Clear, sunny and Metar defined for real this time

Good morning Augusta.

This morning it is clear. High of 77F. Winds from the NE at 5 to 10 mph.

Tonight it will be clear. Low of 54F. Winds less than 5 mph.

The readings from my own instruments are:

The humidity is 72% with a Dew Point of 51ºF and temp is 65.5ºF.

Our wind direction is East Northeast between 1.7 MPH and 2.0 MPH.  

Our Barometric pressure is  30.43 HPA 1019 and rising with a weather graphic indicating sun.

The UV rating is 1 out of 16, Sunrise is 4:56 a.m. sunset is 8:27 PM and Moon Rise is at 5:27 a.m. EDT and the moon phase is a new moon.

For the pilots out there, Raw Metar readings are:

METAR KAUG 271053Z AUTO 33005KT 10SM CLR 14/11 A3009 RMK AO2 SLP189 T01390106

Visibility is 10.0 miles/16.1 kilometers with excellent clear conditions.

We received no rain here in the past 24 hours.

Yesterday I mistakenly posted the Isobar and Millobar explanation. So today I post the Raw Metar explanation

Downloaded from:

http://www.wikihow.com/Read-an-Aviation-Routine-Weather-Report-%28METAR%29

How to Read an Aviation Routine Weather Report (METAR)

Edited by Capt Thorne, Ben Rubenstein, Flickety, Jonathan Thorne and 11 others

Aviators use METAR reports to get essential knowledge of flying conditions. To the casual observer this may look like a string of random numbers and letters,

but this article tells you how to decode such a report.

Lets do it in steps.

1. Obtain the Report. The following wikiHow uses a METAR showing weather conditions at the United States Air Force Academy. The Report referred to is:

METAR KAFF 212355Z COR VRB05KT 15SM FEW040 SCT060 SCT075 SCT090 BKN220 15/M01 A2957 RMK ACSL DSNT SE-S SLP960 SHRA DSNT N-E-SE AND DSNT NW 60001 55000

LAST COR 0043

2. Assess the Type of Report (METAR). It will be either:

• METAR = Routine Hourly report; or

• SPECI = Special, unscheduled report.

3. Note the Station Identifier (KAFF). K is the prefix for location Identifiers in the Continental US. AFF = Air Force Academy airfield. The international

specifications for METARs are published by the World Meterological Organization (WMO). For example, EGLL is used for London Heathrow and RJAA for Tokyo Narita airports.

4. Note the Date/Time (212355Z). The first two numbers are the day of the month followed by the time in Zulu (aka Universal or Greenwich Mean Time). In this

case, the report was made on the 21st day of the month at 2355 Zulu (1755 local time). Note: The report gives no indication of the month or year.

5. Look for the Modifier (COR). If present, it will be either:

• AUTO = automated station;

• COR = corrected automated report.

6. Check the Wind Information (VRB05KT). The first three numbers are the direction the wind is from (true heading) or "VRB" for variable, followed by the speed in knots. If the wind is gusting, the highest gust will be displayed after the wind speed. For example, winds from the North at a speed of 7 knots

with a gust up to 15 knots would be displayed "36007G15KT".

7. Check the Visibility (15SM). The prevailing visibility in statute miles (SM). Fractions are displayed with a space, 1 1/2SM. Additional visibility for a runway may also appear in the report as R (for runway) followed by the selected runway, a slash (/), and the visibility in feet for that runway. For

example R36L/2400FT would denote a visibility of 2400FT for runway 36 left.

8. View the Present Weather (it's absent in this example). This may include one or more of the following: Intensity, Descriptor, Precipitation, Obscuration, and other phenomenon. See table below:

Intensity

Descriptor

Precipitation

Obscuration

Other   

- Light

MI Shallow

DZ Drizzle

BR Mist

PO Dust/Sand whirls 

Moderate (no qualifier)

BC Patches

RA Rain

FG Fog

SQ Squalls 

+ Heavy

DR Low Drifting

SN Snow

FU Smoke

FC Funnel Cloud 

VC In the vicinity

BL Blowing

SG Snow Grains

DU Dust

+FC Tornado or Waterspout  

SH Showers

IC Ice Crystals

SA Sand

SS Sandstorm  

TS Thunderstorm

PL Ice Pellets

HZ Haze

DS Duststorm  

FZ Freezing

GR Hail

PY Spray   

PR Partial

GS Small Hail or Snow Pellets

VA Volcanic Ash    

UP Unknown Precipitation*  

*Automated stations only

For example: light snow would be -SN, heavy thunderstorm with rain +TSRA, moderate freezing drizzle FZDZ, etc.

9. Note the Sky Condition (FEW040 SCT060 SCT075 SCT090 BKN220). The first three letters tell the amount of sky covered.

• SKC = Clear (manual report);

• CLR = Clear (automated report);

• FEW = Few (1/8 to 2/8 of sky covered);

• SCT = Scattered (3/8 to 4/8 of sky covered);

• BKN = Broken (5/8 to 7/8 of sky covered);

• OVC = Overcast (total sky coverage). The following numbers indicate the height of the base of the clouds in hundreds of feet above the ground. The ceiling

is the lowest cloud deck reported as either BKN or OVC. In the example, the ceiling is at 22,000ft.

10. View the Temperature/Dew Point (15/M01). This is the temperature reported in C° and the dewpoint, also in C°. An 'M' means Minus.

11. Check the Altimeter Setting (A2957). This is the equivalent sea level pressure in inches of Mercury ("Hg). For example, A2957 = 29.57"Hg. Pilots use this

information to ensure their altimeter is displaying the correct altitude. 29.92 is standard.

12. Note the Remarks (RMK ACSL DSNT SE-S SLP960 SHRA DSNT N-E-SE AND DSNT NW 60001 55000 LAST COR 0043). Any remarks that may be useful, such as when a thunderstorm began or ended, type of station, sea level pressure, temperature to the tenth of a degree, etc. In the example:

• ACSL DSNT SE-S = altocumulus standing lenticular clouds in the distant (beyond 10SM) south-east through south.

• SLP960 = Sea level pressure (in tenths of hectopascals) 996.0hPa. The 10 or 9 at the beginning is omitted. Add the number that brings it closest to 1,000.0.

• SHRA DSNT N-E-SE AND DSNT NW = moderate rain showers in the distant north through east through south-east and distant north-west.

• 60001 55000 = additive and automated maintenance data.

• LAST COR 0043 = last correction at 43 minutes past the hour.

(Okay, its all nice and clear to you now, right?)