Reading METAR

[ZoomByU]

Does "CLR" in the below example mean there is an unlimited ceiling?
METAR KLUK 041553Z 29017G20KT 10SM CLR 11/M02 A3009

 

[Fly Navy]

Let me see if I can pull this out of my ass... CLR I believe is an automated report meaning clear to 12,000 feet. Or is that SKC? I can never remembmer...

 

[mules83]

Fly Navy is right.

"Cloud amount, height and type: SKy Clear 0/8, FEW >0/8-2/8, SCaTtered 3/8-4/8, BroKeN 5/8-7/8, OVerCast 8/8; 3-digit height in hundreds of ft; Towering CUmulus or CumulonimBus in METAR; in TAF, only CB. Vertical Visibility for obscured sky and height "VV004". More than 1 layer may be reported or forecast. In automated METAR reports only, CLeaR for "clear below 12,000 feet"

 

[wink]

Give me a break! Why do we have to know all the stupid contractions in the first place. In the old days, when I had to hand prop a plane to take a lesson, there was a reason for the contractions. It was driven by the communications technology of the day. But these days there is plenty of high speed high bandwidth comms for weather transmissions. If the AP can send a 3000 word news article from the mountains of Afganistan to New York then we shouldn't have to be guessing how to read the weather.

Maybe we should just have the AP reporter send the weather report in long hand with his news. Oh wait...Associated Press...wouldnt be accurate enough.

 

[port_tack]

Why do we have to know all the stupid contractions in the first place.

It's all about ego. People who have memorized the 3 billion abbreviations can feel good about themselves whenever they see some poor sap struggling to makes sense of the thing.

 

[pacemaker9k]

clr means that the station does not have a ceiling 12,000 or lower.

 

[HAL Pilot]

Give me a break! Why do we have to know all the stupid contractions in the first place.

Blame the French. When ICAO dicided English would be the international aviation language the French had a fit. They threw them METARs and TAFs as a bone.

 

[nittany03]

It's all about ego. People who have memorized the 3 billion abbreviations can feel good about themselves whenever they see some poor sap struggling to makes sense of the thing.

As with many other aspects of aviation training, doing things the way they were done 30 years ago is said to develop "solid fundamentals." :icon_tong

 

[Brett327]

Blame the French. When ICAO dicided English would be the international aviation language the French had a fit. They threw them METARs and TAFs as a bone.

Hence "BR" for mist (brouillard).

Brett

 

[Squid]

As with many other aspects of aviation training, doing things the way they were done 30 years ago is said to develop "solid fundamentals." :icon_tong

don't knock the old salts in the sim building. some of them can actually help you!

 

[nittany03]

Hence "BR" for mist (brouillard).

Brett

Or as my IFS instructor remembered it, "baby rain."

And funny that KLUK should be your choice, I just flew in there yesterday. Very scenic airport.

 

[ZoomByU]

And funny that KLUK should be your choice, I just flew in there yesterday. Very scenic airport.

I'll be there tomorrow for MCFOP
edit: I'll be at KLOT here in IL

 

[Road Program]

don't knock the old salts in the sim building. some of them can actually help you!

I can think of one I'd like to knock...knock the hell out! Glad I don't have to deal with those guys anymore. Now I get to deal with a brand new set of dudes! <jazz hands>

 

[Gatordev]

Or as my IFS instructor remembered it, "baby rain."

And funny that KLUK should be your choice, I just flew in there yesterday. Very scenic airport.

That's how I always learned it. Even today, when I see it on the screen, I'll say "baby rain" instead of mist, knowing that means mist...at least to me.

 

[Fly Navy]

That's how I always learned it. Even today, when I see it on the screen, I'll say "baby rain" instead of mist, knowing that means mist...at least to me.

I still say "wednesday" as "wed-nes-day" when I'm writing it out. How I learned to spell it as a kid and it sticks to this day.