METAR - Meteorological Aerodrome Report

METAR is a format for reporting weather information, predominantly used by pilots as a pre-flight weather briefing, and by meteorologists who use aggregated METAR information to assist in weather forecasting.

Raw METAR is the most common format in the world for the transmission of observational weather data. It is highly standardized through the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), which allows it to be understood throughout most of the world.

A typical METAR contains data for the temperature, dew point, wind direction and speed, precipitation, cloud cover and heights, visibility, and barometric pressure. It  may also contain information on precipitation amounts, lightning, and other information that would be of interest to pilots or meteorologists such as a pilot report or PIREP, colour states and runway visual range (RVR).

Glossary

RMK Remarks
AMD Amended forecast
AUTO Automatic, without human editing
BC Patches
BL Blowing
BR Mist >=5/8
CAVOK Clouds And Visibility OK
CAVU Ceiling and visibility unlimited
CB Cumulonimbus
CLR Sky clear at or below 12,000AGL
COR Correction
DR Low Drifting
DS Dust storm
DSNT Distant weather phenomenon
DU Dust
DZ Drizzle
-DZ Light Drizzle
FC Funnel Cloud, Tornado or Waterspout
FG Fog
FM From
FROPA Frontal Passage
FU Smoke
FZ Freezing
GR Hail (>5mm)
GS Small Hail / Snow Pellets  (<5mm)
HZ Haze
IC Ice Crystals
LDG Landing
LTG Lightning
MI Shallow
NO Not available
NSC No significant clouds below 5000 ft, 1500 metres
NSW No significant weather
NOSIG No significant change in the next 2 hours
PK WND Peak Wind
PL Ice Pellets
PO Well-Developed Dust/Sand Whirls
PRESFR Pressure Falling Rapidly
PRESRR Pressure Rising Rapidly
PR Partial
PY Spray
RA Rain
-RA Light Rain
+RA Heavy Rain
RADZ Rain and Drizzle
RMK Remarks
RVRNO Runway Visual Range not available
RWY Runway
SA Sand
SFC VIS Surface Visibility
SG Snow Grains
SH Showers
SKC Sky Clear
SLPNO Sea Level Pressure not available
SLP Sea Level Pressure, add 10 to numbers given
SN Snow
-SN Light Snow
+SN Heavy Snow
SPECI Special Report
SQ Squalls Moderate
SS Sandstorm
TCU Towering Cumulus
TS Thunderstorm
TSRA Thunderstorm with Rain
+TSRA Heavy Thunderstorm with Rain
UP Unknown Precipitation
VA Volcanic Ash
VC In the Vicinity
VIRGA Virga
VRB Variable
V Varying
VV Vertical Visibility, indefinite ceiling
WSHFT - Wind shift
WS Wind shear