US METAR Abbreviations

The following are METAR abbreviations used in the United States, however some are used
worldwide:

METAR and TAF Abbreviations and Acronyms:

Abbreviation Meaning Abbreviation Meaning

maintenance check
$ (+) heavy intensity
indicator
indicator that visual range data follows;
(-) light intensity / separator between temperature and dew
point data.
ACC altocumulus castellanus ACFT MSHP aircraft mishap
altocumulus standing
ACSL ALP airport location point
lenticular cloud
automated station without
automated station with precipitation
AO1 precipitation AO2
discriminator
discriminator
APCH approach APRNT apparent
APRX approximately ATCT airport traffic control tower
AUTO fully automated report B began
broken (5-7/8ths of the sky covered with
BC patches BKN
cloud)
BL blowing BR mist (from the word brume[12])
center (with reference to
C CA cloud-air lightning
runway designation)
CB cumulonimbus cloud CBMAM cumulonimbus mammatus cloud
CC cloud-cloud lightning CCSL cirrocumulus standing lenticular cloud
cd candela CG cloud-ground lightning
sky condition at secondary location not
CHI cloud-height indicator CHINO
available
CIG ceiling CLR clear sky
correction to a previously disseminated
CONS continuous COR
observation
DOC Department of Commerce DOD Department of Defense
Department of
DOT DR low drifting
Transportation
DS duststorm DSIPTG dissipating
DSNT distant DU widespread dust
DVR dispatch visual range DZ drizzle
east, ended, estimated
E FAA Federal Aviation Administration
ceiling (SAO)
few clouds (1-2/8ths of the sky covered
FC funnel cloud FEW
with cloud)
FG fog FIBI filed but impracticable to transmit
first observation after a Federal Meteorological Handbook No.1,
FIRST break in coverage at FMH-1 Surface Weather Observations & Reports
manual station (METAR)
Federal Meteorological
FMH2 Handbook No.2, Surface FROPA frontal passage
Synoptic Codes
FRQ frequent FT feet
FU smoke FZ freezing
freezing rain sensor not
FZRANO G gust
available
GR hail GS small hail and/or snow pellets
HLSTO HLSTO hailstone HZ haze
ice crystals, in-cloud
IC ICAO International Civil Aviation Organization
lightning
INCRG increasing INTMT intermittent
left (with reference to runway
KT KNOTS L
designation)
last observation before a
LAST break in coverage at a LST Local Standard Time
manual station
LTG lightning LWR lower
M minus, less than max maximum
routine weather report
METAR MI shallow
provided at fixed intervals
min minimum MOV moved/moving/movement
MT mountains N north
N/A not applicable NCDC National Climatic Data Center
NE northeast NOS National Ocean Survey
no SPECI reports are
NOSPECI NOTAM Notice to Airmen
taken at the station
NW northwest NWS National Weather Service
Office of the Federal Coordinator for
OCNL occasional OFCM
Meteorology
 overcast (8/8ths of the sky covered with
OHD overhead OVC
cloud)
indicates greater than the highest
OVR over P
reportable value
PCPN precipitation PK WND peak wind
PL ice pellets PNO precipitation amount not available
dust/sand whirls (dust
PO PR partial
devils)
PRES Atmospheric pressure PRESFR pressure falling rapidly
precipitation identifier sensor not
PRESRR pressure rising rapidly PWINO
available
right (with reference to runway
PY spray R
designation), runway
RA rain RTD Routine Delayed (late) observation
RV reportable value RVR Runway visual range
RVR system values not
RVRNO RY runway
available
S snow, south SA sand
stratocumulus standing scattered (3-4/8ths of the sky covered
SCSL SCT
lenticular cloud with cloud)
SE southeast SFC surface (i.e. ground level)
SG snow grains SH shower(s)
SKC sky clear SLP sea-level pressure
sea-level pressure not
SLPNO SM statute miles
available
SN snow SNINCR snow increasing rapidly
an unscheduled report taken when certain
SP snow pellets SPECI
criteria have been met
SQ squalls SS sandstorm
STN station SW snow shower, southwest
TCU towering cumulus TS thunderstorm
thunderstorm information
TSNO TWR tower
not available
UNKN unknown UP unknown precipitation
Coordinated Universal
UTC V variable
Time
VA volcanic ash VC in the vicinity
VIS visibility VISNO visibility at secondary location not
 available
VR visual range VRB variable
VV vertical visibility W west
Working Group for
WG/SO WMO World Meteorological Organization
Surface Observations
WND wind WS wind shear
WSHFT wind shift Z Zulu, i.e., Coordinated Universal Time