WMO Weather Report Parser
Decode standardized weather reports from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). Understand METAR codes and learn about the meteorological conditions behind them.
The parser automatically tries to detect the report type. Works with METAR, SYNOP, TAF, High Seas Forecast, and more.
Examples
Auto Mode (detect automatically)
Auto mode automatically recognizes various weather report types:
- ✓ METAR - Aviation weather reports
- ✓ SYNOP - Surface observations
- ✓ TAF - Aviation forecasts
- ✓ High Seas - High seas forecasts
- ✓ Tropical Cyclone - Tropical cyclones
- ✓ SIGMET/AIRMET - Aviation hazard warnings
What is METAR?
METAR is a standardized WMO format for weather reports from airports. These codes contain important information about current weather conditions.
Example Components:
- KJFK - Airport code
- 121856Z - Date and time (UTC)
- 31008KT - Wind (direction/speed)
- 10SM - Visibility
- 23/14 - Temperature/dew point
- A3012 - Air Pressure
Flight Categories
VFR
Good conditions
MVFR
Marginal
IFR
Poor
LIFR
Very poor
Disclaimer
All information without guarantee! Decoding of weather reports is automated and may contain errors. For critical applications (aviation, maritime, etc.) please use official weather services such as DWD, NWS, or NOAA.
About the WMO Parser
The WMO parser decodes standardized weather reports from the World Meteorological Organization. These are the same formats used by pilots, meteorologists, and weather services worldwide.
Supported Formats
- METAR: Current weather reports from airports. Updated hourly or upon significant changes.
- SYNOP: Surface observations from weather stations worldwide. Include pressure, temperature, wind, and other parameters.
- TAF: Terminal Aerodrome Forecast - aviation weather forecast for the next 24-30 hours.
Explaining Flight Categories
Flight categories are based on two parameters: visibility and ceiling (lowest cloud layer).
- VFR (Visual Flight Rules): Visibility ≥ 5 SM, ceiling ≥ 3000 ft
- MVFR (Marginal VFR): Visibility 3-5 SM, ceiling 1000-3000 ft
- IFR (Instrument Flight Rules): Visibility 1-3 SM, ceiling 500-1000 ft
- LIFR (Low IFR): Visibility < 1 SM, ceiling < 500 ft
Important Weather Codes
METAR uses standardized abbreviations for weather events. Here are the most important ones:
- RA - Rain | SN - Snow | DZ - Drizzle
- TS - Thunderstorm | FG - Fog | BR - Haze
- PE - Ice pellets | HA - Hail | VA - Volcanic ash
- - = light | + = heavy
Applications
The WMO parser is ideal for:
- Meteorology teaching and training
- Pilot training and flight preparation
- Weather analysis and research
- Travel and leisure planning
- Safety assessment for water sports and aviation
Want to read weather reports professionally?
At MeteoAcademy, you'll learn to systematically decode METAR, TAF, and SYNOP.