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The Daily Insight

How do I read a Canadian Metar file?

Author

Rachel Hernandez

Updated on February 18, 2026

AVIATION ROUTINE WEATHER REPORT (METAR) CANADA

First three digits are direction to the nearest 10 degrees true. VRB is used for variable direction, if 3 knots or less. Calm is encoded as 00000KT. Next two digits are speed, followed by gusts to report a 2-digit maximum speed.

Similarly one may ask, how do I read a Canadian Metar?

AVIATION ROUTINE WEATHER REPORT (METAR) CANADA

First three digits are direction to the nearest 10 degrees true. VRB is used for variable direction, if 3 knots or less. Calm is encoded as 00000KT. Next two digits are speed, followed by gusts to report a 2-digit maximum speed.

Secondly, what does P mean in a Metar? greater than the highest reportable value

Thereof, how do I read a Metar file?

The first two digits are the date, the 16th of the month, and the last four digits are the time of the METAR, which is always given in coordinated universal time (UTC), otherwise known as Zulu time. A “Z” is appended to the end of the time to denote that the time is given in Zulu time (UTC) as opposed to local time.

What does Cavok mean?

cloud and visibility OK

Related Question Answers

How long is TAF valid?

30 hour

What's the difference between TAF and Metar?

A METAR is a weather observation taken hourly or when significant changes occur within the hour. TAF or Terminal Aerodrome Forecast is the expected weather conditions in and around a particular airfield at a time which is usually valid for about 24 hours but sometimes, it could be something like 3 or 6 hours too.

What does VCSH mean in a Metar?

Vicinity showers

How do you read a TAF?

It's vital you understand the TAF is a “point” forecast which means it only extends 5 NM from the station identifier. The only time it extends beyond 5NM is for certain conditions like fog, showers or thunderstorms. When you see a “VCFG,” “VCSH,” “VCTS,” the condition could be up to 10NM from the airport.

What does SLP mean in a Metar?

sea-level pressure

How far from the airport does a TAF forecast weather?

TAFs are issued at least four times a day, every six hours, for major civil airfields: 0000, 0600, 1200 and 1800 UTC, and generally apply to a 24- or 30-hour period, and an area within approximately five statute miles (8.0 km) (or 5 nautical miles (9.3 km) in Canada) from the center of an airport runway complex.

What is a TAF in aviation?

The Terminal Area Forecast ( TAF ) is the official FAA forecast of aviation activity for U.S. airports. It contains active airports in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems ( NPIAS ) including FAA-towered airports, Federal contract-towered airports, non-federal towered airports, and non-towered airports.

How do you read winds aloft?

To convert wind directions reported greater than 360, subtract a 5 from the first number to determine wind direction and add 100 to the wind group. Example: 7508 = 250º at 108 knots. Winds greater than 200 knots are reported as 199 knots. Example: 7599 = 250º at 199 (> than 200kts).

What does 9999 mean in TAF?

Visibility 9999 means the visibility is greater than 10 km. / / means this part of the METAR is not available (ie cloud and visibility not available from an automated weather station)

What is the T at the end of a Metar?

The "0" after the "T" indicates that the temperature and dew point are higher than 0 degrees Celsius (a "1" will follow the "T" when the dew point temperature and /or the temperature is / are less than 0 degrees Celsius).

What does 9999 mean in aviation?

The largest reportable metric value is 9999. This value represents a visibility greater than 9000 meters (7 SM or more). To convert visibility values from meters to statute miles see Attachment 3 on page 33 or see Flight Information Handbook conversion tables. 8. METAR.

Are Metars in AGL or MSL?

Remember, METAR and TAF report the height of clouds AGL, not MSL. OVC040 = Overcast at 4,000 ft above the airport. If the airport is 1,000 ft, cloud bases are then at 5,000 ft MSL.

Is Metar magnetic or true?

If you read it (METAR), it's true. If you hear it (ATIS), it's magnetic. All charts and textual sources (METAR, TAF, winds aloft, surface analysis charts, etc) use true north as the reference. ATIS/AWOS/ASOS broadcasts, or any information a controller gives you over the radio, is magnetic.

What does Qnh mean on a TAF?

The QNH is the atmospheric pressure corrected to mean sea level (based on International Standard Atmosphere conditions throughout the height difference) and is reported in the METAR rounded down to the nearest whole hectopascal. Some aerodromes report the QNH pressure in the METAR in inches of mercury.