METAR Response element

The METAR Response Element is returned for the following request type:

Table of Contents
METAR
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Element Cardinality Description
<metar> 0..1 Holder element for a METAR report
<report>KABQ 272152Z VRB03KT 10SM FEW110 SCT250 33/01 A3023 RMK AO2 SLP139 CB DSNT N T03280011</report> 1..1 Original METAR report text.
<reportTime>2012-08-27T21:52:00.000Z</reportTime> 1..1 Time the report was issued by the weather station (UTC).
<reportModifier></reportModifier> 0..1 Modifier string for this report. Could be "Amendment" or "Correction".
<weatherStationIcao>KABQ</weatherStationIcao> 1..1 ICAO code of the weather station issuing the report. This is not the same as the ICAO code of the nearest airport.
<conditions> ... </conditions> 1..1 Primary group of weather conditions.
<tags> 1..1 Additional tag fields to help assess weather severity.
<tag> 0..n Tag entry
<key>Wind</key> 1..1 Tag key
<value>3</value> 1..1 Tag value
</tag>
</tags>
<temperatureCelsius>20.7</temperatureCelsius> 0..1 Temperature (degrees celsius/centigrade).
<dewPoint>2.3</dewPoint> 0..1 Dew point temperature (degrees celsius/centigrade).
<runwayVisualRanges> 1..1 List of runway visual ranges described by the report.
<runwayVisualRange> 0..n Entry for a runway visual range (RVR), describing horizontal visibility.
<runwayNumber>1</runwayNumber> 0..1 Runway number for this RVR.
<modifier>1</modifier> 0..1 Modifier text for this RVR.
<lowestVisibility>1000</lowestVisibility> 0..1 Lower bound on horizontal visibility for this runway (meters).
<highestVisibility>1500</highestVisibility> 0..1 Upper bound on horizontal visibility for this runway (meters).
</runwayVisualRange>
</runwayVisualRanges>
<obscurations> 1..1 List of obscurations described by the report.
<obscuration> 0..n Entry for an obscuration.
<phenomenon>Fog</phenomenon> 0..1 Primary phenomenon present in this obscuration. Possible values: "Drizzle", "Dust/sand whirls", "Dust storm", "Fog", "Funnel cloud", "Hail", "Haze", "Ice crystals", "Ice pellets", "Mist", "Rain", "Sand", "Sand storm", "Small hail", "Smoke/fumes", "Snow", "Snow grains", "Spray", "Squalls", "Unknown precipitation", "Volcanic ash", "Widespread dust"
<coverage>Scattered</coverage> 0..1 Degree of coverage from this obscuration. Possible values: "Few clouds", "Scattered clouds", "Broken clouds", "Overcast", "Vertical Visibility", "Sky clear", "No significant clouds", "Clear"
<height></height> 0..1 Height of the obscuration (feet above ground level).
</obscuration>
</obscurations>
<noSignificantChange>true</noSignificantChange> 1..1 Boolean value indicating that no significant change is expected to the reported conditions within the next 2 hours.
</metar>
Conditions
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The primary set of weather conditions are grouped into a "Conditions" model object including wind, visibility, weather phenomena, cloud coverage, and barometric pressure. "Conditions" sections occur in both METAR reports and TAF forecast sections.
Element Cardinality Description
<conditions> 1..1
<wind> 0..1 Wind information
<direction>120</direction> 0..1 Wind direction (degrees counter-clockwise from north).
<directionMin>100</directionMin> 0..1 Minimum wind direction, for variable wind (degrees counter-clockwise from north).
<directionMax>130</directionMax> 0..1 Maximum wind direction, for variable wind (degrees counter-clockwise from north).
<directionIsVariable>false</directionIsVariable> 1..1 Boolean value indicating whether wind direction is variable.
<speedKnots>15</speedKnots> 0..1 Wind speed (knots).
<gustSpeedKnots>15</gustSpeedKnots> 0..1 Wind gust speed (knots).
</wind> Wind information
<visibility> 0..1
<miles>5.0</miles> 0..1 Horizontal visibility in statute miles. Generally the only reason for this field not to be present is if cavok is true, implying unimpeded visibility without a specific numeric measurement.
<cavok>true</cavok> 0..1 Boolean value indicating "Ceiling and Visibility OK" (abbreviated "CAVOK").
<lessThan>false</lessThan> 1..1 Boolean value indicating that the actual visibility is less than the number of miles stated.
<visibility> 0..1
<weatherConditions> 1..1 List of all weather conditions described by the report.
<weatherCondition> 0..n Entry for a weather condition.
<phenomenon>Rain</phenomenon> 1..1 Primary phenomenon described by this weather condition. Possible values: "Drizzle", "Dust/sand whirls", "Dust storm", "Fog", "Funnel cloud", "Hail", "Haze", "Ice crystals", "Ice pellets", "Mist", "Rain", "Sand", "Sand storm", "Small hail", "Smoke/fumes", "Snow", "Snow grains", "Spray", "Squalls", "Unknown precipitation", "Volcanic ash", "Widespread dust".
