Meteorology Abbreviations

//¹

Weather not detected due to sensor being temporarily inoperative.

¹ Used in METAR AUTO only

///¹

Cloud is detected (unable to determine TCU/CB)

¹ Used in METAR AUTO only

////¹

Visibility not reported due to faulty sensor.

¹ Used in METAR AUTO only

/////////¹

Cloud not reported due to faulty sensor.

¹ Used in METAR AUTO only

-

Light

(blank space) - E.g: RA SCT017

Moderate (when included before weather phenomenon.

+

Heavy

9999

Visability 10km or more

AAW

Aviation Area Winds

ABT

About

ABV

Above

AC

Altocumulus

AD QNH

Aerodrome QNH Forecast

AFT

After

AGL

Above Ground Level

AIP

Aeronautical Information Publication

AIREP

Routine air report from aircraft in flight.

AIREP SPECIAL

Special (non-routine) air report from aircraft in flight.

AMD

Amended

AMSL

Above Mean Sea Level

APRX

Approximate

AS

Altostratus

AT

At

ATIS

Automatic Terminal Information Service

ATS

Air Traffic Services

AWIB

Aerodrome and weather information broadcast.

AWS

Automatic weather station (produces METAR AUTO)

BASE

Cloud Base

BC

Patches

BDRY

Boundary

BECMG

Becoming

BFR

Before

BKN

Broken (5-7 Oktas)

BL

Blowing

BLDG

Building

BLW

Below

BR

Mist (1000-5000M Visibility)

BTN

Between

BWR

Basic Weather Report

CAT

Clear Air Turbulence

CAVOK

Cloud and Visability OK

• Visibility is 10KM or more.

• There is no cloud of operational significance.

• There is no weather of significance to aviation (for example, precipitation, fog, mist, thunderstorms).

CB

Cumulonimbus (i.e: Thunderstorm)

CLD

Cloud

CLR

Clear

CNL

Cancel

CONS

Continuous

COR

Corrected

COT

At the Coast

CU

Cumulus

DP

Dew Point Temperature

DR

Low Drifting

DS

Dust Storm

DTG

Date Time Group

DTRT

Deteriorating/ deteriorate

DU

Dust

DZ

Drizzle

EMBD

Embedded

A thunderstorm or severe weather cell that is hidden or "buried" inside a larger, more uniform mass of clouds

MTW

Mountain Waves

NC

No Change

NCD¹

No cloud detected below 10,000ft

¹ Used in METAR AUTO only

NM

Nautical Miles

NOSIG

No Significant Change

NOTAM

Notice to airmen

NS

Nimbostratus

NSC²

No significant cloud

² Only used in TAF for NZAA, NZWN and NZCH

NSW

Nil significant weather

NXT

Next

NZZC

New Zealand FIR

NZZO

Auckland Oceanic FIR

OBS

Observed

OBSC

Obscured

OCNL

Occasional

OPMET

Operational Meteorological Information

OVC

Overcast (8 Oktas)

PIREP

Pilot report (AIREP)

PL

Ice Pellets

PO

Dust/ Sand Whirls

PR

Partial

PROB

Probability

PS

Plus

PSN

Position

Q

QNH

R

Runway

RA

Rain

RADIATION

Radiation at flight levels

RDOACT

Radioactive

RDOACT CLD

Radioactive Cloud

RE

Recent

RMK

Remark

ROFOR

Route forecast

RVR

Runway visual range

SA

Sand

SATCOM

Communications via satellite

SC

Stratocumulus

SCT

Scattered (3-4 oktas)

SECT

Sector

SEV

Severe

SFC

Surface

SG

Snow Grains

SH

Shower