AVIATION WEATHER
SERVICES, SECTIONS 1,2,3
HOMEWORK
• Read sections 1, 2 & 3 out of the Aviation
Weather Services AC 00-45G
• Get a TIBS briefing
• Get a standard VFR weather briefing for a
flight from MWH to ELN (does not need to
be turned it)
• Turn in on Tuesday the A Pilot’s Guide to
Flight Service (AOPA interactive course)
AC 00-45G ONLINE LINKS
• Book can be found in the bookstore or online
off the www.faa.gov website in the AC
directory.
• http://rgl.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_L
ibrary/rgAdvisoryCircular.nsf/0/6a07efaa9a68
c1a8862576c70052e9e5/$FILE/AC-0045G.pdf
• http://rgl.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_L
ibrary/rgAdvisoryCircular.nsf/MainFrame?Op
enFrameSet
SECTION 1 AVIATION WX
SERVICE PROGRAM
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3 sources for aviation weather
1. National Wx Service NWS
2. Department of Defense DOD
3. Federal Aviation Administration
FAA
NOAA
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration NOAA
• Conducts research and gathers data about the
global oceans, atmosphere, space, and sun, and
applies this knowledge to science and service
which touch the lives of all Americans
• Among the 6 major divisions are the National
Environmental Satellite Data and Information
Service (NESDIS) and the NWS
National Wx Service NWS
• Collects and analyzes
meteorological and hydrological
data and prepares forecasts on a
national, hemispheric, and global
scale.
• Provides weather data, forecasts
and warnings
National Wx Service NWS
• NWS has nine separate national
centers under the National Centers
for Environmental Prediction
(NCEP) each with its own mission.
• NCEP is where virtually all global
meteorological data is collected
and analyzed
National Wx Service NWS
• NWS nine missions are:
• Climate Prediction Center, Space Environment
Center, Marine Prediction Center,
Hydrometeorlogical Prediction center,
Enviromental Modeling Center, NCEP Center
Operations, Strom Prediction Center, Aviation
Weather Center, and the Tropical Prediction
Center
AVIATION WEATHER
CENTER (AWC)
• Located in Kansas City
• Issues warnings, forecasts, and analyses of
hazardous weather for aviation interests.
• Identifies existing or imminent weather hazards to
aircraft in flight and creates warnings for
transmission to the aviation community.
• Forecasts of wx expected during the next 2 days that
will affect domestic and international aviation
interests.
AVIATION WEATHER
CENTER (AWC)
• Produce (FA’s) Area forecasts, in-flight
weather advisories (AIRMET) Airman’s
Meteorological Information, Significant
Meteorological Information (SIGMET), and
Convective SIGMETs) for the contiguous
48 states, Significant Weather Prog Charts
(low, middle, and high), Collaborative
Convective Forecast Product, National
Convective Weather Forecast, Current Icing
Product, and Forecast Icing Potential.
WEATHER FORECAST
OFFICE
(WFO)
NWS
• Issues various public and aviation forecast
and weather warnings.
• Issue (TAFs) Terminal Aviation Forecasts
and (TWEBs) Transcribed weather
broadcasts. Some issue Airport Weather
Warnings, and Soaring Forecasts
• In Guam and Hawaii also issue FA’s
AIRMETS AND SIGMETS and route
forecasts.
WEATHER FORECAST
OFFICE (WFO)
• In Alaska the Alaskan Weather Unit
(AAWU) issues its own international
SIGMET and domestic FAs and
AIRMETs
FAA
• In control of the (FSSs) Flight Service
Stations
• Trying to modernize all to an Automated
FSS with about one per state. Are
referred to as “hub” facilities.
• Provide more aviation weather service
than any other government outlet.
FSS
• Provide preflight and in-flight briefings,
transcribed weather briefings, scheduled
and unscheduled weather broadcasts, and
furnishes weather support to flight in its
areas
Constantly changing adding and
removing products
• TWEB REMOVED ON AC 00-45G
• http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/byz/local_news/20
07/tweb.php TWEB (route forecast)
• Provides continuous aeronautical and
meteorological information on low/medium
frequency (L/MF) and very high frequency
(VHF) omni-directional radio range (VOR)
facilities.
