Definition
A NOTAM and weather-report contraction meaning patchy — that a condition (typically fog, cloud, ice, or snow) is present in irregular, scattered areas rather than as a continuous layer or coverage.
Plain English
Short for 'patchy.' It means the condition shows up in scattered spots, not everywhere.
Context Anchor
Seen in NOTAMs and weather-related airport information when a condition is not spread evenly over an area.
Derivation
Patchy comes from patch, meaning a small area that is different from the area around it. That helps because patchy conditions appear in scattered spots, not as one continuous condition everywhere.
Why Pilots Care
Variable coverage can create sudden changes in visibility or cloud bases during approach or departure, requiring careful route and alternate planning.
Analogy
A patchy lawn has green areas and brown areas mixed together. Patchy fog or patchy ice works the same way: some areas have it, and some do not.
Intuition Check
Do not read patchy as meaning light or unimportant. It means unevenly located: present in some areas and absent in others.
Example Sentence 1
The NOTAM reported PTCHY FG along the approach end of Runway 27.
Example Sentence 2
NOTAMs indicated PTCHY low clouds near the mountain pass, prompting selection of a higher route.