How to read TAF

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TAF (Terminal Aerodrome Forecast) is a weather forecast at an airport or military base for a specific period (usually 24 hours). TAFs are an educated guess, METARs aren’t.

Type of Reports

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Depending on how quickly the weather changes, you will see three types of reports:

1. TAF
2. TAF AMD (amended). These will always supersede the previously issued TAF. You may not know the TAF is amended except by the issued time. Usually, TAFs are issued 20 to 40 minutes prior to the standard issue time. The standard issue times are 00Z, 06Z, 12Z and 18Z. So, a TAF issued at 0430Z instead of 0540Z is an indication it’s an amended TAF.
3. TAF COR (corrected)

TAF
KBLV AMD 051812 21015G30KT 0800 TSRA BKN008CB OVC020
BECMG 1819 29008KT 1600 -RA OVC030 620304 QNH2958INS
BECMG 1920 31012G22KT 9999 NSW SCT040 520004 QNH2952INS
BECMG 2021 30008KT 9999 SKC QNH2950INS T08/18Z M01/11Z
AMD 1820