METAR vs TAF: Reading Aviation Weather for Part 107

Weather codes look like alphabet soup. They actually follow a fixed pattern, and once you know the slots you can read any of them. Here's the difference between the two you need for Part 107, and how to decode both.

The one-line difference

• A METAR is a report of current conditions at an airport (an observation).
• A TAF is a forecast of expected conditions at an airport over a time window.

Same shorthand, different jobs: METAR = what it's doing now, TAF = what it's expected to do.

How to read a METAR

A METAR always runs in the same order. Take: KXYZ 151653Z 21012G20KT 3SM BR OVC008 18/17 A2996

• KXYZ: the station. 151653Z: day and time in Zulu (UTC).
• 21012G20KT: wind: from 210° at 12 knots, gusting 20. Winds are always in knots.
• 3SM: visibility, 3 statute miles. BR: mist.
• OVC008: overcast at 800 ft.
• 18/17: temperature 18°C, dewpoint 17°C. A close spread means fog is likely.
• A2996: altimeter setting.

Two exam favorites live right there. Winds are in knots, so an answer in "mph" is a trap. And a tight temperature/dewpoint spread signals fog and dropping visibility.

How to read a TAF

A TAF looks like a METAR but adds time groups. FM151800 means "from 1800Z, conditions change to what follows." So a TAF might forecast good visibility until 1800Z, then a FM group dropping it to 2 SM and gusty. To plan a flight window, find the group that covers your time and read those conditions, not the first line.

All those times are Zulu (UTC), not local. Convert before you plan, or you'll pick the wrong window. Mistaking Zulu for local time trips up a lot of people.

Why this matters beyond the exam

Part 107 requires at least 3 statute miles of visibility and cloud clearance of 500 ft below and 2,000 ft horizontally. The METAR tells you if you meet that right now; the TAF tells you if your afternoon window will. Reading both is the difference between a confident go/no-go call and a guess.

Want to practice decoding real ones with instant feedback? Our Part 107 course has a METAR decoder and drills, and the free practice test includes weather questions with full explanations. For the full study path, see how to pass the Part 107 in 2026.

General information only. Verify weather-rule specifics at faa.gov and always use official weather sources for real flights.