Metar decode

[topgun23]

Hi
Trying to work out what R11/1950095 at the end of metar means.
Anyone?
Thanks

[IFixPlanes]

"Runway Visual Range", but it seems that one digit is missing.

[dixi188]

I think you will find it's a SNOWTAM, although there appears to be one too many digits.

Search google for "SNOWTAM DECODE"

Hope this helps.

[Conan The Barber]

If it is an RVR report there are at least 3 digits to many. It is not a SNOWTAM either. There is 1 digit missing for it to be at MOTNE report.

My guess is that it is a missprint.

From which country is it?

[underread east]

It is a new format for some EU snowtams (Germany at least). R is R/W with designator and followed by separator stroke. Digits following separator decoded as normal 8 digit snowtam.

[Conan The Barber]

It seems many people can't distinguish a SNOWTAM from a MOTNE and just label it all as SNOWTAM.

If it were a MOTNE report (8 digits) - there are only seven digits- then what is the point of the runway designator before and after the slash indicating two different runways?

[NeuterCane]

Using a recent EGNH METAR as an example:

METAR EGNH 311250Z 00000KT 0300 R28/0700 FZFG VV/// M03/M03 Q1029 10410099=

R28/0700 is the RVR. It will always follow Met Vis, and be before the weather. RVR on different runways are repeated so

0300 R28/0700 R31/0900 FZFG would be used

10410099 is the Runway State Group forming part of the METAR code - as explained in UK AIP Gen 3-5-34 12.1. It is not a SNOWTAM. It should not begin with 'R' and slashes are not used to separate different runways, but to indicate elements that are unknown or unreported. That noted, if the METAR is from a non UK airfield the country it is from could have filed a difference, meaning they will follow their own practice.

SNOWTAMs are entirely different messages, and are distinct from METARs completely.

MOTNE simply stands for Meteorogical Operational Telecommunication Network Europe.


Cheers,

[Sky Wave]

R11/1950095

It's got to be a miss print hasn't it? It looks like it has an additional character?

R is R/W with designator and followed by separator stroke. Digits following separator decoded as normal 8 digit snowtam.

You would normally expect 6 digits after the runway Designator (1st and 2nd digit). This has 7!

R11/ Runway 11 (It seems they started putting an / in now. I think it's a place holder for L or R. If the runway doesn't have an L or R they insert an /)

1 - Damp
9 - 51% to 100%

5 (What is this 5 doing there???)

00 - less than 1mm
95 - Braking Action Good

[underread east]

Not a placeholder. Current r/w condition/snowtam/motne report call it what you will from a Large German airfield: R08R/09//95, R08L///99//. Last 6 characters decoded as previous format. First 2 characters of old 8 digit format now replaced as above. UE

[Sky Wave]

Interesting.

Thanks for your info UE.

It seems that not all countries are using the new format.
It looks like the French, Austrians, Italians and the Dutch are using the traditional format that everyone is used to.
Yesterdays metar for CDG had this: 080///95 580///95 090///95 590///95
And Turin: LIMF 99290095

Countries I've found with the new format include Germany, Poland, Spain and Croatia.

Madrid is currently giving: R33L/79//94 R36L/79//95 and in Wawsaw R33/2///5

Judging by this thread http://www.pprune.org/tech-log/352052-metar-decoding-doubt.html (Tech Log Thread)it seems that the new format came in on 5th Nov 08 with the new TAF times. Being a UK based pilot I received a briefing on the New TAF format but I don’t recall anyone telling me about the new Runway State group format. This is probably because it doesn’t apply in the UK, not helpful!

I’m struggling to find any documents detailing the changes. It must appear in ICAO Annex 3 but I’m not prepared to pay to download that. Does anyone have a reference?

Going back to the example given by Topgun there are still too many characters. Somebody has made a typo I think.

[topgun23]

Thanks to everyone for your input. (Skywave)
My mistake. I put in an extra 5. Apologies.:O

I should've also stated that it was in Poland. EPPO, Poznan.(Single R/W)

This was the original metar
EPPO 072200Z 30008KT 8000 NSC M09/M09 Q1020 R11/190095
I'm pretty sure there was snow earlier that day.

I thought it was to do with R/W RVR but was being slack by not searching thru old ATPL manuals.(More to the point actually finding them!)

Thanks again

[leftright]

METAR reports carry information relating to the state of ice/snow ON THE RUNWAY only, in a group properly called a 'runway state' report, but often referred to as a 'SNOWTAM'. The group should follow the TREND group. These groups have little relevance to general snow conditions in the vicinity of the airfield & care must be exercised when looking at these.
The SNOWTAM (from the NOTAM - 'Notice to airmen' root) group takes the following format:

nnCLRDxx

nn: runway designator (50 added to indicate 'right' runways; 88=all runways; 99=repeat of previous report)
C: Type of deposit (0=clear/dry; 1=damp; 2=wet/puddles; 3=rime or frost covered; 4=dry snow; 5=wet snow; 6=slush; 7=ice; 8=compacted or rolled snow; 9=frozen ruts or ridges; /=type of deposit not reported)
L: Extent of runway contamination (1=10% or less; 2=11 to 25%; 5=26-50%; 9=51-100%; /=extent not reported)
RD: Depth of deposit (note: millimetres NOT cm) 00=less than 1mm; 01=1mm etc. through to 90=90mm; 91=not used; 92=10 cm; 93=15 cm .. then 5 cm steps to 97=35 cm; 98=40 cm or more; 99=runway(s) not operational due to snow or runway clearance. //=not measurable or not significant.

When the runway (nn=specific runway or 88=all runways) is/are declared operational, the group has the four letters "CLRD" within it, with the braking action xx encoded.
xx: Friction coefficient/braking action.

your R11/1950095 translated could be

R11 = RWY 11
/ = seperator
1 = damp
9 = Extent of runway contamination 9=51-100%
5 = ? seems to be an extra digit ?
00 = Depth of deposit (note: millimetres NOT cm) 00 = less than 1mm
95 = Braking action = GOOD

source of info;
Codes | Weather FAQs (http://weatherfaqs.org.uk/node/108)

Munich METAR;

EDDM 130950Z 28010G21KT 9999 SCT013 SCT036 BKN110 M02/M04 Q1017 R26L/290051 R26R/290095 NOSIG

EDDM 131250Z 27011KT 9999 FEW006 SCT025 BKN090 M01/M02 Q1016 RESN R88/290095 TEMPO 1500 SHSN BKN008