Which statement about METAR reports is true?

• A. METAR provides long-range weather forecasts.
• B. METAR reports are generated hourly but for distant locations only.
• C. METAR reports are generated for aviation weather maps only.
• D. METAR is an observed weather report.

Answer: (D)

METAR reports are weather observations compiled at airports and transmitted as routine aviation weather reports. They describe the current conditions at the time of observation, including wind direction and speed, visibility, present weather phenomena, cloud cover and ceiling, temperature and dew point, and the altimeter setting. They’re produced on a regular schedule—typically hourly—with special reports if conditions change significantly between cycles. They are not forecasts; they don’t tell you what weather will be like later, only what the weather is right now. A forecast product, like a TAF, covers the expected conditions for a future period. METARs are widely used in aviation planning and weather maps, but their purpose is the observed reality, not prediction.