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Decoding a METAR - XKCD (xkcd.com)

submitted 1 week ago* (last edited 6 days ago) by Deme to c/[email protected]

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Transcript for the comic embedded in the link: An XKCD comic about how to decode a METAR:

METAR - "Meter" (Usually misspelled)

KNYC - Station ID

251600Z - Time (25:16:002)

18035G45KT - Wind speed has been 18,035 knots for a good 45 minutes now.

6SM - Observer is a size 6 small.

VCFCFZVA - Sorry, the station cat walked on the keyboard.

+BLUP - Weird noise the sky made earlier.

NOSIG - The observer has no significant other :(

LTG OHD - We overheard someone saying there was lightning.

A3808 - Hey look, an Airbus A380-800!

RMK - Remarkable!

A02 - Fanfic archive equipped with a precipitation sensor.

SLP130= - Observer got sleepy around 1:30.

Image alt-text on the website: "In the aviation world, they don't use AM/PM times. Instead, all times are assumed to be AM unless they're labeled NOTAM."

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[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Don't miss the alt-text of the image.

[–] Deme 1 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Thanks for the reminder!

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 week ago (1 children)

That's not what's meant by "the alt text" in the context of XKCD comics, though, it's the transcript. The alt text is an additional joke in the title tag: "In the aviation world, they don't use AM/PM times. Instead, all times are assumed to be AM unless they're labeled NOTAM."

(Some explanations for the comic, for those like me who need it, are here: https://explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/3024:_METAR)

[–] Deme 1 points 1 week ago

Oh, right. I figured that a person using a screen reader can probably see that one by themselves, but I suppose I could throw that one into the post body as well.