<descriptor>Freezing</descriptor> 0..1 Descriptor of this weather condition, indicating phenomenon characteristics. Possible values: "Shallow", "Blowing", "Patches", "Showers", "Partial", "Drifting", "Thunderstorm", "Freezing".
<intensity>Light</intensity> 1..1 Intensity of the phenomenon: "Light", "Moderate", "Heavy", or "Vicinity".
</weatherCondition>
</weatherConditions>
<skyConditions> 1..1 List of all sky conditions described by the report.
<skyCondition> 0..n Entry for a sky condition.
<coverage>Overcast</coverage> 1..1 Cloud coverage. Possible values: "Few clouds", "Scattered clouds", "Broken clouds", "Overcast", "Vertical Visibility", "Sky clear", "No significant clouds", "Clear".
<base>3000</base> 0..1 Cloud layer base (feet above ground level).
<modifier>TCU</modifier> 0..1 Sky condition modifier; see METAR for possible values.
</skyCondition>
</skyConditions>
<pressureInchesHg>0.7</pressureInchesHg> 0..1 Atmospheric pressure (inches of mercury).
</conditions>
Tags
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METAR reports are annotated with additional tags providing summary information on the report. All tags are optional.
Tag Key Possible Values Description
Prevailing Conditions
  1. Hurricane
  2. Tornado
  3. Volcanic Ash
  4. Ice
  5. Thunderstorms
  6. Snow
  7. Dust / Sand Storms
  8. Foggy
  9. Smoke
  10. Patchy Fog
  11. Windy
  12. Breezy
  13. Rain
  14. High Chance of Rain
  15. Showers
  16. Low Chance of Showers
  17. Cloudy
  18. Partly Cloudy
  19. Smog
  20. Mostly Clear
  21. Clear
  22. Partly Sunny
  23. Sunny
 Prevailing weather conditions. Conditions are considered in the priority listed; the report is tagged with only the highest-priority condition.
Visibility 0..5 Visibility hazard rating, based on sky condition; 5 is worst.
Wind 0..5 Wind hazard rating; 5 is worst.
Precipitation 0..3 Precipitation hazard rating; 3 is worst.
Freezing 0..4 Hazard rating for freezing conditions; 4 is worst.
Severe Weather 0..30 Hazard rating for severe weather phenomena; 30 is worst.
Example XML Output
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The following example is a partial response and uses inline references for simplicity.
See Full Sample Responses for a complete response.
<metar> <report> KPDX 302253Z 30008KT 10SM FEW060 26/06 A2988 RMK AO2 SLP117 T02560061 </report> <reportTime>2012-08-30T22:53:00.000Z</reportTime> <tags> <tag> <key>Prevailing Conditions</key> <value>Mostly Clear</value> </tag> <tag> <key>Instrumentation</key> <value>VFR</value> </tag> </tags> <weatherStationIcao>KPDX</weatherStationIcao> <conditions> <wind> <direction>300</direction> <directionIsVariable>false</directionIsVariable> <speedKnots>8.00</speedKnots> </wind> <visibility> <miles>10.00</miles> <lessThan>false</lessThan> <cavok>false</cavok> </visibility> <weatherConditions/> <skyConditions> <skyCondition> <coverage>Few clouds</coverage> <base>6000</base> </skyCondition> </skyConditions> <pressureInchesHg>29.88</pressureInchesHg> </conditions> <temperatureCelsius>25.60</temperatureCelsius> <dewPointCelsius>6.10</dewPointCelsius> <runwayVisualRanges/> <obscurations/> <noSignificantChange>false</noSignificantChange> </metar>
Example JSON Output (whitespace added for clarity)
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The following example is a partial response and uses inline references for simplicity.
See Full Sample Responses for a complete response.
{ "metar": { "report": "KPDX 302253Z 30008KT 10SM FEW060 26\/06 A2988 RMK AO2 SLP117 T02560061", "reportTime": "2012-08-30T22:53:00.000Z", "tags": [ { "key": "Prevailing Conditions", "value": "Mostly Clear" }, { "key": "Instrumentation", "value": "VFR" } ], "weatherStationIcao": "KPDX", "conditions": { "wind": { "direction": 300, "directionIsVariable": false, "speedKnots": "8.00" }, "visibility": { "miles": "10.00", "lessThan": false, "cavok": false }, "weatherConditions": [ ], "skyConditions": [ { "coverage": "Few clouds", "base": 6000 } ], "pressureInchesHg": "29.88" }, "temperatureCelsius": "25.60", "dewPointCelsius": "6.10", "runwayVisualRanges": [ ], "obscurations": [ ], "noSignificantChange": false } }
Full Sample Responses
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