Weather Card

MetFlight GA – metflight.metra.co.nz IFIS – ifis.airways.co.nz CAA – www.caa.govt.nz/met

UTC calculation GRAFOR GNZSIGWX
table Graphical Aviation Forecast Chart provides forecast weather information Graphical New Zealand Significant Weather Chart provides forecast information on the horizontal METAR, METAR AUTO and SPECI
for low level flights (SFC to FL100). and vertical extent of turbulence, mountain waves, cumulonimbus clouds (CB), icing for flights within A METAR is a routine meteorological report, compiled manually, provided for a specific aerodrome,
UTC NZST NZDT All times UTC. the New Zealand FIR (NZZC), and awareness information for volcanic ash and radioactive cloud. and presented in code.
All times UTC. A METAR AUTO is a routine meteorological report provided by an automatic weather station (AWS)
Issue times 1100 and 2100
0000 1200 1300
Issue times 0200, 1400 and 2000 for a specific aerodrome, also presented in code.
Valid Times 1100 issue – 1800, 0000 and 0600;
2100 issue – 0000, 0600 and 1200 Validity 0300 to 1800, 1500 to 0600 and 2100 to 1200 A SPECI is a METAR issued outside of the routine issue time of a METAR (NZWP, NZOH and
0100 1300 1400
NZMF only).
Each chart is valid for +/- 3 hours of the stated No of charts 3 SFC to FL100, SFC to FL250 and SFC to FL410
0200 1400 1500 valid time, e.g., a chart valid at 1800 is valid for METARs issued hourly, on the hour
use between 1500 and 2100 Heights Flight levels (FLs) unless otherwise specified METAR AUTOs issued every half hour, 24 hours a day
Issue times
0300 1500 1600 Area New Zealand FIR (NZZC) SPECIs issued when required and will have issue time other than on the hour
No of charts 3 charts at each issue time
SPECIs not issued at METAR AUTO aerodrome
Heights Hundreds of feet AMSL Phenomena MOD ICE, MOD TURB, MTW, VA, RDOACT
0400 1600 1700 Heights Feet above aerodrome level
Area New Zealand with a 15NM envelope extending Type Cumulonimbus (CB), which also implies SEV ICE and SEV TURB
Cloud Within 8KM of the aerodrome reference point
0500 1700 1800 seaward from the coastline, and adjusted over Coverage ISOL, OCNL, FRQ, EMBD Area When the term VC is used this applies to the area between 8 and 16KM from the
the Southern Taranaki Bight. The 15NM envelope
0600 1800 1900 aerodrome reference point
is marked on the charts
SIGMET (Textual)* Speed Knots
Fronts Cold, Warm, Occluded, Stationary
0700 1900 2000 SIGMETs provide information on observed or forecast hazardous weather conditions. Wind Degrees true. When direction varies by 60 degrees or more, the
Visibility Metres (M) or Kilometres (KM) Direction
extreme directions are given, separated by the letter V, e.g. 260V330
Issue times As required
0800 2000 2100 Phenomena SH, TS, DZ, RA, GS, GR, SN, SG, BR, FG, HZ, FU, VA, Up to 9999 metres – in metres, eg 7000
DU, SA, SQ, PO, FC, SS, DS Four hours (six hours for volcanic ash and tropical cyclones), reviewed after three hours
Validity Above 9999 metres – in kilometres, eg 20KM
0900 2100 2200 or when further information available
