Definition
An aviation weather forecast that describes the expected general weather conditions, cloud cover, and visibility over an area covering several states. It is used by pilots to get the big-picture weather outlook for a region during cross-country flight planning, particularly to anticipate enroute conditions and to identify weather at airports that do not have their own terminal forecast.
Plain English
A weather forecast that covers a wide region rather than a single airport. It tells you what kind of weather to expect across a multi-state area over the next several hours.
Context Anchor
Seen in aviation weather study material, preflight weather planning, and discussions of broad-route weather conditions.
Derivation
Area refers to a broad geographic region, as opposed to a single point. Forecast comes from Old English and means a prediction made in advance. Together: a weather prediction for a broad region rather than a single location.
Why Pilots Care
Helps pilots anticipate weather changes along their route and decide whether to proceed, delay, or alter the flight plan.
Intuition Check
Do not read “area” as “the exact weather at your departure or destination airport.” An area forecast gives the larger weather picture across a region.
Example Sentence 1
Before departing on the cross-country, the pilot reviewed the area forecast to see what cloud cover and visibility to expect along the route.
Example Sentence 2
According to the FA, scattered thunderstorms were expected to develop after noon across the plains states.