• Can also be an NDB
TRANSCRIBED WEATHER
BROADCAST (TWEB)
• OUTDATED NO LONGER PROVIDE
• Content = 11 items
• Introduction., Synopsis., Adverse Conditions.,
TWEB Route Forecast., Winds Aloft for levels
3,000-12,000., Radar Report., METARs., Density
Altitude, PIREPs, Alert Notices, Closing
Statement. (T in Nav Box on Sectional)
• Pilots’ automatic telephone weather answering system
(PATWAS) also recently removed
SAFETY/Briefings
• The pilot is responsible for ensuring he/she
has all the information needed to make a
safe flight.
• How can you do this?
• www.duat.com , www.duats.com or 1-800wx brief
GETTING A BRIEFING
• To provide an appropriate weather briefing,
specialists need to know which of the three
types of briefings is needed – a standard,
abbreviated or outlook. Other helpful
information is whether the flight will be
conducted VFR or IFR, aircraft identification
and type, departure points, estimated time of
departure, flight altitude, route of flight,
destination, and estimated time en route.
BRIEFINGS
• #1 VFR or IFR / Standard, Abbreviated, or
Outlook briefing
• #2 Aircraft number or pilot’s last name
• #3. Aircraft type
• #4. Departure point
• #5. Route of flight
• #6. Destination
• #7 Flight altitudes
• #8 ETD and ETE
Types of weather briefings
• Standard briefing includes everything
• Abbreviated briefing - used to supplement
information you already have
• Outlook briefing - when the briefing is 6 hours or
more in advance of proposed departure
WX BRIEFING
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3 types: Standard, Abbreviated, Outlook
1. Standard
When the full wx picture is desired
What you get and what order:
Adverse conditions
VFR flight not recommended
Weather synopsis
Current Wx
WX BRIEFING
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En Route Forecast
Destination Forecast
Forecast winds temp aloft
NOTAMs
ATC delays
Other info Request for PIREPS EFAS
WX BRIEFING
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2. Abbreviated
User must request
Questions about reports and so forth
Designed to supplement an earlier briefing
Request specific info
WX BRIEFING
• 3. Outlook
• Provided when departure is 6 hours or more
in the future
• Very general
DUATS
• http://www.duats.com/
• http://www.duat.com/
• You all should have a code!!!
TELEPHONE INFORMATION
BRIEFING SERVICE (TIBS)
• Is provided by AFSSs and provides continuous
telephone recordings of meteorological and/or
aeronautical information. TIBS shall contain area and
or route briefings, airspace procedures, and special
announcements, if applicable
• Should also contain METARs, TAFs and winds aloft
(normally a feature with 1-800 wx brief (say TIBS
instead of briefer)
• CAN ALSO CALL 1-877-4TIBS-WX (1-877-4842799)
• Eastern WA press 12
• Events WA 19
• AFD PAGE 235
TELEPHONE INFORMATION
BRIEFING SERVICE (TIBS)
• Provides at least 4 route and/ or area
briefings. Should also encompass a 50 NM
radius.
• Provided 24 hours a day.
• Recordings are updated as conditions change.
Or when ever the material is updated.
• DOES NOT CONSTITUDE A BRIEFING
TIBS
• Include = 13 items
• Introduction, Adverse conditions, VFR not
recommended, Synopsis, Current conditions,
Density Altitude, En route forecast, winds aloft,
request for PIREPs, NOTAM info, Military
Training activity, Alert Announcement, closing
statement
• Airport Facility Directory lists TIBS telephone
numbers for AFSS briefings. A touch tone phone
is necessary to access. All usually now can be
access with 1-800 wx brief
• 1-877-4TIBS-WX (1-877-484-2799)
HIWAS
• Hazardous Inflight Weather Advisory
Service (HIWAS)
• continuous broadcast of inflight weather
advisories such as SIGMETs, AIRMETs,
and urgent PIREPs
• broadcast over a defined area within 150
NM of HIWAS outlets. 24 hours a day
• An announcement will be made if there
are no hazardous weather advisories.
HIWAS
• The broadcast includes • A statement of introduction including the
appropriate areas and recording time
• A summary of inflight weather advisories
• A request for PIREPs
• A recommendation to contact
AFSS/FSS/FLIGHT WATCH for
additional details concerning the
hazardous weather.
