Technical ReportMeteorology

Reading METAR Reports

A comprehensive guide to decoding routine meteorological reports for pilots and dispatchers.

Reading METAR Reports

METAR is a format for reporting weather information. A METAR weather report is predominantly used by aircraft pilots and meteorologists, who use aggregated METAR information to assist in weather forecasting.

Structure of a METAR

A typical METAR contains:

Type of Report: METAR or SPECI.
Station Identifier: 4-letter ICAO code.
Date and Time: Day of the month and time in UTC.
Wind: Direction and speed.
Visibility: In statute miles or meters.
Weather Phenomena: Rain, fog, etc.
Sky Condition: Cloud layers.
Temperature/Dew Point: In Celsius.
Altimeter: QNH or Altimeter setting.

Example

EGLL 121520Z 24015KT 9999 FEW025 15/08 Q1013

Last Updated: 2026-04-13

Terms and Conditions & Disclaimer

For Advisory Decision-Support Only: AeroOps Technologies is an advanced operational decision-support platform. All analysis, reports, and projections serve as auxiliary advisory resources. The final authority and operational responsibility for safety of flight rest solely with the licensed flight dispatcher, pilot-in-command, and official aviation publications. Data Reliability & Verification: Information and metrics are provided to optimize operational planning. While the platform aggregates and updates data from certified international feeds, it does not assume liability for external source failures, network latency, or technical interruptions. Users must verify all operational data through active official channels. Operational crews must verify all flight planning and load figures against certified official AIP/NOTAM/METAR briefings prior to dispatch.

Reading METAR Reports | AeroOps