/dusk.

• Strong, gusty crosswinds plus wet or contaminated runway
• Low ceiling close to circling or approach minima
• Small temperature–dew point spread with light wind at night (fog risk)
• Thunderstorms (TS, CB) near the field with strong wind shifts
• Freezing precipitation (FZRA, FZDZ) or mixed rain/snow around 0 °C