What are METAR and TAF, and how are they used in flight planning?

• A. METAR is a current weather observation; TAF is a forecast; both inform planning and decision-making.
• B. METAR is a current weather observation; TAF is a forecast; both inform planning and decision-making.
• C. METAR and TAF are navigation aids.
• D. TAF is current weather observations; METAR is forecast.

Answer: (A)

METAR and TAF provide weather information that pilots rely on for planning and decision-making. METAR is a current weather observation for an airport, reporting things like wind, visibility, present weather, sky condition, temperature and dew point, and altimeter setting. TAF is a forecast for the same location, usually covering 24 hours with updates, predicting those same weather elements and any expected changes. In flight planning, you use METAR to understand the present conditions at departure, destination, and alternates, while TAF lets you anticipate how conditions may evolve during the flight and at arrival. This combination helps you decide whether to fly as planned, delay, or choose an alternate airport, and it informs fuel planning, routing, and approach planning. The other descriptions mischaracterize METAR/TAF as navigation aids or swap current versus forecast information, which isn’t accurate.