Review Questions

METAR Coding Exercises

Instructions: Code the following exercises into a METAR/SPECI report using the given information.

Example: The underline character in the report represents a required space.

			 Station: your station
	Date/Time of Observation: 29 February, 1052Z
			    Wind: calm
		      Visibility: 10 miles
			     RVR: ---
		 Present Weather: none
		   Sky Condition: 0/8
		     Temperature: -10ºF / -23.3ºC
		       Dew Point: -18ºF / -27.8ºC
		       Altimeter: 28.97 inches
	      Sea Level Pressure: 1001.1 hPa

METAR_KIAD_291052Z_00000Z_10SM_SKC_M23/M28_A2897_RMK_SLP011_
T12331278

EXERCISE #1

			 Station: your station
	Date/Time of Observation: 31 January, 0945Z
			    Wind: 30 deg, 14 kt, gusts to 22 kt
		      Visibility: 1/2 miles
		 Present Weather: moderate snow
		   Sky Condition: 8/8 at 1500 ft 
		     Temperature: 31ºF / -0.6ºC
		       Dew Point: 27ºF / -2.8ºC
		       Altimeter: 29.92 inches
	    Precipitation Amount: 2 inch snow during last hour/6 inch
				  snow on ground
	      Sea Level Pressure: 1013.2 hPa
			   Other: snow began at 0930Z

	Answer

EXERCISE #2

			 Station: your station
	Date/Time of Observation: 17 March, 1455Z
			    Wind: 330 deg, 22 kt, gusts to 35 kt, peak wind
				  32- deg, 42 kt at 1432Z
		      Visibility: 8 miles
			     RVR: ---
		 Present Weather: light snow showers
		   Sky Condition: 6/8 of SC (L5) at 2000 ft 
		     Temperature: 34ºF / +1.1ºC
		       Dew Point: 31ºF / -0.6ºC
		       Altimeter: 29.87 inches
	    Precipitation Amount: trace past 3 hours
	      Sea Level Pressure: 1006.3 hPa

	Answer

EXERCISE #3

			 Station: your station
	Date/Time of Observation: 23 April, 1757Z
			    Wind: 210 deg, 8 kt
		      Visibility: 15 miles
			     RVR: ---
		 Present Weather: none
		   Sky Condition: 1/8 of TCU (L2) at 3500 ft, 3/8 AC (M7)
				  at 10000 ft, 4/8 CI (H1) at 25000 ft
		     Temperature: 73ºF / 22.8ºC
		       Dew Point: 54ºF / 12.2ºC
		       Altimeter: 28.62 hPa
	    Precipitation Amount: zero
	      Sea Level Pressure: 998.6 hPa
			   Other: Towering Cumulus 12 miles North
				  0.02 inches pcpn past 6-hours, max
				  6-hr temp 22.9ºC, min 60hr temp 11.6ºC

	Answer

EXERCISE #4

			 Station: your station
	Date/Time of Observation: 31 May, 2053Z
			    Wind: 250 deg, 36 kt, gusts to 53 kt, peak wind
				  260 deg, 62 kt at 2035Z
		      Visibility: 3/4 mile
			     RVR: not working in weather office
		 Present Weather: thunderstorm, heavy rain, hail (1 inch
				  diameter)
		   Sky Condition: 5/8 CB at 500 ft, 3/8 SC at 1200 ft
		     Temperature: 68ºF / 20.0ºC
		       Dew Point: 65ºF / 18.3ºC
		       Altimeter: 29.02 hPa
	    Precipitation Amount: 1.63" past 3 hours
		 Pressure Change: +3.6 hPa last 3 hours, steady rise
	      Sea Level Pressure: 1010.5 hPa
			   Other: thunderstorm began 2030Z, northwest
				  moving east

	Answer

EXERCISE #5

			 Station: your station
	Date/Time of Observation: 14 June, 2150Z
			    Wind: 140 deg, 10 kt
		      Visibility: 1/2 mile
			     RVR: Runway 150 right, 2800 ft
		 Present Weather: heavy rain, fog
		   Sky Condition: 8/8 at 800 ft
		     Temperature: 53ºF / 11.7ºC
		       Dew Point: 51ºF / 10.6ºC
		       Altimeter: missing
	      Sea Level Pressure: missing
			   Other: rain began 2112Z, ended 2130Z, began
				  again 2148Z

	Answer

EXERCISE #6

			 Station: your station
	Date/Time of Observation: 6 July, 1830Z
			    Wind: light and variable, 4 kt
		      Visibility: 1 1/4 mile
			     RVR: ---
		 Present Weather: fog
		   Sky Condition: 8/8 at 1200 ft
		     Temperature: 43ºF / 6.1ºC
		       Dew Point: 43ºF / 6.1ºC
		       Altimeter: 29.86 inches
			   Other: tower visibility 1 3/4 miles

