Abbreviations used in aviation forecasts and warnings

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

A

  • AC

    Altocumulus

  • AD

    Aerodrome

  • AGL

    Above ground level

  • AMD

    Amend or amended

  • AMSL

    Above mean sea level

  • APR

    April

  • AS

    Altostratus

  • ASR

    Altimeter setting region

  • AUG

    August

  • AUTO

    Automated METAR (produced with CAA approval outside normal operational hours)

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B

  • BASE

    Cloud base

  • BCFG

    Fog patches

  • BECMG

    Becoming

  • BKN

    Broken (5 to 7 oktas)

  • BL

    Blowing

  • BLW

    Below

  • BR

    Mist

  • BTN

    Between

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C

  • C

    Degrees Celsius

  • CAT

    Clear Air Turbulence

  • CAVOK

    Ceiling and visibility OK

  • CB

    Cumulonimbus

  • CC

    Cirrocumulus

  • CI

    Cirrus

  • CIT

    Near or over large towns

  • CLD

    Cloud

  • COR

    Correction

  • COT

    At the coast

  • CS

    Cirrostratus

  • CU

    Cumulus

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D

  • D

    Downward (tendency in RVR in Civil observations)

  • DEC

    December

  • DEG

    Degrees

  • DP

    Dew point temperature

  • DR

    Low drifting (followed by DU, SA or SN)

  • DS

    Duststorm

  • DU

    Dust (in suspension)

  • DUC

    Dense upper cloud

  • DZ

    Drizzle

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E

  • E

    East or easterly

  • ENE

    East-north-east or east-north-easterly

  • ENE

    East-north-east or east-north-easterly

  • ESE

    East-south-east or east-south-easterly

  • EMBD

    Embedded

  • ETA

    Estimated time of arrival

  • ETD

    Estimated time of departure

F

  • FC

    Funnel cloud

  • FCST

    Forecast

  • FEB

    February

  • FEW

    Few (1 or 2 oktas)

  • FG

    Fog

  • FL

    Flight level

  • FM...

    From (followed by time weather change is to begin)

  • FPM

    Feet per minute

  • FRQ

    Frequent

  • FT

    Feet

  • FU

    Smoke

  • FZ

    Freezing (followed by DZ, FG or RA)

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G

  • G

    Gust

  • GEN

    Generally

  • GND

    Ground

  • GR

    Hail (5 mm or more in diameter)

  • GS

    Small hail or snow pellets

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H

  • H

    High pressure centre

  • HPA

    Hectopascals (= Millibar)

  • HVY

    Heavy

  • HZ

    Haze

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I

  • IC

    Ice crystals (diamond dust)

  • ICE

    Icing

  • INS

    Inches (on F2309)

  • INTSF

    Intensifying

  • IRVR

    Instrumented RVR

  • ISOL

    Isolated

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J

  • JAN

    January

  • JTST

    Jet stream

  • JUL

    July

  • JUN

    June

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K

  • KM

    Kilometres

  • KMH

    Kilometres per hour

  • KT

    Knots

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L

  • L

    Low pressure centre

  • LAN

    Inland (or over land)

  • LCA

    Locally

  • LSQ

    Line squall

  • LV

    Light & variable (relating to wind)

  • LYR

    Layer(s), layered

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M

  • M

    Less than 0°C (temperature)

  • M

    Less than the lowest reportable value (RVR)

  • M

    Metres

  • MAR

    March

  • MAX

    Maximum

  • MB

    Millibars

  • METAR

    Aviation routine weather report

  • MI

    Shallow (followed by FG)

  • MNM

    Minimum

  • MOD

    Moderate

  • MON

    Above or covering mountains

  • MPS

    Metres per second

  • MS

    Minus

  • MSL

    Mean sea level

  • MTW

    Mountain waves

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N

  • N

    North or northerly

  • NAT

    North Atlantic

  • NC

    No change

  • NCD

    No Cloud Detected (on AUTO METARs only)

  • NDV

    No Directional Variation (on AUTO METARs only)

  • NE

    North-east or north-easterly

  • NIL

    None

  • NM

    Nautical miles

  • NNE

    North-north-east or north-north-easterly

  • NNW

    North-north-west or north-north-westerly

  • NOSIG

    No significant change expected

  • NOTAM

    Notice containing important aeronautical information to all personnel concerned with flight operations

  • NOV

    November

  • NS

    Nimbostratus

  • NSC

    No significant cloud

  • NSW

    No significant weather

  • NW

    North-west or north-westerly

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O

  • OCNL

    Occasional, occasionally

  • OCT

    October

  • OVC

    Overcast (8 oktas)

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P

  • P

    Greater than the highest reportable value (RVR)

  • PL

    Ice pellets

  • PO

    Dust devils

  • PRFG

    Fog banks

  • PROB30

    30% chance

  • PROB40

    40% chance

  • PS

    Plus

  • PSYS

    Pressure System(s)

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Q

  • QFE

    Atmospheric pressure at specified datum

  • QNE

    Aerodrome height expressed in pressure altitude

  • QNH

    Altimeter sub-scale setting to obtain elevation when on the ground

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R

  • RA

    Rain

  • RMK

    Remarks

  • RVR

    Runway visual range

  • RWY

    Runway

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S

  • S

    South or southerly

  • SA

    Sand (in suspension)

  • SC

    Stratocumulus

  • SCT

    Scattered (3 or 4 oktas)

  • SE

    South-east or south-easterly

  • SEA

    At sea

  • SEP

    September

  • SEV

    Severe

  • SFC

    Surface

  • SG

    Snow grains

  • SH...

    Shower (followed by RA, SN, PL, GR, GS or combinations thereof)

  • SIG

    Significant

  • SKC

    Sky clear

  • SN

    Snow (flakes)

  • SPECI

    Aviation special weather report

  • SQ

    Squall

  • SS

    Sandstorm

  • SSE

    South-south-east or south-south-easterly

  • SSW

    South-south-west or south-south-westerly

  • ST

    Stratus

  • STNR

    Stationary

  • SW

    South-west or south-westerly

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T

  • T

    Temperature

  • TAF

    Terminal aerodrome forecast

  • TCU

    Towering cumulus

  • TEMPO

    Temporary, temporarily

  • TL

    Until

  • TOP

    Cloud top

  • TROP

    Tropopause

  • TS

    Thunderstorm (may also be followed by RA, SN, PL, GR, GS or combinations thereof)

  • TURB

    Turbulence

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U

  • U

    Upward (tendency in RVR)

  • UP

    Unidentified Precipitation (on AUTO METARs only)

  • UTC

    Co-ordinated Universal Time

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V

  • VA

    Volcanic ash

  • VAL

    In valleys

  • VC...

    In vicinity of aerodrome (followed by FG, FC, SH, PO, BLDU, BLSA, BLSN)

  • VIS

    Visibility

  • VRB

    Variable

  • VSP

    Vertical speed

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W

  • W

    West or westerly

  • WAFC

    World Area Forecast Centre

  • WDSPR

    Widespread

  • WNW

    West-north-west or west-north-westerly

  • WRNG

    Warning

  • WS

    Wind shear

  • WSPD

    Wind speed

  • WSW

    West-south-west or west-south-westerly

  • WX

    Weather

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Z

  • Z

    Co-ordinated Universal Time

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