european weather stations ....

[mattpilot]

i'm getting ready to do some flying in europe/austria. I got a few metars & TAF's from www.austrocontrol.at, but some things aren't the same as the FAA's system.


1 - What does SA stand for - i figured out that its a metar, but what do the initials stand for?

2 - 28005KT 8000 BKN022 - i assume the 8000 is the visibility in meters. 9999 would mean unlimited. correct? or is it feet?

3 - Q1027 - in the US we got this A3012 - is there an easy way, using calc or head, to convert Q into A ? Also, i've heard of QFE & other combinations (or similar) - what do they mean?

4 - NOSIG - i assume it means no cloud ceiling ?

5 - MEDAS - what does it mean? same metars have SA & the identify but whats MEDAS

6 - i assume SC & AC stand for Strato cumulus & alto cumulus?

7 - On weather charts & other weather reports i keep on reading LOC - what does it mean? i thought local at first, but it doesn't fit the context.

8 - I figure FC stands for Forecast, or TAF ?


9 - WIEN FIR MOD, LOC SEV TURB - What does FIR stand for? I understand the rest, besides LOC (see #7)

thats it for now

thanks in advance for any answers

[ramsrc]

1. where METAR is concerned, SA is a weather condition token for SAnd

2. 28005KT 8000 BKN022 - Wind 280° at 5 knots, visibility 8000 metres, broken cloud at 2200 feet. if the visibility is reported as 9999 this refers to greater than 10km

3. Q1027 is a QHN (sea level pressure) of 1027 hPa (hectopascals are equivalent to millibars)

QFE refers to the atmospheric pressure at the current elevation.
You can convert millibars to inHg, but bear in mind that this conversion will vary slightly depending on the ambient temperature.

To convert from hPa to inHg multiply by 0.0295300
To convert from inHg to hPa multiply by 33.8639

Therefore 1027hPa = 1027 x 0.0295300 = 30.33inHg (or A3033)
Conversely 30.33inHg = 30.33 x 33.8639 = 1027hPa

4. NOSIG means NO SIGnificant changes expected in the near future.

5. Don't know, I have personally never seen MEDAS on a METAR or TAF.

6. You assume correctly, but you are unlikely to see this on a METAR or TAF.

7. LOC stands for LOCally/LOCalised

8. FCST is the abbreviation for forecast. TAF is a "Terminal Area Forecast"

9. WIEN FIR MOD - Vienna (WIEN) flight information region moderate.... (something) the report was truncated.

LOC SEV TURB - Localised severe turbulence.

Definitely not a METAR - smells like a SIGMET to me...

If you are planning to do some flying in Europe, then I strongly suggest you brush up your Met theory. I am NOT a pilot, so don't take anything I say as 100% gospel.

Hope that the above helps.