	Answer

EXERCISE #7

			 Station: your station
	Date/Time of Observation: 10 August, 0315Z
			    Wind: calm
		      Visibility: 1/8 mile
			     RVR: Runway 270, 700 ft
		 Present Weather: fog
		   Sky Condition: 8/8 with a vertical visibility of 200 ft
		     Temperature: 39ºF / 3.9ºC
		       Dew Point: 39ºF / 3.9ºC
		       Altimeter: 29.92 inches
			   Other: visibility north 1/2 mile

	Answer

EXERCISE #8

			 Station: your station
	Date/Time of Observation: 15 November, 0110Z
			    Wind: 360 deg, 18 kt, gusts to 32 kts, wind
				  shift at 0110Z, frontal passage
		      Visibility: 8 miles
			     RVR: ---
		 Present Weather: none
		   Sky Condition: 7/8 at 2500 ft
		     Temperature: 43ºF / 6.1ºC
		       Dew Point: missing
		       Altimeter: 28.76 inches

	Answer

EXERCISE #9

			 Station: your station
	Date/Time of Observation: 25 November, 0615Z
			    Wind: 40 deg, 12 kt, gusts to 20 kts
		      Visibility: 2 1/2 miles
			     RVR: ---
		 Present Weather: light snow
		   Sky Condition: 8/8 at 1500 ft, ceiling variable 1200 to
				  1700 ft
		     Temperature: missing
		       Dew Point: missing
		       Altimeter: 28.76 inches

	Answer

EXERCISE #10

			 Station: your station
	Date/Time of Observation: 10 October, 0456Z
			    Wind: 180 deg, 18 kt, direction varying 150
				  deg to 220 deg
		      Visibility: 7 miles
			     RVR: ---
		 Present Weather: showers vicinity of station east
		   Sky Condition: 0/8 at 2000 ft, 6/8 at 2800 ft
		     Temperature: 77ºF / 25.2ºC
		       Dew Point: 65ºF / 18.4ºC
		       Altimeter: 30.00 inches
	      Sea Level Pressure: 1011.1 hPa
			   Other: virga distant north

	Answer

EXERCISE #11

			 Station: your station
	Date/Time of Observation: 18 September, 1955Z
			    Wind: 290 deg, 8 kt
		      Visibility: 1 mile
			     RVR: Runway 01 right, 5000 ft
		 Present Weather: light rain, mist, haze
		   Sky Condition: 3/8 obscured by mist (dominant), 2/8 at
				  3500 ft, 3/8 at 7000 ft
		     Temperature: 66ºF / 19.0ºC
		       Dew Point: 64ºF / 18.0ºC
		       Altimeter: 29.99 inches
	      Sea Level Pressure: 1009.9 hPa
			   Other: light rain began 1857Z, previous
				  METAR 1855Z

	Answer

REVIEW QUESTION ANSWERS

Answers to METAR Exercises

EXERCISE #1
METAR_KXXX_310954Z_03014G22KT_1/2SM_SN_OVC015_M01/M03_A2992_RMK_
SNB30_SLP132_SNINCR_2/6_T10061028
EXERCISE #2
METAR_KXXX_171455Z_33022G35KT_8SM_-SHSN_BKN020_01/M01_A2987_RMK_
PK_WND_32042/32_SLP063_60000_8/500_T00111006_52022
EXERCISE #3
METAR_KXXX_231757Z_21008KT_15SM_FEW035TCU_SCT100_SCT250_23/12_A2862_
RMK_TCU_DSNT_N_SLP986_60002_8/271_T02280122_10228_20116_54002_RVRNO
EXERCISE #4
METAR_KXXX_312053Z_25036G53KT_3/4SM_+TSRAGR_BKN005CB_OVC012_20/18_
A2902_RMK_PK_WND_26062/35_TSB30_TS_NW_MOV_E_GR_1_SLP105_60163_8/311_
T02000183_52036
EXERCISE #5
METAR_KXXX_142150Z_14010KT_1/2SM_R15R/2800FT_+RA_FG_OVC008_12/11_
RMK_RAB12E30B48_SLPNO_T01170106
EXERCISE #6
SPECI_KXXX_061830Z_VRB04KT_1_1/4SM_BR_OVC012_06/06_A2986_RMK_TWR_
VIS_1_3/4
EXERCISE #7
SPECI_KXXX_100315Z_00000KT_1/8SM_R27/0700FT_FG_VV002_04/04_A2992_RMK_
VIS_N_1/2
EXERCISE #8
SPECI_KXXX_150110Z_36018G32KT_8SM_BKN025_06/_A2876_RMK_WSHFT_0110_
FROPA
EXERCISE #9
SPECI_KXXX_250615Z_04012G20_2_1/2SM_-SN_OVC015_A2901_RMK_CIG_012V017
EXERCISE #10
METAR_KXXX_100456Z_18018KT_150V220_7SM_VCSH_FEW020_BKN028_25/18_A3000_
RMK_VCSH_E_VIRGA_DSNT_N_SLP111
EXERCISE #11
METAR_KXXX_181955Z_29008KT_1SM_R01R/5000FT_-RA_BR_HZ_SCT000_BKN035_
OVC070_19/18_A2999_RMK_RAB1857_BR_SCT000_SLP099_T01900180