Aviation Abbreviations
The complete list of abbreviations used in our aviation forecasts and warnings can be found on the Aviation glossary on the public website.
A
- AD: Aerodrome
- AGL: Above Ground Level
- AMSL: Above Mean Sea Level
- AUTO: Automated METAR (produced with CAA approval outside normal operational hours)
B
- BECMG: Becoming (used in TAFs to indicate a gradual change in conditions)
- BKN: Broken (cloud cover between 5 and 7 oktas)
C
- CAVOK: Ceiling and Visibility OK
- CB: Cumulonimbus (a type of cloud associated with thunderstorms)
- COR: Corrected (used in METARs to indicate a correction to a previous report)
D
- DP: Dew Point
F
- FEW: Few (cloud cover between 1 and 2 oktas)
- FG: Fog
- FIR: Flight Information Region
G
- GR: Hail
I
- IR Infrared
K
- KT: Knots
M
- METAR: Meteorological Aerodrome Report. A routine aviation weather report.
- MTW: Mountain waves
N
- NATS: National Air Traffic Services (the UK's air traffic control provider)
- NCD: No Significant Cloud Detected (on AUTO METARs only)
- NOSIG: No Significant Change (used in TAFs)
O
- OVC: Overcast (cloud cover of 8 oktas)
P
- PROB30: Probability of 30% (used in TAFs to indicate the likelihood of a certain weather condition)
Q
- QNH: Altimeter sub-scale setting to obtain elevation when on the ground
R
- RA: Rain
- RVR: Runway Visual Range
S
- SCT: Scattered (cloud cover between 3 and 4 oktas)
- SPECI: Special
T
- TAF: Terminal Aerodrome Forecast. A forecast for a specific aerodrome, typically covering a 24 to 30 hour period.
- TEMPO: Temporary (used in TAFs to indicate temporary changes in conditions)
- TS: Thunderstorm (may also be followed by additional descriptors such as RA, SN, PL, GR, GS or combinations of these)
V
- VA: Volcanic Ash Advisory
- VRB: Variable (used in METARs to indicate variable wind direction)
W
- WAFC: World Area Forecast Centre (provides global aviation weather forecasts)