What does all this mean?

[ThomasKaira]

This is a NOAA weather report for Chicago O'Hare:

(In parentheses are known)

FTUS43 KLOT 120500
TAFORD
TAF
KORD (120530Z) 120606 00000KT P6SM (FEW060 BKN250)

[C]

[quote]This is a NOAA weather report for Chicago O'Hare:

(In parentheses are known)

FTUS43 KLOT 120500
TAFORD
TAF
KORD (120530Z) 120606 00000KT P6SM (FEW060 BKN250)

[Mobius]

P6SM means over 6 statue miles visibility, so when you see that, you know the visibility is quite good, but not necessarily exactly 6 miles.  Other than that, I agree with everything Charlie said.

[ThomasKaira]

Here's one with even more info: (Info in parentheses deciphered previously)

(KDEN 130353Z 16008KT 10SM FEW080 SCT120 22/05 A3002) RMK AO2 TSE32 SLP082 TS MOV SE T02170050

[C]

[quote]P6SM means over 6 statue miles visibility, so when you see that, you know the visibility is quite good, but not necessarily exactly 6 miles.

[Mobius]

RMK AO2 TSE32 SLP082 TS MOV SE T02170050

RMK AO2 means the station reporting is an automated station that has a precipitation descriminator.

TSE32 means....um.....yep.

[Splinter562]

TSE32 means....um.....yep.  I think it might mean thunderstorms reported at 32 past the hour

Very close, took me a minute to remember too:
Thunderstorms Ended at 32 past the hour.

[Mobius]

[quote][quote]
TSE32 means....um.....yep.

[Dr.bob7]

I only can read the wind speed and direction from METARs been forever since i saw one

[Splinter562]

If you think TAFs are hard to decode, you should see some of the other encoded products they have. Here are some examples from the FAA publication Aviation Weather Services:

Pilot Weather Reports (PIREPs)
KOKC UA/OV KOKC090064/TM 1522/FL080/TP C172/SK SCT090-TOPUNKN/WX FV05SM HZ/TA M04/WV 24540KT/TB LGT/RM IN CLR

UA - Routine PIREP
/OV KOKC090064 - Position: 64 NM east on Oklahoma City on the 090 radial
/TM 1522 - Time: 1522Z
/FL080 - At flight level 080
/TP C172 - Type: Cessna 172
/SK SCT090-TOPUNKN - Sky cover: Scattered at 9,000 MSL, height of tops unknown
/WX FV05SM HZ - Flight visibility: 5 statue miles in haze
/TA M04 - Temperature: -4 C
/WV 24540KT - Winds: 240 at 40 knots
/TB LGT - Light turbulence
/RM IN CLR - Remarks: In clear skys

An even harder one is the Radar Weather Reports:

TLX 1935 LN 8TRW++ 86/40 164/60 20W C2425 MTS 570 AT 159/65 AUTO ^ MO1 NO2 ON3 PM34 QM3 RL2=

TLX - Location ID (Oklahoma City, apparently)
1935 - Time: 1935Z
LN - Line of echos
8 - Coverage: 8/10s of coverage in the line
TRW++ - Type: Thunderstorms (T) with heavy rain showers (RW++)
86/40 164/60 - Returns in a line from a point 086

[AA]

Thought I'd share some unusual METAR reports. They're not all that hard to read, but they are interesting. From Tinker AFB, Oklahoma City on May 3rd, 1999.

KTIK 032255Z 16013G20KT 7SM FEW025 SCT040CB OVC250 22/20 A2957 RMK SLP005 CB 30SW MOV NE CBMAM OHD 8/303 9/305

KTIK 032332Z 16011G20KT 6SM -TSRA FEW023 SCT040CB OVC250 22/19 A2959 RMK TS 15SW MOV NE

KTIK 032355Z 18012KT 6SM -TSRA FEW023 SCT040CB OVC250 21/20 A2962 RMK OCNL LTGICCCCG TS 3SW MOV NE PRESRR SLP023 60001 8/903 9/404 55000

KTIK 040001Z 17007KT 2SM -TSRA BR FEW025 BKN040CB OVC250 21/20 A2962 RMK OCNL LTGICCCCG TS 3SW MOV NE

KTIK 040003Z 17006KT 2SM -TSRA BR BKN020CB BKN080 OVC250 21/20 A2961 RMK OCNL LTGICCCCG TS OHD MOV NE

KTIK 040010Z RMK TORNADO 13SW MOV NE. LARGE TORNADO ON THE GROUND TAKE COVER IMMEDIATELY

KTIK 040019Z 08008KT 1SM +FC TSRAGR OVC020CB 21/20 A2955 RMK TORNADO 9SW MOV NE FRQ LTGICCCCG TS OHD MOV NE GR 1 1/4 PRESFR

KTIK 040031Z 08006KT 6SM +FC OVC020CB 21/20 A2956 RMK TORNADO 5SW MOV NE FRQ LTGICCCCG TS OHD MOV NE PRESRR

KTIK 040036Z 08006KT 6SM +FC OVC020CB 21/20 A2954 RMK TORNADO 3SW MOV NE FRQ LTGICCCCG TS OHD MOV NE PRES UNSTDY

KTIK 040043Z COR RMK TORNADO 1W MOV NE. EVACUATING STATION

KTIK 040119Z RMK TORNADO MOVD NE

[AA]

Or how about this one...

SPECI KFTY 251109Z 32003KT 2 1/2SM -RA BR SCT003 SCT013 OVC044 16/16 A3004 RMK AO2 THE ASOS IS A STUPID PIECE OF SH*T P0004

http://www.wunderground.com/history/air ... me=Georgia

[Splinter562]

Or how about this one...

SPECI KFTY 251109Z 32003KT 2 1/2SM -RA BR SCT003 SCT013 OVC044 16/16 A3004 RMK AO2 THE ASOS IS A STUPID PIECE OF SH*T P0004

http://www.wunderground.com/history/air ... me=Georgia

That is the best METAR I've ever seen.

[Wingo]

For the sake of some fun, here are some Aussie TAFs to decode.

First has a METAR attached

05:30 UTC, 16/08/2008
TAF YMMB 160530Z 160618
21012KT 9999 -SHRA SCT020 BKN040
FM12 23010KT 9999 -SHRA SCT015 BKN025
INTER 0618 5000 SHRA BKN010
RMK
T 12 10 08 06 Q 1018 1020 1021 1022

08:30 UTC, 16/08/2008
METAR YMMB 160830Z AUTO 19007KT 9999NDV // SCT002 SCT046 10/05 Q1020
RMK RF00.0/000.2

Second has a TTF

05:11 UTC, 16/08/2008
TAF YMML 160511Z 160606
20014KT 9999 -SHRA SCT015 BKN025
INTER 0612 5000 SHRA BKN012
TEMPO 1224 5000 SHRA BKN010
INTER 1224 3000 SHRA DZ BKN005
INTER 0006 5000 SHRA BKN012
RMK
T 10 09 08 06 Q 1018 1020 1021 1022

08:54 UTC, 16/08/2008
TTF SPECI YMML 160849Z 18008KT 2500 SHRA FEW012 SCT030 08/06 Q1021
    RMK RF00.8/001.0
    FM0849 20010KT 9999 SHRA SCT010 BKN030
    INTER 0849/1149 5000 SHRA BKN010