Revision 6 Feb/2009
A-7
KMD 550/850 FIS Addendum
Appendix A
Understanding Weather Reports
The next series of elements contain data that is read much like that in
METARs and TAFs. Each element starts with a 2-letter designator
which denotes the type of data with that element. The following defines
the element designators:
/TM: Time as Coordinated Universal Time
/FL: Altitude as Flight Level
/TP: Aircraft Type
/SK: Sky Cover (may include cloud height and coverage)
/WX: Weather Phenomenon (can include flight visibility, precipitation
and restrictions to visibility.
/TA: Outside air temperature at altitude in degrees Celsius.
/WV: Wind (direction in degrees magnetic north and speed in knots)
/TB: Turbulence (refer to the Airman’s Information Manual)
CAT - Clear Air Turbulence
CHOP - Choppy Turbulence
OCNL - Occasional
NEG - No Turbulence
ABV - Above
BLO - Below
LGT - Light - Momentarily causes slight, erratic changes in
altitude and/or attitude.
MOD - Moderate - Greater intensity changes in altitude and/or
attitude, but aircraft remains in positive control at all times.
Usually causes changes in indicated airspeed.
SEV - Severe - Causes large and abrupt changes to aircraft
altitude and/or attitude. Large variations in indicated airspeed
and momentary loss of control.
EXTRM - Extreme - Aircraft is violently tossed about and is
nearly impossible to control. May cause structural damage.
/IC: Icing (refer to the Airman’s Information Manual)
CLR - Clear
MX - Mixed (combination of rime and clear icing)
NEG - No Icing
ABV - Above
BLO - Below
Trace - Ice becomes perceptible. Rate of evaporation is
almost equal to the rate of accumulation. Deicing/anti-icing
equipment is not utilized unless encountered for a period of
time greater than 1 hour.
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