Good METAR practice

[aloft]

Who wants to decode?

KSLC 212135Z 29026G37KT 5SM -TSRA FEW010 SCT042 BKN060CB BKN200 16/12 A3005 RMK AO2 PK WND 28037/2129 WSHFT 2115 TSB18RAB31 PRESRR OCNL LTGICCA W-NW TS W-NW MOV NE CB SW MOV NE TCU NE P0000

[slowandlow]

Salt Lake City 21Sep05/2135z winds 290 at 26 knots gusting 37 knots. visibility 5 statute miles, thunderstorms with light rain. Few clouds 1000' scattered 4200' broken 6000' cumulonimbus clouds, broken 20,000' temp16 dew point 12 altimeter 3005. remarks: peak wind 280 at 37 knots/observed 29 minutes past the hour, wind shift 15 minutes past the hour, thunderstorms began 2118/ rain began 2131, pressure rising rapidly, occasional lightning in cloud, cloud to air west northwest. Thunderstorms west northwest moving northeast. cumulonimbus southwest moving northeast. Towering cumulus northeast.

[DE727UPS]

What's the AO2 after remarks mean and the P0000 at the end mean? You left that part out.

[slowandlow]

AO2 is the equipment used to record the information, and I can't figure out what the p0000 is.

[MikeD]

[ QUOTE ]
AO2 is the equipment used to record the information, and I can't figure out what the p0000 is.

[/ QUOTE ]

AO2, additionally means the particular equipment has a precip sensor. P in the remarks is the precip amount, hourly. Zeros means there is none.

[slowandlow]

ahaa, we still use real people here to tell us how things look. Of course I think that is changing next year to save $$

[MikeD]

[ QUOTE ]
ahaa, we still use real people here to tell us how things look. Of course I think that is changing next year to save $$

[/ QUOTE ]

Same. We even get airfield WX status color codings.

[BrettInLJ]

I wonder if there is a website out there that will automatically translate any METAR or other forcast into plain language. I know you can get plain language from many sites, but a translation script where you can paste any METAR you want in the window and have it translated would be cool.

[JEP]

[ QUOTE ]
I wonder if there is a website out there that will automatically translate any METAR or other forcast into plain language. I know you can get plain language from many sites, but a translation script where you can paste any METAR you want in the window and have it translated would be cool.

[/ QUOTE ]

Try this one:

ADDS Wx page

You can select 'translated' to spell it out:

raw format
KMSP 222253Z 01012KT 10SM FEW250 18/04 A3009 RMK AO2 SLP187 T01830039

translated
METAR text: KMSP 222253Z 01012KT 10SM FEW250 18/04 A3009 RMK AO2 SLP187 T01830039
Conditions at: KMSP observed 2253 UTC 22 September 2005
Temperature: 18.3°C (65°F)
Dewpoint: 3.9°C (39°F) [RH = 38%]
Pressure (altimeter): 30.09 inches Hg (1019.0 mb)
[Sea-level pressure: 1018.7 mb]
Winds: from the N (10 degrees) at 14 MPH (12 knots; 6.2 m/s)
Visibility: 10 or more miles (16+ km)
Ceiling: at least 12,000 feet AGL
Clouds: few clouds at 25000 feet AGL
Weather: no significant weather observed at this time

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[bLizZuE]

[ QUOTE ]
What's the AO2 after remarks mean and the P0000 at the end mean? You left that part out.

[/ QUOTE ]

already mentioned, exact term: precipitation descriminator

It can tell you if it's rain or snow. A01 can only tell you that there is precipitation, doesn't know rain from snow.

[MikeD]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
What's the AO2 after remarks mean and the P0000 at the end mean? You left that part out.

[/ QUOTE ]

already mentioned, exact term: precipitation descriminator

It can tell you if it's rain or snow. A01 can only tell you that there is precipitation, doesn't know rain from snow.

[/ QUOTE ]

The only problem with the discriminator is that it only looks directly up above the station, for what's above that part of the airfield at that particular time. It can't see what's shortly coming in, or even what's on the fringes of the field.

[bLizZuE]

aka- look out the window

[FlyChicaga]

A METAR that long usually means stay inside.

[Chris_Ford]

Originally Posted by MikeD

[ QUOTE ]
P in the remarks is the precip amount, hourly. Zeros means there is none.

P0000 = Trace of precip (less than 1/100th of an inch, I believe). If there is NO precip, it (the P section) is omitted.

[MikeD]

Originally Posted by Chris_Ford

P0000 = Trace of precip (less than 1/100th of an inch, I believe). If there is NO precip, it (the P section) is omitted.

Trace is pretty much none, IMO. Least that's how I've seen it treated. FSS told me that they'll still include it even if there is none, contrary to what the normal train of thought is. Don't know if it was just that particular FSS guy, or if this is standard; since FSSs are like FSDOs.......different answers for different places. But yes, the technical answer is trace.

[sorrygottarunway]

are those winds magnetic or true?

[MikeD]

Originally Posted by sorrygottarunway

are those winds magnetic or true?

Winds are true.