Deep convective cloud Type TCU, CB Visibility Visibility variation shown by adding the direction, eg 2000SW – visibility variation
Heights Feet above mean sea level up to 10,000 feet, flight levels from FL100 not reported in METAR AUTO
1000 2200 2300 Coverage ISOL, OCNL, FRQ, EMBD
Area New Zealand FIR (NZZC) and Auckland Oceanic FIR (NZZO) CAVOK and 9999 (10KM or more) used at Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch only
Non deep convective
1100 2300 0000 Coverage OVC, BKN, SCT, NSC * A graphical depiction of SIGMETs (GSM – Graphical SIGMET Monitor) is also available. Type CB, TCU
cloud Cloud
Amount NSC, SKC, FEW, SCT, BKN, OVC
1200 0000 0100 Freezing Level Spot values depicted in a box. 0 means 0 C and
o o
TAF and TREND
three figures indicate the height in hundreds of Temperature/
Degrees Celsius
1300 0100 0200 feet AMSL, e.g., 085 = 8,500 ft; 115 = 11,500 ft A TAF is an aerodrome forecast provided for a specific aerodrome presented in code. Dew Point
0o : 085 A TREND is a forecast, valid for two hours, attached to the end of a METAR or SPECI (NZWP, NZOH Pressure (QNH) Hectopascals (hPa)
1400 0200 0300 only) and METAR AUTO (NZAA, NZWN, NZCH only), stating any significant changes from those
described. While the TREND is valid it supersedes the aerodrome TAF. ATIS
1500 0300 0400 AAW
NZAA, NZWN, and NZCH: 0515, 1115, 1715 and 2315 UTC The ATIS is a continuous plain language broadcast of the current conditions at an aerodrome,
Aviation Area Winds. Issue times All other aerodromes except NZWP, NZHN, and NZQN: 1115, 2315 UTC on a discrete frequency.
1600 0400 0500 All times UTC. NZWP: 1725, 2330 UTC. NZHN: 0500, 1100, 1700, 2300 UTC. NZQN: 1130, 1730 UTC
Issue times Irregularly, when conditions change or deteriorate
Issue times 1100 and 2100 Validity 1921/2012 = valid from 2100 UTC on the 19th to 1200 UTC on the 20th
1700 0500 0600 Heights Feet above aerodrome level
Validity 1200 to 0600 and 2100 to 1200. Each of these may be Heights Feet above aerodrome level Speed Knots
1800 0600 0700 split into smaller periods within the overall validity Wind
Area Within 8KM of the aerodrome reference point, but within 16KM for cloud Direction Degrees magnetic
Heights Winds 1,000, 3,000, 5,000, 7,000 and Less than 5000 metres – in metres, eg 3000
1900 0700 0800 Speed Knots
10,000 ft AMSL Wind Visibility
5000 metres or more – in kilometres, eg 5KM
Temperatures 5,000, 7,000 and 10,000 ft Direction Degrees true
2000 0800 0900 Type CB, TCU
AMSL Up to 9999 metres – in metres, eg 7000 Cloud
Amount SKC, FEW, SCT, BKN, OVC
2100 0900 1000 Wind Speed Knots Above 9999 metres – in kilometres, eg 20KM
Visibility Temperature/
Direction Degrees true CAVOK and 9999 used at Auckland, Wellington Degrees Celsius
2200 1000 1100 Dew Point
and Christchurch only
Temperature Degrees Celsius
Type CB, TCU Pressure
2300 1100 1200 Hectopascals (hPa)
Areas 17 areas (the previous ARFOR areas) Cloud (QNH for ATIS only)
Amount NSC, SKC, FEW, SCT, BKN, OVC
When Cumulonimbus cloud (CB) is included in meteorological information this implies that there may be
Revised: June 2018 associated thunderstorms and the occurrence of severe icing, turbulence and hail.
