Definition
A routine surface weather observation report issued for an airport, containing current conditions such as wind, visibility, sky cover, temperature, dewpoint, and altimeter setting. METARs are issued on a regular schedule (typically hourly) and follow a standardized international format used by pilots, dispatchers, and controllers.
Plain English
A short, coded weather report that tells you what the weather is doing right now at a specific airport.
Context Anchor
Seen during preflight weather planning, especially when checking departure, destination, and alternate airport conditions before an IFR flight.
Derivation
The term comes from the French aviation weather system. It is an international code, so the same format is used worldwide -- a METAR from Paris reads the same way as one from Phoenix.
Why Pilots Care
Supplies the real-time weather data needed to confirm whether conditions meet personal minimums and to brief the approach or departure.
Intuition Check
Do not treat a METAR as a forecast. A METAR reports observed conditions at a specific airport and time; it tells you what was happening, not what will happen later.
Example Sentence 1
Before departure, the pilot pulled up the METAR for the destination airport and saw that visibility had dropped to two miles in mist.
Example Sentence 2
A METAR showing low ceilings and reduced visibility prompted the crew to delay departure until conditions improved.