How to Read a METAR: A Step-by-Step Guide for Student Pilots
At first glance, a METAR can look like a string of random letters and numbers:
KDTO 261553Z 18012G20KT 10SM FEW025 SCT050 32/21 A2994
But once you understand the format, that single line provides a useful snapshot of the weather at an airport.
Pilots use METARs to evaluate current surface weather conditions, including wind, visibility, clouds, temperature, dew point, and atmospheric pressure.
Learning how to decode one is a fundamental weather skill for student pilots.
What Is a METAR?
A METAR, or METeorological Aerodrome Report, is a standardized report of observed surface weather conditions at an airport or weather reporting station.
Unlike a forecast, a METAR tells you what was observed at or near the reporting station at a particular time.
A typical METAR can include:
Station identifier
Date and time
Wind
Visibility
Runway visual range when applicable
Present weather
Sky conditions
Temperature and dew point
Altimeter setting
Remarks
Not every METAR contains every possible element. Information that isn't applicable may simply be omitted.
The easiest way to learn the format is to work through one section at a time.
A METAR Example
We'll use this example:
KTRL 261553Z 18012G20KT 10SM FEW025 SCT050 32/21 A2994
Let's break it down.
1. Station Identifier: KTRL
The first group identifies the weather reporting station.
KTRL
In this example, the report is from Terrell Municipal Airport in Terrell, Texas.
METARs use four-letter ICAO station identifiers. In the contiguous United States, most if not all three-letter airport identifiers are preceded by a K. If you see a number, it’s highly unlikely that there will be a K prefix. That being said, an airport without a K prefix is incredibly unlikely to have a METAR either.
So:
TRL → KTRL
Other parts of the world use different ICAO prefixes, such as the UK using EG, Canada using CY, Mexico using MX, and Russia using U.
In terms of other US regions, Hawaii uses PH, Alaska uses PA, Puerto Rico uses TJ or PR, and the US Virgin Islands use TI.
Recognizing the station identifier is important because weather only becomes useful when you know where it was observed.
2. Date and Time: 261553Z
Next comes the date and time of the observation.
261553Z
Break that into pieces:
26 = 26th day of the month
1553 = 15:53
Z = Zulu time, Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), or Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). All of these mean the same thing.
So this observation was taken on the 26th day of the month at 1553Z. METARs use UTC rather than local time so aviation weather reports have one consistent time reference.
Student pilots should become comfortable converting Zulu time to local time when necessary. In Central Standard Time, this example would be 9:53am and in CDT it would be 10:53am.
3. Wind: 18012G20KT
Next comes the wind group:
18012G20KT
This tells us:
180 = wind direction
12 = sustained wind speed
G20 = gusting to 20
KT = knots
So the wind is reported from 180 degrees (true) at 12 knots, gusting to 20 knots.
If the wind direction is variable rather than coming from one consistent direction, you may see VRB. For example: VRB04KT means the wind direction is variable at 4 knots. You may also see 00000KT, indicating calm wind.
In terms of direction, you may see 18012G20KT 140V220. This addition to the end means that the direction is variable between 140 and 220 degrees.
Wind is particularly important when pilots evaluate runway selection, crosswind components, takeoff and landing performance, and changing weather conditions.
4. Visibility: 10SM
Next:
10SM
This indicates a ground visibility of 10 statute miles. It is important to note that when you see “10”, it may in fact be far higher. 10 is just the highest most METARs will report.
Other airports may be different. For instance, KADS reports up to 13, but even then, when you see “13” it may be upwards of 20.
In U.S. METARs, visibility is reported in statute miles. Reduced visibility may appear as:
5SM = 5 statute miles
2SM = 2 statute miles
1/2SM = one-half statute mile
Visibility should never be considered by itself. Pilots combine it with cloud ceilings, weather phenomena, terrain, forecasts, and other information to understand the overall conditions. It is also important to note that visibility is not the furthest you can clearly and fully see something, it’s the furthest an object or light can be “clearly discerned”. In practicality this usually means you can tell what something is, what color it is, and not much more.
5. Present Weather
Our example doesn't contain a present-weather group, which means we can move to the next section.
When significant weather is being reported, however, you may see combinations of abbreviations.
Some common examples include:
RA — rain
SN — snow
BR — mist
FG — fog
TS — thunderstorm
DZ — drizzle
Intensity may also be indicated. For example: -RA for light rain, RA for moderate rain, and +RA for heavy rain.
Weather codes can also be combined. For example: TSRA indicates a thunderstorm with rain.
There are many possible METAR weather abbreviations, so pilots should use current FAA weather references when they encounter an unfamiliar code rather than trying to guess. The FAA maintains a list of METAR abbreviations that can be easily accessed through a search engine or downloaded.
6. Sky Conditions: FEW025 SCT050
Next we have:
FEW025 SCT050
These groups describe cloud coverage and cloud-base height.
FEW025
FEW means few clouds. 025 means the cloud base is approximately 2,500 feet above ground level (AGL).
SCT050
SCT means scattered clouds. 050 means the cloud base is approximately 5,000 feet AGL. Cloud heights in METARs are reported in hundreds of feet.
So: 010 = 1,000 feet. 025 = 2,500 feet. 050 = 5,000 feet. 100 = 10,000 feet.
Common cloud-coverage abbreviations include:
FEW — few
SCT — scattered
BKN — broken
OVC — overcast
Understanding the difference between these categories becomes especially important when determining whether a ceiling exists.
What Counts as a Ceiling?
A ceiling is generally the height above the earth's surface of the lowest broken or overcast layer, or the vertical visibility into an obscuration. That means FEW and SCT layers aren't considered ceilings.