HIWAS
• Once a HIWAS broadcast is updated, an
announcement will be made once on all
communication/NAVAID frequencies
except emergency, and EN Route Flight
Advisory Service.
• Look on your sectional NAVAIDs
EFAS
• En Route Flight Advisory Service (EFAS) also known as flight watch.
• Common frequency 122.0 mHz below flight
level FL180 and on assigned discrete
frequencies to aircraft at FL180 and above.
• Purpose is to provide en route aircraft with
timely and pertinent weather data tailored to a
specific altitude and route using the most
current available sources of aviation wx info.
DELAYS
• WEATHER IS THE MOST COMMON
REASON FOR AIR TRAFFIC DELAYS
AND RE-ROUTINGS.
• En route controls shall advise pilots of
hazardous weather that may impact
operations within 150 NM of the
controller’s assigned sector or area of
jurisdiction.
Aviation Weather Reports and
Forecasts
• Already in flight HIWAS (hazardous
inflight weather advisory service, over
VOR’s Airmets/Sigmets)
• EFAS (enroute flight advisory service,
or flight watch, 122.0 mHz)enroute
weather PIREPS
• Radio, Television, Internet, ATIS,
Tower, DUATS etc..
WX from ATC
• Everything is Magnetic.
• Time in Zulu
OBSERVATIONS
• Surface observations - existing
conditions, when recorded and
transmitted the observation
becomes a report, and the
reports are the basis of all
weather analyses, forecasts,
advisories, and briefings.
OBSERVATIONS
• Observations include:
• METARs, FDs, PIREPs, SDs,
Low Level Wind Shear Alert
Systems, Satellite Imagery
OBSERVATIONS
• Upper air observations
–radiosonde balloons, PIREPS
• temp, humidity, pressure, wind
–PIREPS are the only way to get
info on icing, cloud layers,
turbulence, flight visibility
OBSERVATIONS
• Radar observations
– ARTCC and NWS NEXRAD
– TDWR terminal display wx radar
(wind shear, gusts, heavy precip)
– RRWDS radar remote wx display
system (being replaced by Doppler)
OBSERVATIONS
• Low Level Wind Shear Alert
System
• real time computerized system
• compares wind sensors around
outside to one in the middle
• warning issued on ATIS or upon
initial call up
OBSERVATIONS
• Satellite observations
• visible and infrared
• near real time info to NWS and
FAA
SECTION 2
• Classification of weather products
• Primary (sections 3-8) is an aviation product
that meets all the regulatory requirements and
safety needs for the use in making weatherrelated flight decisions
• Supplementary Weather Products (Section 9)
may be used to enhance situational awareness.
• Enhanced Weather Information System (page
2-3)
METAR SECTION 3
• METAR= Meteorological Aviation Routine
weather report
• In 1996 US converted to the ICAO and the World
Meterological Organization form of aviation
weather reporting.
• Each country is allowed to make modifications to
the code to use in that particular country
• In the U.S. visibility is in statute miles, runway
visual range in feet, wind speed in knots, and
altimeter setting in inches of mercury
METAR
• Elements of a
METAR
• 1. Type of Report
• 2. ICAO station
identifier
• 3. Date and time of
report
• 4. Modifier (as
required)
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5. Wind
6. Visibility
7. RVR
8. Weather
9. Sky conditions
10. Temp/DPT
11. Altimeter
12. Remarks
METAR FORMAT
METAR FORMAT
Type of Report
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Either METAR or SPECI
METAR=Aviation Routine Weather Report
SPECI=Selected Special Weather Report
METAR’s are issued normally 5-10minutes
before the hour every hour
• METAR’s are reports (a moment of time)
not a forecast
SPECI
STATION IDENTIFIER
• ICAO codes 4 letters
IDENTS YOU SHOULD KNOW
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KMWH = MOSES LAKE GRANT COUNTY INT’L
KEPH = EPHRATA
KEAT = WENATCHEE PANGBORN MEMORIAL
KELN = ELLENSBURG BOWERS FIELD
KYKM = YAKIMA
KPSC = PASCO
KGEG = SPOKANE INT’L
KOMK = OMAK
KALW = WALA WALA
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_airports_by_ICAO_code:_A
•
http://www.faa.gov/airports_airtraffic/air_traffic/publications/atpubs/LID/LIDHME
.htm
METAR IDENTIFIERS
• 4 letter identifiers (ICAO)
• In the conerminous U.S. prefixed
with a K
• Alaska, Hawaii, and the Mariana
Islands start with a P followed by
an A, H, or G respectively
• Example ANC (anchorage) PANC
METAR IDENTIFIERS
• Example OME (NOME) PAOM
• HNL (honolulu) becomes PHNL
• UAM (anderson, Guam) becomes
PGUA
• In Canada prefixed by a C
• Mexico M
• Eastern Caribbean T, South America S
DATE AND TIME
• 011955Z = 1ST TWO DIGITS DAY OF
MONTH OR IT IS THE 1ST OF THE
MONTH
• 1955Z = TIME OF THE REPORT OR 1955
ZULU OR UTC
REPORT MODIFIER
• AUTO = fully automated report with no
human intervention (here when the tower is in
operation you normally do not see the AUTO)
• COR = METAR or SPECI was corrected
• If AUTO is shown in the report, AO1 and A02
will be encoded in the remarks section of the
report to indicate the type of precipitation
senso used at the station.
