Frequently Asked Questions about Aviation Products Answers

What is Route Weather Briefing?

AccuWeather's Route Weather Briefing is a program that allows you to enter departure and destination stations, as well as time of departure, and receive detailed weather observations along the entire weather route you have specified.

This program includes current and forecast weather data for the route, including hourly conditions in decoded and undecoded forms. First, you will receive the previous three hours at your departure site, destination and alternate site. Also, at these three locations, Terminal Airways Forecasts and Notams will be obtained. In addition, Pireps and Sigmets will be provided from all reporting stations along the route. The file also contains Airmets for the region(s) through which your route passes.

Current or forecast winds along the route will also be provided if data is for more than six hours prior to flight time, because this information will be outdated. Local National Weather Service forecasts are also given for your destination.

Satellite interpretation messages and selected severe weather bulletins issued by the National Weather Service along your route will be given for a period beginning six hours prior to flight time. If your flight is more than six hours in the future, no bulletins will be provided.

What are Aviation Area Forecasts?

This forecast is issued 3 times per day and covers a wide geographic region. The forecast is used for enroute planning and gives a general idea of weather at airports that do not issue terminal forecasts.

What are AIRMETs?

AIRMETs ("Airmen's Meteorological Information") are issued every 6 hours and amended as necessary throughout the day. They alert pilots to weather phenomena of interest to all aircraft including but not limited to moderate icing or turbulence, surface winds of 30 knots or greater, and ceilings of less than 1000 feet and visibility of less than 3 miles. AIRMET conditions are potentially hazardous to light aircraft or non instument rated pilots.

What are NOTAMs?

NOTAMS ("Notice to Airmen") are changes in aeronautical information such as runway or taxiway closings, changes in instrument approach procedures, lighting outages, etc. that must be reviewed by pilots prior to departure.

What are PIREPs?

PIREPS ("Pilot Weather Reports") are issued by pilots while enroute to confirm information such as cloud base heights, visibility, turbulence and icing conditions.

What are SIGMETs?

SIGMETS ("Significant Meteorological Information) are issued and amended to warn pilots of weather conditions that are potentially hazardous to all size aircraft and all pilots, such as severe icing or severe turbulence. Convective SIGMETS are issued to warn all aircraft and pilots of severe convective activity (severe thunderstorms, low level wind shear, severe turbulence or icing).

What are TAFs?

TAF's (Terminal Aerodrome Forecasts) are valid for a 24 hour period, and are issued 4 times daily at 6 hour intervals. The TAF is a forecast for a specific airport and includes forecasted wind speed/direction, visibility, ceiling, and type of precipitation or weather phenomenon.

Where can I find station codes?

AccuWeather uses three main sets of station codes to retrieve observations. Use the links below to view the full lists. The lists are ordered by code, but you can use the "find" function in your browser to look for a specific station. (Press Control+F keys in Windows, Command+F keys in MacOS.) Please note: The list files are very long, so they may take a moment to display in your window.