METAR

METAR is a standardized aviation weather report that provides a snapshot of current weather conditions at a specific airfield or weather station. It is used worldwide by pilots, ATC, and military planners to assess whether flight operations can be conducted safely under VFR or IFR.

METAR reports are issued at regular intervals (usually every 30 or 60 minutes) and are written in a compressed, coded format to ensure clarity and international standardization.

What a METAR contains

A typical METAR may include:

• Station identifier – ICAO airport code
• Date and time – reported in Zulu time (UTC)
• Wind – direction and speed (including gusts)
• Visibility – prevailing visibility at the airfield
• Weather phenomena – rain, fog, snow, thunderstorms, etc.
• Cloud coverage – layers, heights, and type
• Temperature / dew point
• Altimeter setting (QNH)
• Runway visual range (RVR) when applicable
• Remarks – additional operational details

Example METAR

Plain-language breakdown:

• Report from Naval Base Ventura County
• Issued 22nd day at 14:55 Zulu
• Wind from 270° at 12 knots
• Visibility 10 statute miles
• Few clouds at 2,000 ft, scattered at 5,000 ft
• Temperature 18°C, dew point 12°C
• Altimeter 29.92 inHg

Why METAR matters

• Determines VFR vs IFR legality
• Influences approach selection (ILS vs visual)
• Affects performance planning (wind, density altitude)
• Critical for carrier ops, CAS, and night missions
• Provides baseline weather awareness before takeoff or recovery

Application in DCS World

• DCS does not generate real METAR strings automatically.
• Mission creators manually define:
  • Wind
  • Visibility
  • Cloud layers
  • Pressure
• Some multiplayer servers and external tools simulate METAR-style briefs for realism.

Cadets can still think in METAR terms by:

• Interpreting mission weather as if reading a METAR
• Practicing go/no-go decisions based on visibility, cloud base, and wind
• Linking METAR conditions to approach minima (CAT I / II / III)

Training relevance for cadets

Cadets should learn to:

• Read and decode METARs quickly
• Identify weather that forces IFR or restricts visual operations
• Anticipate:
  • Crosswinds
  • Low ceilings
  • Reduced visibility
• Tie METAR data to:
  • DH
  • RVR
  • VFR / IFR decision-making

Bottom line:
A METAR is the pilot’s first weather truth source.
If you can’t read it fluently, you’re already behind the airplane.