METARs & TAFs

What is METAR and TAF?

METARs provide current conditions; TAFs offer forecast trends

• METARs are coded weather reports summarising current conditions at aerodromes, including wind, visibility, weather, cloud, temperature, and pressure.
• TAFs are coded forecasts that describe the most likely weather conditions over periods up to 30 hours ahead. Both are routinely issued at over 50 UK airports.

These services are provided to meet the need for consistent and reliable weather information in aviation. They support safety, awareness, and operational efficiency by offering a standardised snapshot and forecast of weather conditions.

Who are they for?

• Pilots – Use METARs and TAFs for flight planning and in-flight decisions.
• Air Traffic Controllers – Monitor conditions to manage airport and airspace operations.
• Airline Operations – Plan and adjust schedules based on expected weather.

What Does It Include?

METARs	TAFs
Wind speed and direction Visibility Weather phenomena Cloud cover Temperature and pressure	Forecasts of wind, visibility, cloud, and weather Change groups indicating expected changes outside defined ranges This table describes the range of wind, cloud and visibilities that TAFs cover, without a change group being included.

Format:

Both are provided in coded text using standard abbreviations to ensure global consistency.
Values represent the most likely conditions but account for a range defined by ICAO.
See example decodes here:

• Click here for a decode for TAFs. 
• Click here for a decode for METARs. 

When and How Is It Issued?

METARs are issued routinely in near real-time.

TAFs are issued regularly and cover up to 30 hours ahead.

Both are available in coded format and updated frequently.

How Can I Access the Service?

METARs and TAFs are available for over 50 UK airports, and you can access this throughout range of our aviation meteorology services, click here to find out more.