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Decoding a METAR - XKCD (xkcd.com)

submitted 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) by Deme to c/aviation

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Alt text 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.

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[–] AnAustralianPhotographer 3 points 4 days ago (1 children)

I keep seeing 'RASH', does that mean I should see a doctor? Other times it says 'CAVOK'

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (1 children)

Shower of rain. You could even add in the vicinity with a nice VCRASH.

So yep, the Metar is telling you that you need a shower in the vicinity of your rash, does the doctor agrees ?

Tonight I had SN, and indeed, at the end of night shift the streets were covered in white fluffy cocaine.

CAVOK is only possible if visibility is 10km or more and there are no clouds.

PS: This is an American Metar. Elsewhere (Australia included I believe) they are a little bit different, not much but US use specific codes because of course they would.

[–] Deme 1 points 4 days ago

I had to do a double take when I first saw that "RASH" in the comment above. Is there a place where it's written like that instead of just SHRA or was that just a joke? Generally the pattern is always [intensity][descriptive attribute][phenomena], but the US system has so many deviations from the international standards that I can't be certain.