METAR - Decode

M

meritflyer

Well-Known Member
Take a stab at it.. Practice makes perfect.
[FONT=Monospace,Courier][/FONT]
[FONT=Monospace,Courier]KPHX 260619Z VRB06KT 10SM -TSRA BKN036 OVC050CB 27/24 A2984 RMK AO2 CONS LTGCGICCC OHD AND ALQDS TS OHD AND ALQDS MOV W P0024 $[/FONT]
 
meritflyer said:
Take a stab at it.. Practice makes perfect.

[FONT=Monospace,Courier]KPHX 260619Z VRB06KT 10SM -TSRA BKN036 OVC050CB 27/24 A2984 RMK AO2 CONS LTGCGICCC OHD AND ALQDS TS OHD AND ALQDS MOV W P0024 $[/FONT]
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Phoenix report on 26 Jul @ 0619 Z winds Variable @ 6 Kts visibility 10 Statute Miles thunderstorm with light rain showers sky condition is broken @ 3600' overcast cumulonimbus @5000' temp 27 C dew point 24 C Altimeter 29.84 remarks: automated station with precipitation discriminator continuous lightning cloud-to-ground, in cloud, and cloud-to-cloud overhead and all quadrants, thunderstorm overhead and all quadrants moving west precipitation = .24" in the last hour.

Sounds like y'all are having fun out there!:insane:
 
meritflyer said:
Take a stab at it.. Practice makes perfect.
[FONT=Monospace,Courier][/FONT]
[FONT=Monospace,Courier]KPHX 260619Z VRB06KT 10SM -TSRA BKN036 OVC050CB 27/24 A2984 RMK AO2 CONS LTGCGICCC OHD AND ALQDS TS OHD AND ALQDS MOV W P0024 $[/FONT]
Click to expand...

the "$" means the station needs maintainance, but that is obvious since it never rains in PHX, that thing is broken.
 
makes perfect sense... we had a hella time last night...lots of power lines & trees down where we are.
 
We didn't get much rain in Tucson, but the lighting show was incredible--you could see a lot of the "in-cloud" lightning.
 
Apologies to go off-topic...

Why in the hell aren't METARs and TAFs done in plaintext? I'm guessing the reason for the esoteric language is bandwidth savings back when 300-baud teleprinters were considered screaming fast. But in doing some self-study I've been trying to read these darned things and...well...it's annoying.

We have the technology. Why can't we do them in plain engrish?
 
killbilly said:
Apologies to go off-topic...

We have the technology. Why can't we do them in plain engrish?
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go to your local flight service station and take a look at the computers they use.......the technology might come quicker with Lockheed running things, but they certainly don't have the technology now....
 
launchpad said:
go to your local flight service station and take a look at the computers they use.......the technology might come quicker with Lockheed running things, but they certainly don't have the technology now....
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You're not kidding!! I remember going to the one at KISP, and I saw one of the first hard drives ever built that was the roughly size of a main landing gear tire of a 747, and that thing was only 1mb!!
 
My point being that the data could be relayed straight through the web. Cheaper. Old technology is far more expensive to operate over time than new technology. Not always, but generally.
 
killbilly said:
My point being that the data could be relayed straight through the web. Cheaper. Old technology is far more expensive to operate over time than new technology. Not always, but generally.
Click to expand...

You have no idea how NOAA, and the NWS deseminate their data do you?

THEY USE THE INTERNET SILLY. . . Google NOAAport.

I work in the weather profession, and I can't stand ignorant statements like these. Sorry.

What do you think they still use dial up? :sarcasm:

There is a reason why it is not in PLAIN english. It is a WMO (World Meteorlogical Organization) and ICAO requirement. Not EVERY country in the world uses ENGLISH for their weather. But when it comes to METAR and TAF formatting, EVERY country's respective weather individuals can UNDERSTAND it, including ignorant pilots flying into a foriegn land.

Nevertheless, if you find reading METARs and TAFs annoying. . . please don't fly planes with people on them, unless they are related to you.
 
surreal1221 said:
You have no idea how NOAA, and the NWS deseminate their data do you?

THEY USE THE INTERNET SILLY. . . Google NOAAport.
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Did not know this. Assumed that they didn't. Thanks for the clarification.

surreal1221 said:
I work in the weather profession, and I can't stand ignorant statements like these. Sorry.
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No apologies necessary. That's why I asked the question. I'm not so ignorant now, am I?

surreal1221 said:
What do you think they still use dial up? :sarcasm:
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Actually, I did think that. Extrapolative assumption, I guess - the majority of 9-1-1 call records still travel on 1200-baud nailed up analog circuits. Both FAA and telcom use a lot of 1960's technology, so I figured it might be the same. Logic was sound, but wrong. <shrug>

surreal1221 said:
There is a reason why it is not in PLAIN english. It is a WMO (World Meteorlogical Organization) and ICAO requirement. Not EVERY country in the world uses ENGLISH for their weather. But when it comes to METAR and TAF formatting, EVERY country's respective weather individuals can UNDERSTAND it, including ignorant pilots flying into a foriegn land.
Click to expand...
See, I didn't know this either. Thanks agian.

surreal1221 said:
Nevertheless, if you find reading METARs and TAFs annoying. . . please don't fly planes with people on them, unless they are related to you.
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Man, I really didn't mean to touch so many nerves with you. I'm not a pilot yet...planning to start training as soon as I can. This is why I'm trying to learn.

Did I use the word annoying? If I did, maybe I should have said...cumbersome. <shrug>

Meant no offense, man. Really.

EDIT - Yes, I did say 'annoying' and yes, I should have used another word.
 
surreal1221 said:
You have no idea how NOAA, and the NWS deseminate their data do you?

THEY USE THE INTERNET SILLY. . . Google NOAAport.

I work in the weather profession, and I can't stand ignorant statements like these. Sorry.

What do you think they still use dial up? :sarcasm:

There is a reason why it is not in PLAIN english. It is a WMO (World Meteorlogical Organization) and ICAO requirement. Not EVERY country in the world uses ENGLISH for their weather. But when it comes to METAR and TAF formatting, EVERY country's respective weather individuals can UNDERSTAND it, including ignorant pilots flying into a foriegn land.

Nevertheless, if you find reading METARs and TAFs annoying. . . please don't fly planes with people on them, unless they are related to you.
Click to expand...

Wow..someone's a little pissy. Reading METAR's and TAF's are annoying and I'll fly with people on board whenever I feel like it. That statement you made was nonsense.
 
"overhead" is what we came up with.

Seems kinda dumb though, wouldn't everything (clouds, lightning, ppt) on a TAF/metar be overhead if it is listed? Afterall it encompasses what is within the vicinity of the airport right?
 
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