Plain English Meaning

Weather readings taken at airports and reporting stations on the ground, describing what the weather is doing right now at that location. They are the raw building blocks for the weather information pilots use to plan and fly.

Full Definition

Standardized weather measurements and reports taken at ground-based stations across the country, recording conditions such as wind, visibility, sky cover, ceiling, temperature, dew point, altimeter setting, and any significant weather. These observations form the foundation of the data used in aviation weather products, including the routine reports pilots read before and during flight.

Context Anchor

You see this term when learning how pilots get weather information before a flight and while deciding whether conditions are safe for , , or continuing a flight.