For example: SCT020 BKN040 would indicate scattered clouds at 2,000 feet and a broken layer at 4,000 feet. The ceiling would therefore be 4,000 feet AGL.
That's an important distinction because pilots use ceiling and visibility information when evaluating flight conditions and weather requirements. It is important to note that this ceiling being higher than the lowest cloud does not necessarily mean cloud clearances can be reasonably maintained from these lower clouds.
7. Temperature and Dew Point: 32/21
Next: 32/21
The number before the slash is the temperature. The number after the slash is the dew point.
Both are reported in degrees Celsius. So: 32 = temperature of 32°C, 21 = dew point of 21°C
If a temperature is below zero, the METAR uses an M for minus. For example: 03/M02 means: Temperature: 3°C, Dew point: -2°C
The relationship between temperature and dew point can provide useful information about atmospheric moisture. A narrowing temperature-dew point spread can be one indication that fog or low clouds may become more likely under the right conditions.
However, pilots should consider the complete weather picture rather than using the temperature-dew point spread alone to predict conditions.
8. Altimeter Setting: A2994
The final group in our example is:
A2994
The A identifies the altimeter setting, and the following four digits represent inches of mercury. Insert a decimal after the first two digits:
29.94 inches of mercury
Pilots use the appropriate current altimeter setting to set the aircraft's altimeter. Atmospheric pressure changes over time and location, which is why obtaining current weather information is an important part of flight preparation.
Putting the Entire METAR Together
Let's return to our original example:
KTRL 261553Z 18012G20KT 10SM FEW025 SCT050 32/21 A2994
Now we can read it as:
At Terrell Municipal Airport on the 26th day of the month at 1553Z, the wind is from 180 degrees at 12 knots with gusts to 20 knots. Visibility is 10 statute miles. There are few clouds at 2,500 feet AGL and scattered clouds at 5,000 feet AGL. The temperature is 32°C, the dew point is 21°C, and the altimeter setting is 29.94 inches of mercury.
What initially looked like a complicated code now gives us a concise picture of current conditions.
What Does RMK Mean?
Many METARs contain another section beginning with RMK. That means remarks. The remarks section can provide additional information that doesn't appear in the main body of the report.
Depending on the station and conditions, remarks may contain information about precipitation, cloud types, pressure, temperature, lightning, automated observing equipment, and other weather details.
Remarks can become fairly detailed, so student pilots shouldn't expect to memorize every possible code immediately.
Instead, learn the most common groups first and use current FAA references to decode unfamiliar information. Many times, if there are any remarks you will find either an “AO2” or a string of numbers beginning with T.
If you see an AO2, this means the station is “precipitation discriminating”, i.e. it can tell the difference between snow, drizzle, rain, et cetera.
You may see something that looks like T03210205. If you remember the temperature/dewpoint spread from earlier, this looks incredibly similar. This indicates that the temperature is a positive 32.1°C and the dewpoint is positive 20.5°C -- it’s just a more detailed temperature/dewpoint spread. If there is a 1 instead of a zero before the temperature or dewpoint, it indicates the number is negative. If you’re unsure, you can always look back to the first temperature and check if there was an M.
These are just the most common; if there is anything else, it’s wise to check the FAA’s METAR decoding guide.
METAR vs. SPECI
You may also encounter a report beginning with:
SPECI
A SPECI is a special, unscheduled aviation weather report issued when certain significant changes or conditions occur between routine observations.
The format is largely similar to a METAR.
The key difference for a student pilot is that a SPECI represents an updated observation triggered by conditions rather than simply the next routine report.
A METAR Is Only One Piece of the Weather Picture
Being able to decode a METAR is important, but a METAR should not be treated as a complete weather briefing.
A METAR represents conditions observed at a specific reporting location and time.
Conditions may be different:
Between reporting stations
Along your route
At altitude
By the time you arrive
Shortly after the observation was taken
Pilots combine METARs with forecasts and other weather products to develop a broader understanding of the conditions affecting a flight.
The FAA specifically cautions pilots against looking at a single favorable observation and assuming the entire weather picture is safe or suitable.
Why Student Pilots Should Know How to Decode METARs
Many aviation weather websites and flight-planning tools can automatically translate METARs into plain language. So why learn the raw format?
Because understanding the code helps pilots recognize the information directly rather than relying entirely on software to interpret it. It also helps students understand how aviation weather information is structured.
With practice, a METAR that once looked like: 18012G20KT 10SM FEW025 quickly becomes: Wind from 180 at 12 gusting 20, 10 miles visibility, few clouds at 2,500 feet.
On top of this, due to its condensed format, it becomes substantially faster to get an idea of weather by reading a list of METARs along your route. That's the goal -- not simply memorizing abbreviations, but being able to turn weather data into information you can use when making flight decisions.
Learn to Turn Weather Information Into Flight Decisions
Reading a METAR is one of the foundational weather skills pilots develop during training. But decoding the report is only the beginning. Pilots also need to understand what those conditions mean for the aircraft, the route, the regulations, and the decisions they'll make before and during a flight.
At Flight College, students learn how aviation weather, flight planning, aircraft performance, and aeronautical decision-making work together throughout their training.
If you're considering a career in aviation, explore the Flight College Career Pilot Program or schedule a call with our team to learn more about the training path.
Sources
Federal Aviation Administration — Aviation Weather Handbook, FAA-H-8083-28B
Federal Aviation Administration — Aeronautical Information Manual, Aviation Weather Services and ICAO Weather Formats
NOAA/NWS Aviation Weather Center — METAR observations and decoding resources