MODIFIER
• A01-Automated station with out
precipitation discrimination
• A02- with precip discrimination
• Modifier COR identifies a
corrected report that is sent out to
replace an earlier report with an
error.
WIND GROUP
• 22015G25KT = Wind from 220 degrees
true at 15 gusting 25 knots
WIND
• Reported as a 5 digit group (6
digits if speed is over 99 knots)
• 1st three digits are the wind
direction from which the wind is
blowing in tens of degrees from
TRUE north. Directions less than
100 degrees are proceeded with a
zero
WIND
WIND
• Wind Remarks
• If the facility has a wind recorder and
the wind peak exceeds 25 knots PK
WND will be included in the remarks
element of the next report.
• 1st 3 digits for direction and two or
three for speed. If the hour can be
inferred from the report time will be in
minutes only. PK WND 28045/15
WIND Shift/ Visibility
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WSHFT 30 FROPA
45 degrees in less than 15 minutes
Wind Shift/Frontal Passage
Visibility in statute miles
1 1/2SM, 3 SM
When visibility is less than 7 SM the
restriction to visibility will be shown in
the weather element.
VISIBILITY
Automated reporting stations will show visibility less than 1/4
statute miles as M1/4SM and visibility 10 or greater than 10
statute miles as 10SM
OBSCURATIONS
• BR = Mist restricting vis and is used
only when the visibilty is from 5/8
mile to 6 miles.
• FG= Fog visibility less than 5/8
• Other items you can find in the
weather phenomena are:
• SQ=sudden increase in wind speed of
at least 16 knots rising to above 22
RVR
RVR
5000ft=1, 2400ft=1/2 mile
PRESENT WEATHER GROUP
OTHER
• +FC=tornado or waterspout
• FC=is used to denote a funnel cloud
SKY CONDITION
SKY CONDITION
• Cloud bases are reported with three
digits in hundreds of feet above ground
level. Example
• SCT020
• Clouds above 12,000 feet cannot be
detected by automated reporting
systems shown as (///)
• SCT/// Ceiling is BKN, OVC, or VV
• if ceiling is variable CIG 005V010
SKY COVER
TEMP/DPT & Altimeter
• In degrees C
• Sub-zero temps and dew points are prefixed
with an M
• Altimeter starts with an A and is in inches
of mercury.
REMARKS
WEATHER BEGINS/ENDS
• RAB05E30SNB30E45
ALTIMETER
• Altimeter Remarks
• PRESRR or PRESFR
• SLP982 in hectopascals or
millibar. SLPNO sea-level
pressure not available
METAR
• METAR KGNV 201933Z COR 24015KT
3/4SM R28/2400FT +TSRA BKN008
OVC015CB 26/25 A2985 RMK
TSB32RAB32
• METAR KPIT 091955Z COR
22015G25KT 3/4SM R28L/2600FT TSRA
OVC010CB 18/16 A2992 RMK SLP045
T01820159
FMH-1
• http://www.ofcm.gov/fmh-1/pdf/LCH12.pdf
METAR
• METAR KMWH 231852Z 00000KT 5SM
BR OVC004 03/02 A2998 RMK AO2
UPE1753B15E24 SLP161 P0000
T00280022