Weather Valid Times Chart

oktex88

Well-Known Member
Does anyone have a copy of a chart/excel sheet that lists all the aviation weather products (METARs, TAFs, SIGMETs, etc), when the issue times are and how long they are valid for?

I used to have one that made it easy to study but misplaced it.
 
Memorizing that stuff is useless, IMHO. Being able to read one and determine what it's telling you is much more important. I don't know HOW many students came into my office for lessons with a 20 page DUATS brief for a ground lesson (or even a real live cross country!) and couldn't tell me what the cielings, vis, and wind for our destination at our ETA were supposed to be.
 
I agree that it is a lot MORE helpful to actually be able to decode the times in the weather products you are actually looking.

But it is still a little bit helpful to memorize valid times.

For example lets say I got a wx brief with a TAF about an hour ago. I know from memorizing valid times that a new TAF will be out in an hour. Now I'm one hour into my flight and I know I can call Flight Watch or Flight Service and get the updated TAF. If I didn't know the TAF valid times I wouldn't have know I could call up FSS or Flight Watch to get an updated TAF for my destination.
 
Here is a copy of a word document I made a while back which is set in a table format. If you want the word document PM your email.



TIBS Transcribed Information Briefing Service Available 24 hours a day Continuous telephone recordings of meteorological and aeronautical information.

DUATS Direct User Terminal Service Available 24 hours a day Anyone with medical has access to weather information.

EFAS En-route Flight Advisory Service 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. on 122.0 from 5,000 feet to 17,500 feet. Provide en-route weather upon request know as flight watch.

HIWAS Hazardous In-flight Weather Advisory Available 24 hours a day on selected navigation aids. Continuous broadcast of AIRMETS, SIGMETS, Convective SIGMETS, and Urgent PIREPS.

TWEB Transcribed Weather Broadcast Available 24 hours a day In Alaska recorded tape of meteorological conditions played over selected navigational aids.

METAR Aviation Routine Weather Report Hourly True wind direction.

PIREP Pilot weather Report ------------------------------- Provide conditions as they actually exist. Magnetic wind direction.

RAREP Radar Weather Report 35 minutes past the hour Displays areas of precipitation and thunderstorms.

TAF Terminal Aerodrome Forecast Valid for 30 hours. 0000Z, 0600Z, 1200Z, 1800Z 5 SM around airport. True wind direction.

FA Area Forecast Valid 18 hours and issued three times a day Gives picture of clouds, general weather conditions over a large area encompassing several states.

WA AIRMET Issued every 6 hours. Interest to all aircraft especially small. Moderate icing, moderate turbulence, surface winds 30 knots, visibility less than 3 SM.

WS SIGMET As needed All aircraft. Sever icing; severe turbulence, CAT not associated with TS, sand storms.

WST Convective SIGMET 55 minutes past the hour and valid for 2 hours. Severe TS, embedded TS, ¾’’ hail, surface winds greater than 50 knots.

FD Winds and Temperature Aloft Issued 0000Z and 1200Z Forecast winds and temperatures aloft.

------------------- Surface Analysis Transmitted every 3 hours Display high and low pressure, fronts, temps, dew point, and true wind direction.

------------------- Weather Depiction Chart Issued every three hours starting from 0100Z Detailed surface conditions from METAR’s

SD Radar Summery Chart 35 minutes past the hour Display precipitation and characteristics of precipitation.

------------------- Significant Weather Prognostic Chart Issued 4 times a day. 0000Z, 0600Z, 1200Z, and 1800Z Display none convective turbulence, freezing levels, IFR and MVFR weather
 
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