How to Read a METAR: A Plain-English Guide

A METAR is a routine report of the weather at an airport right now. It looks like code, but the groups always come in the same order.

The order of the groups

1. Station: the four-letter ICAO code.
2. Day and time in UTC, for example 161000Z is day 16 at 10:00 UTC.
3. Wind: direction in degrees true and speed, for example 31008KT. G adds gusts. VRB means variable.
4. Visibility: in metres (9999 means 10 km or more) or in statute miles (SM) in the US and Canada.
5. Weather: codes such as RA (rain), HZ (haze), FG (fog), TS (thunderstorm). A minus is light, a plus is heavy.
6. Cloud: amount and height in hundreds of feet. FEW is 1 to 2 oktas, SCT 3 to 4, BKN 5 to 7, OVC 8. CB is cumulonimbus.
7. Temperature and dew point in °C. An M means minus.
8. Pressure: Q1002 is QNH in hectopascals. A2992 is an altimeter setting in inches of mercury.
9. Trend or remarks: NOSIG means no significant change expected.

Worked example

OMDB 161000Z 31008KT 6000 HZ FEW030 SCT250 36/22 Q1002 NOSIG

Dubai, day 16 at 10:00 UTC. Wind from 310° at 8 knots. Visibility 6,000 metres in haze. Few clouds at 3,000 ft and scattered at 25,000 ft. Temperature 36 °C, dew point 22 °C. QNH 1002 hPa. No significant change expected.

Flight categories

• VFR: ceiling above 3,000 ft and visibility above 5 miles.
• MVFR: ceiling 1,000 to 3,000 ft or visibility 3 to 5 miles.
• IFR: ceiling 500 to 999 ft or visibility 1 to 3 miles.
• LIFR: ceiling below 500 ft or visibility below 1 mile.

The ceiling is the lowest broken or overcast layer.

Open the live metar decoder

FAQ

What does CAVOK mean?

Visibility of 10 km or more, no cloud below 5,000 ft and no significant weather. It replaces the visibility, weather and cloud groups.

How often is a METAR issued?

Usually every 30 or 60 minutes. A SPECI is issued in between when the weather changes significantly.

More guides

• How to Calculate Crosswind and Headwind Components
• How to Read a TAF: Airport Forecasts Explained
• What Is in an ICAO Flight Plan? Every Item Explained
• The Wind Triangle Explained: Heading, Ground Speed and Drift
• FAA Part 117 Explained: Flight Time, Duty Period and Rest
• Flight Fuel Planning Explained: Trip, Contingency, Alternate and Reserve
• Density Altitude Explained: How Heat and Height Cut Performance
• How to File a Flight Plan: Steps for Pilots and Dispatchers
• How to Read a NOTAM: ICAO Format Explained

For training and reference only. Check official sources before any real flight.