How to read a METAR
A METAR is a snapshot of current weather at an airport. Read left to right, each group answers one question. On every airport page we decode it into plain English for you, or paste your own report into the free METAR & TAF decoder.
KBJC 271953ZStation & timeAirport ICAO and the observation time in Zulu (UTC): day-of-month + HHMM, ending in Z.
30012G18KTWindDirection (true °) and speed in knots; G = gust. “VRB” means variable, “00000KT” is calm.
10SMVisibilityPrevailing visibility in statute miles. “10SM” is 10+ miles; “1 1/2SM” fractions are common in low vis.
TSRAWeatherPresent-weather codes: TS thunderstorm, RA rain, BR mist, FG fog, SN snow, − light, + heavy.
BKN025 OVC040Sky / cloudsCoverage and base in hundreds of feet AGL: FEW, SCT, BKN, OVC. Ceiling = lowest BKN/OVC layer.
23/17Temp / dew pointTemperature and dew point in °C. A small spread means moisture and possible fog or low cloud.
A2992AltimeterAltimeter setting in inches of mercury (29.92 here). Set this in your altimeter’s Kollsman window.
What is a SPECI?
A SPECI is a special METAR issued off-schedule: the station doesn't wait for the next hourly cycle when conditions change significantly. Triggers include the wind shifting or gusting past thresholds, visibility or ceiling crossing a flight-category boundary, thunderstorms or freezing precipitation beginning or ending, and runway-affecting weather. A SPECI reads exactly like a METAR (the first word is simply SPECI), but its existence is itself information: something just changed. Every airport page on this site compares the newest report against the previous one and lists what changed in plain English, and the ATIS Alerts Telegram bot sends you that change the moment it happens.
Forecasts use the same code: here's how to read a TAF →
Flight categories
The category badge you see across this site is the worse of ceiling and visibility (full guide →):
- VFR: ceiling above 3,000 ft and visibility greater than 5 miles.
- MVFR: ceiling 1,000–3,000 ft and/or visibility 3–5 miles.
- IFR: ceiling 500–1,000 ft and/or visibility 1–3 miles.
- LIFR: ceiling below 500 ft and/or visibility under 1 mile.
Skip the decoding: get the change pushed to you
The bot reads every new METAR at your airport and messages you when something in it actually changed.