METAR Decode

[SU-GCM]

METAR for Ndola,Zambia

FLND 210900Z 00000KT 9/9 SCT025 BKN100 26/19 Q1021

Anybody knows what's the 9/9 thing ?

[Cloud Bunny]

I would imagine it would have something to do with visibility.

[I Am Not The One]

9/9 is an abbreviation of 9999
Which means visibility is 10Km or greater

[DA-10mm]

9/9=9999=p6sm

[SU-GCM]

Thanks for the replies
I think 9999 makes more sense

Thanks again

Regards
SUGCM

[SU-GCM]

Can someone help with this one too ??

8529//95 3529//93

LIMC 230050Z 00000KT 5000 -RA FEW005 SCT015 BKN035 01/M01 Q0995 8529//95 3529//93 NOSIG

[oceancrosser]

This is MOTNE runway status code:

+++ Runway Reports Europe +++

Information on RWY conditions expressed by one or more 8-figure groups appended to the METAR.
MOTNE runway reports code AABCDDEE.

AABCDDEE
RUNWAY DESIGNATOR (1st and 2nd figure)
PARALLEL RWYs
The right RWY is identified by adding 50 to the Designator, e.g 77=27R.
The left RWY is identified by the Designator, e.g 27=27L.

88
The figure 88 instead of a RWY designator indicates that conditions reported apply to all RWY at the Aerodrome.

99
The figure 99 instead of a RWY designator indicates that a previous RWY report is repeated.

AABCDDEE

TYPE OF DEPOSIT (3rd figure)

0 = CLEAR and DRY
1 = DAMP
2 = WET or Water Patches
3 = RIME or FROST (<1mm)
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, e.g due to RWY clearance/de-icing i progress.

AABCDDEE
EXTENT OF CONTAMINATION (4th figure)

1 =
2 =
5 =
9 =
10% or less of RWY covered
11% to 25% of RWY covered
26% to 50% of RWY covered
51% to 100% of RWY covered
/ = NOT REPORTED e.g due to RWY clearance or de-icing in progress.

AABCDDEE
DEPTH OF DEPOSIT (5th and 6th figure)
00 =
01 to 90 =
less than 1mm
depth in mm (e.g. 23 = 23mm)
92 = 10cm
93 = 15cm
94 = 20cm
95 = 25cm
96 = 30cm
97 = 35cm
98 = 40cm
99 = RWY not operational due to snow, slush, ice, large drifts or RWY clearance. Depth not reported.
// = Depth operationally not significant e.g with ice or rolled snow, or not measurable e.g RWY wet.

AABCDDEE

FRICTION CO-EFFICIENT OR BRAKING CONDITIONS (7th and 8th figure)

Either the measured Friction Coefficient or an estimated Braking Action is reported as follows:

FRICTION COEFFICENT
01 to 90
Reported figures from 01 to 90 represent FC
(Example: 05 = FC 0.05 or 28 = FC 0.28)

OR

BRAKING ACTION
Reported by following code figures:
91 = POOR
92 = MEDIUM/POOR
93 = MEDIUM
94 = MEDIUM/GOOD
95 = GOOD
99 = UNRELIABLE, BA and FC not possible to assess, misleading, e.g. in case
of aquaplaning
// =
BA and FC not reported; RWY not operational; Aerodrome closed; etc.

[Bluejay]

LIMC 230050Z 00000KT 5000 -RA FEW005 SCT015 BKN035 01/M01 Q0995 8529//95 3529//93 NOSIG

Ok been a while since I have done this so here goes and apologies if I slip up

LIMC - Sorry don't know
230050Z - Date and Time (Zulu)
00000KT - Wind zero knots
5000 - Visibility 5000ft
-RA - Light Rain
FEW005 - Clouds few at 500ft
SCT015 - Clouds Scattered at 1500ft
BKN035 - Clouds Broken at 3500ft
01/M01 - Hi 1 degree low -1 degree (I think)
Q0995 - Q'n'H Pressure (not entirely sure of the value)
8529//95 and 3529//93 NOSIG - again unsure the NOSIG bit means No significant weather so I would assume the values are times - like I said it has been a few years and my notes are at work!!!

Hope this helps

Bluejay

[duggymac]

Weather Reports Metars

I always thought that you chaps had to have a basic knowledge of weather the more I see the less my confidence becomes of reaching my destination. Don't you chaps do a pre flight briefing which includes I hope a weather face up for your destination and alternatives. beggars belief that some of you don't seem to have even a basic understanding of met codes

[Bluejay]

Thanks Cesco

Apologies, hadn't properly read the previous thread, I was just scanning through. As far as LIMC=MXP I am only familiar with the IATA codes.

Thanks for the info

Bluejay

[Bluejay]

duggymac

To my knowledge the pilots do have an understanding of weather, when I worked in ops at LGW I was always told that if I couldn't translate the coding then I could literally spell out the METAR and the crew would translate, obviously not the preferred option but sometimes necessary as the MET reports differ in terminology/units etc depending on country

[SU-GCM]

@duggymac
I am undergoing a flight dispatcher course so I haven't yet graduated nor got my license so I don't think there is any harm by asking !!
also I've already studied weather and weather charts but When I saw this METAR I forgot about the 6/8 Digit code but I've already studied it and know it !
also I am not a pilot
Searching online for METARs and trying to understand everything about them is a plus from myside inorder to increase my knowledge so as I said There is no harm from asking to learn !! Noone has been born that knows of everything !


Finally Thanks oceancrosser for Reminding me with them

B.Regards All

[lunav]

FOR BLUJAY:
00000KT means wind calm.
5000 - visibility in meters. (not Feet)
01/M01 - Temperature 1°C and Dewpoint -1°C (rounded to highest value)
Q0995 - Means QNH 995 Hectopascal or 995 Mb.
Regards and happy new year to all!
Bye.

