Live weather conditions at 1,300+ airports worldwide. Our 9-category scoring engine identifies the most hazardous aviation weather in real time, helping pilots, dispatchers, and aviation enthusiasts stay informed and safe.
Real-time statistical analysis compiled from Worst Weather airport data. Updated automatically every 30 minutes from live METAR observations across 1,300+ airports worldwide.
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A METAR (METeorological Aerodrome Report) is a standardized weather observation format used at airports worldwide. Issued every 30-60 minutes by certified observers or automated stations, METARs give pilots critical data about visibility, cloud cover, wind, temperature, pressure, and present weather phenomena.
Special reports called SPECI are issued when conditions change significantly between routine reports — for example, a sudden fog bank or thunderstorm arrival.
A TAF (Terminal Aerodrome Forecast) predicts weather conditions within 5 nautical miles of an airport. Issued every 6 hours and covering a 24-30 hour period, TAFs include expected changes using keywords like BECMG (becoming), TEMPO (temporary), and PROB (probability).
Weather conditions are classified into four standard flight categories based on ceiling height and visibility. These determine whether pilots fly under Visual or Instrument Flight Rules.
Excellent conditions. Pilots navigate by visual reference to the ground and horizon.
Reduced conditions. VFR flight possible but requires extra caution and experience.
Low conditions. Instrument rating, IFR flight plan, and ATC clearance required.
Dangerous conditions. Only experienced IFR pilots with proper equipment should attempt operations.
Weather phenomena use standardized two-to-four letter codes. Intensity is indicated by prefixes: - light, no prefix = moderate, + heavy.
| Code | Meaning | Category | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
FG | Fog (vis < 1000 m) | Obscuration | 🔴 High |
BR | Mist (vis 1000-5000 m) | Obscuration | 🟡 Moderate |
HZ | Haze | Obscuration | 🟢 Low |
RA | Rain | Precipitation | 🟡 Moderate |
SN | Snow | Precipitation | 🔴 High |
DZ | Drizzle | Precipitation | 🟢 Low |
TS | Thunderstorm | Convective | ⚫ Critical |
FZRA | Freezing Rain | Icing | ⚫ Critical |
FZFG | Freezing Fog | Icing | ⚫ Critical |
FZDZ | Freezing Drizzle | Icing | 🔴 High |
GR | Hail | Convective | ⚫ Critical |
SQ | Squall | Wind | 🔴 High |
BLSN | Blowing Snow | Obscuration | 🔴 High |
SS | Sandstorm | Obscuration | ⚫ Critical |
FC | Funnel Cloud / Tornado | Convective | ⚫ Critical |
SH | Showers | Precipitation | 🟡 Moderate |
Cloud layers are reported using sky-coverage abbreviations followed by the height in hundreds of feet above ground level (AGL).
BKN025 = broken clouds at 2,500 ft.
METAR & TAF uses a proprietary 9-category scoring engine to rank airports by weather severity in real time. Each METAR is evaluated across:
Airports are ranked from highest to lowest score; the Top 50 form our real-time Worst Weather leaderboard, updated every 30 minutes.
METAR stands for METeorological Aerodrome Report. It is a standardized international format for reporting current weather conditions at airports, used by pilots and air-traffic controllers worldwide. The format is governed by ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) Annex 3.
Routine METARs are issued every 30 to 60 minutes. Special METARs (SPECI) can be issued at any time when significant changes occur — such as rapid visibility drops, wind shifts, or thunderstorm onset. Our system checks for new data every 10 minutes.
A METAR reports current observed conditions, while a TAF (Terminal Aerodrome Forecast) predicts weather for the next 24-30 hours. Pilots use both: METARs for real-time awareness and TAFs for pre-flight planning and alternate-airport decisions.
Our Worst Weather feature scores every METAR on a 0-40 scale across nine hazard categories — flight category, visibility, ceiling, phenomena, wind, icing, pressure, trend, and combo bonus. The 50 airports with the highest scores are displayed in a live leaderboard, refreshed every 30 minutes.
VFR (Visual Flight Rules) — ceiling > 3,000 ft & visibility > 5 SM. MVFR (Marginal VFR) — ceiling 1,000-3,000 ft or visibility 3-5 SM. IFR (Instrument Flight Rules) — ceiling 500-999 ft or visibility 1-3 SM. LIFR (Low IFR) — ceiling < 500 ft or visibility < 1 SM. These categories are color-coded on our map: green, blue, orange, and red respectively.
All METAR and TAF data is sourced from the NOAA Aviation Weather Center (aviationweather.gov), the official US government source for aviation weather products. Data is fetched and processed automatically; however, this site is for informational purposes only — always verify with official briefing services before flight.