Forecasts
This forecast provides weather predictions within 5 sm of a specific airport over a 24-30 hour period.
What is a TAF?
Sometimes referred to as “hourly” reports
What is a METAR?
This advisory is broken up into 3 types: Tango, Sierra, and Zulu.
What is an AIRMET?
Phone # a pilot can call to obtain a weather briefing
What is 1-800-Wx-Brief
automatically measures meteorological parameters, reduces and analyzes the data via computer, and broadcasts weather reports which can be received by aircraft operating up to 10,000 feet above ground level and 25 nautical miles (nm) from the station
What is AWOS?
A meteorological chart that displays expected temperature, wind direction and speed at specified altitudes
What is winds aloft forecast?
An unscheduled report taken when specific criteria are observed during the period between hourly reports
What is a SPECI?
This advisory alerts pilots to severe weather that is potentially hazardous to all aircraft
What is a SIGMET?
The most complete weather briefing a pilot can obtain
What is a Standard Brief?
A joint effort of the National Weather Service (NWS), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and the Department of Defense (DOD)
What is ASOS?
These forecasts describe the potential for severe and non-severe convective activity across the contiguous U.S.
What is a Convective Outlook?
This report gives pilots insight into weather conditions directly observed from others during flight
What is a PIREP?
Issued for severe thunderstorms with surface winds greater than 50 knots, hail at the surface greater than or equal to ¾ inch in diameter, or tornadoes.
What is a Convective SIGMET?
Typically requested when a planned departure is 6 hours or more away
What is an Outlook Brief?
This system remains the best platform for observing temperature, wind, relative humidity, and pressure above the ground.
What is a Weather Balloon?
Used by pilots to determine the forecast of surface weather patterns pertaining to pressure systems, fronts, and precipitation
What is a Prog Chart?
Only valid for 3 hours, this chart uses symbols for station plots, pressure lines, and frontal boundaries
What is a Surface Analysis Chart
An unscheduled weather advisory issued by CWSU meteorologists for ATC use to alert pilots of existing or anticipated adverse weather conditions within the next two hours
What is a Center Weather Advisory? (CWA)
Used to update a previous briefing due to departure delay
What is a Abbreviated Brief?
Used by ATC to provide vital information and warnings about: hazardous wind shear conditions, precipitation, gust fronts, and microbursts.
What is TDWR? (Terminal Doppler Weather Radar)
Replaced the FA in the U.S. and provides a forecast for the enroute phase of flight.
What is a Graphical Area Forecast (GFA)
Provides precipitation intensity that could be up to 6 minutes old
What is ATC Radar Weather Display?
Advisory information on volcanic ash cloud issued in abbreviated plain language, using approved ICAO abbreviations and numerical values of self-explanatory nature.
What is a Volcanic Ash Advisory (VAA)?
This is a website a pilot can use in order to obtain a weather briefing.
What is 1800WxBrief.com?
This is considered by many to be the most powerful radar in the world, transmitting at 750,000 watts (an average light bulb is only 75 watts)! This power enables a beam of energy generated by the radar to travel long distances, and detect many kinds of weather phenomena.
What is WSR 88-D?