[bfisk]

LIMC 230050Z 00000KT 5000 -RA FEW005 SCT015 BKN035 01/M01 Q0995 8529//95 3529//93 NOSIG

Ok been a while since I have done this so here goes and apologies if I slip up

LIMC - Sorry don't know
230050Z - Date and Time (Zulu)
00000KT - Wind zero knots
5000 - Visibility 5000ft
-RA - Light Rain
FEW005 - Clouds few at 500ft
SCT015 - Clouds Scattered at 1500ft
BKN035 - Clouds Broken at 3500ft
01/M01 - Hi 1 degree low -1 degree (I think)
Q0995 - Q'n'H Pressure (not entirely sure of the value)
8529//95 and 3529//93 NOSIG - again unsure the NOSIG bit means No significant weather so I would assume the values are times - like I said it has been a few years and my notes are at work!!!

Hope this helps

Bluejay

Bluejay: one thing we, as pilots do, when we have no clue, is to ask. If we can't get it right, we admit that we are clueless. Based on this -- sorry to say -- piss poor interpretation of a METAR, might I suggest you do the same.

No one is critisizing you for not knowing, but if you don't know, please don't take wild guesses like this one. No information is usually better than wrong information. The specific things you have wrong, have been covered by others here as well.

[DeeJayEss]

duggymac:

Concur with what the others said - we mightn't know what it is, but we ask. Just so you've got an idea, I have been a professional aviator in Australia for nearly 10 years, and I have NEVER seen the 6/8 code mentioned up here, so I would be asking as well. Although we have a thing called ICAO, it doesn't mean everyone in the world practices it.

Comments like this

I always thought that you chaps had to have a basic knowledge of weather the more I see the less my confidence becomes of reaching my destination. Don't you chaps do a pre flight briefing which includes I hope a weather face up for your destination and alternatives. beggars belief that some of you don't seem to have even a basic understanding of met codes

don't help anyone's cause, least of all your own.

[ExSp33db1rd]

In todays' Online Internet World there is really no need for the old codes. which were by and large created either for radio operators using Morse Code, or telex messages sent out on the old type teleprinters, many of which were charged by the number of characters transmitted, so once again the demon Bean Counters had a say !!

This led to the text type of spelling, which sadly - in my opinion - is being re-visited by the younger generation and their yuppie phones with SMS text-messaging, tho' I guess I will be in a majority of 1 with that view !

Here in New Zealand a genius has created a computer programme that takes the TAF or METAR and automatically translates it into Plain English, in fact he has called the programme Pemet - Plain English Met. and no human hand is necessary, we just go to www.pemet.co.nz and there it is, literally in plain English. You can go to the site, but you have to be registered via NZ MetService to gain access to TAF's and METARS, so you won't be able to use it for yourself.

Here is an example ....

KAITAIA


TAF NZKT 252102Z 2520/2611 07008KT 30KM -SHRA SCT030 PROB30 TEMPO 2600/2607 4000 SHRA FEW020CB 2000FT WIND 05010KT QNH MNM 1013 MAX 1022
Forecast issued 26th 10:02am valid from 26th 9am to 27th midnight
Wind: gentle easterly (070°) 8 kt Visibility: 30 km
Weather: light showers of rain Cloud (AGL): scattered at 3000 ft
there is a 30 % probability that from time to time between 1pm and 8pm
Visibility: 4000 m Weather: showers of rain
Cloud (AGL): few at 2000 ft with cumulonimbus
2000 ft wind: northeasterly (050°) 10 kt
QNH: min/max 1013/1022

One of the best features, even for me, is the translation of the times of issue and validity, because NZ is currently 13 hours ahead of GMT ( UTC ) so working out the times and dates from the original code can be a nightmare.

I must admit that I personally get a better ' picture ' of the weather by scanning the original code, but that is only through familiarity over many years.

Sadly, the project needs money to continue - what's new.

I considered the coming of INS to be one of the greatest advances in aviation in my lifetime, GPS is really only an advanced form, the philosophy for use as a navigation aid is similar, and of course GPS relies on the signals being received as well as the airborne receiver(s) remaining serviceable, whereas INS only requires the airborne equipment to keep working, the Universe could totally implode in flight, but INS would still get you overhead where your destination used to be !! ( if the satellites are knocked out, what value GPS ? )

I consider Pemet to be the second most important advance, but note that for now it is only for private, recreational, aviation, but those are the very pilots who have little exposure to the coded version of Met. info on a regular basis, so Pemet is a real aid to aviation safety.

I believe that the NZ creator has copied, or was aware of, a similar Canadian system, but I don't know.

[Checkboard]

LIMC - Sorry don't know

said before. If I want to find out a code, I just enter the code, and "ICAO" into Google. Here "LIMC ICAO" in Google shows Milano Malpensa as the first return.

5000 - Visibility 5000ft

Not feet, meters!

Q0995 - Q'n'H Pressure (not entirely sure of the value)

995 Hectopascals

8529//95 and 3529//93

MOTNE runway state code, as above.

NOSIG - again unsure the NOSIG bit means No significant weather

No significant change expected (from that reported), not necessarily no significant weather!

Not bad for not having your notes!

I don't mind people asking, if you don't ask, you don't know! The comments here seem to assume everyone is a full time pro, and that isn't the case.

[flyingsolo]

Where on the net does one get the full decode codes for metars.

Would be obliged if anyone could advice

Thanks

[kenparry]

Google is your friend. Lots of replies to a query of "METAR decode".

Try this one:

METAR Decode | Weather FAQs

[oxenos]

SU-GCM,

Your public profile says you have an atpl, but in post#15 you say you are not a pilot. ?????????????