Definition
A concise weather forecast issued for a specific airport, describing expected conditions within a 5 statute mile radius of the airport reference point over a defined period (typically 24 or 30 hours). A TAF includes forecast wind, visibility, weather phenomena, and cloud cover, along with expected changes during the forecast period. TAFs are issued routinely four times daily (0000Z, 0600Z, 1200Z, 1800Z) and amended as conditions warrant.
Plain English
A short weather forecast for a single airport, telling pilots what the wind, visibility, weather, and clouds are expected to do over the next day or so.
Context Anchor
Pilots use TAFs during preflight weather planning, especially when checking departure, destination, and alternate airports.
Derivation
Terminal' here means the airport area (the place where flights terminate or begin), and 'aerodrome' is the international term for an airport. So a TAF is a forecast for the airspace immediately around one airport — not a region, not an area, just that field.
Why Pilots Care
Pilots rely on the TAF to make go/no-go decisions, choose alternates, and plan fuel and timing so they are not surprised by changing conditions at the airport.
Intuition Check
Do not read “terminal” as the airport building. In this term, it means the area around the airport where arriving and departing aircraft operate.
Example Sentence 1
The TAF for KJFK showed deteriorating visibility and a low ceiling after 1800Z, so the pilot filed for an alternate.
Example Sentence 2
Because the TAF called for gusty crosswinds, the instructor added an extra hour of practice on crosswind landings before the solo cross-country.