Met Abbreviations
//1 Weather not detected due BC Patches FG Fog (visibility less than MAX Maximum QNH Altimeter sub-scale setting TL Till
sensor temporarily inoperative 1000 m)
BDRY Boundary METAR Aerodrome routine R Runway TREND Trend forecast
///1 Cloud is detected (unable FIR Flight information region meteorological report
BECMG Becoming RA Rain TS Thunderstorm
to determine TCU/CB)
FISB Flight information METAR Automatic aerodrome routine
BFR Before RDOACT Radioactive TURB Turbulence
////1 Visibility not reported due service broadcast AUTO meteorological report
faulty sensor BKN Broken (5–7 oktas) RDOACT UP Unidentified precipitation
FL Flight level MI Shallow Radioactive cloud
CLD
/////////1 Cloud not reported due BL Blowing UTC Coordinated Universal Time
faulty sensor FM From MOD Moderate
RE Recent
BLDG Building V Variations from mean
– Light FRQ Frequent MOV Moving
RMK Remark wind direction
BLW Below
(blank Moderate FU Smoke MS Minus
ROFOR Route forecast VA Volcanic ash
BR Mist (1000–5000 m vis)
space) (when included before FZ Freezing MT Mountain
a weather phenomenon) RVR Runway visual range VAA Volcanic Ash Advisory
BTN Between
FZL Freezing level MTW Mountain waves
+ Heavy SA Sand VAAC Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre
BWR Basic weather report
G Gusts NC No change
9999 Visibility 10 km or more SC Stratocumulus VAG Volcanic Ash Graphic
CAT Clear air turbulence
Graphical NZ significant NCD1 No cloud detected below
AAW Aviation Area Winds GNZSIGWX SCT Scattered (3–4 oktas) VAL In valleys
CAVOK 2
Cloud and visibility OK weather 10,000 ft
ABT About SECT Sector VC Vicinity of the aerodrome
CB Cumulonimbus GR Hail (5 mm or more) NM Nautical miles
ABV Above SEV Severe VCY Vicinity
CLD Cloud GRAFOR Graphical aviation forecast NOSIG No significant change
AC Altocumulus SFC Surface VFR Visual flight rules
CLR Clear GS Small hail NOTAM Notice to airmen
AD QNH Aerodrome QNH forecast (smaller than 5 mm) SG Snow grains VIS Visibility
CNL Cancel NS Nimbostratus
AFT After GSM Graphical SIGMET Monitor SH Shower VMC Visual meteorological
CONS Continuous NSC2 No significant cloud
HVY Heavy SIG Significant conditions
AGL Above ground level COR Corrected NSW Nil significant weather
HZ Haze (visibility less than SIGMET Significant meteorological VRB Variable
AIP Aeronautical Information COT At the coast NXT Next
Publication 5000 m) information VV Vertical visibility
CU Cumulus NZZC New Zealand FIR
AIREP Routine air report from ICAO International Civil SIGWX Significant weather forecast WI Within
DP Dew point temperature Aviation Organization NZZO Auckland Oceanic FIR
aircraft in flight SKC3 Sky clear (no cloud at all) WKN Weakening
DR Low drifting ICE Icing OBS Observed
AIREP Special (non-routine) air SN Snow WDSPR Widespread
SPECIAL report from aircraft in flight DS Dust storm IFR Instrument flight rules OBSC Obscured
SPECI Aerodrome special WS Windshear
AMD Amended DTG Date time group IMC Instrument meteorological OCNL Occasional meteorological report
conditions WX Weather
AMSL Above mean sea level DTRT Deteriorating/deteriorate OPMET Operational meteorological SQ Squall
IMPR Improving information Z Coordinated Universal Time
APRX Approximate DU Dust SQL Squall line
AS Altostratus INTSF Intensifying OVC Overcast (8 oktas)
DZ Drizzle SS Sandstorm
ISOL Isolated 1 used in METAR AUTO only
AT At PIREP Pilot report (AIREP)
EMBD Embedded ST Stratus
2  nly used in TREND/TAF for NZAA,
o
ATIS Automatic terminal KM Kilometres PL Ice pellets
EST Estimated STNR Stationary NZWN, NZCH
information service KT Knots PO Dust/sand whirls
EXC Except T Temperature, 3  n
 ot used in METAR AUTO or TAF/TREND
ATS Air traffic services LAN Inland PR Partial in degrees Celcius for NZAA, NZWN, NZCH
EXTD Extended or extending
AWIB Aerodrome and weather Local/locally/location/ PROB Probability TAF Aerodrome forecast
information broadcast FC Funnel cloud LCA
located
PS Plus TC Tropical cyclone
AWS Automatic weather station FCST Forecast
LYR Layer
(produces METAR AUTO) PSN Position TCU Towering cumulus
FEW Few (1–2 oktas)
M Metres
BASE Cloud base Q QNH TEMPO Temporarily