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5.2.1 AIRMET Issuance.
AIRMETs are issued from the three MWOs located at the AWC, AAWU, and WFO Honolulu. Their AORs are:
• AWC: The CONUS and adjacent coastal waters (see Figure 5-8, AWC AIRMET Areas of Responsibility—Continental U.S.).
• AAWU: Alaska and adjacent coastal waters (see Figure 5-9, AAWU Flight Advisory and Area Forecast (FA) Zones—Alaska).
• WFO Honolulu: Hawaii and adjacent waters (see Figure 5-10, WFO Honolulu AIRMET Areas of Responsibility—Hawai i).
Figure 5-8. AWC AIRMET Areas of Responsibility—Continental U.S.
F igure 5-9. AAWU Flight Advisory and Area Forecast (FA) Zones—Alaska
5-18 Table 5-4. AAWU Flight Advisory and Area Forecast (FA) Zones—Alaska 1 Arctic Coast Coastal 2 North Slopes of the Brooks Range 3 Upper Yukon Valley 4 Koyukuk and Upper Kobuk Valley 5 Northern Seward Peninsula-Lower Kobuk Valley 6 Southern Seward Peninsula-Eastern Norton Sound 7 Tanana Valley 8 Lower Yukon Valley 9 Kuskowim Valley 10 Yukon-Kuskowim Delta 11 Bristol Bay 12 Lynn Canal and Glacier Bay 13 Central Southeast Alaska 14 Southern Southeast Alaska 15 Coastal Southeast Alaska 16 Eastern Gulf Coast 17 Copper River Basin 18 Cook Inlet-Susitna Valley 19 Central Gulf Coast 20 Kodiak Island 21 Alaska Peninsula-Port Heiden to Unimak Pass 22 Unimak Pass to Adak 23 St. Lawrence Island-Bering Sea Coast 24 Adak to Attu 25 Pribilof Islands and Southeast Bering Sea
Figure 5-10. WFO Honolulu AIRMET Areas of Responsibility—Hawaii
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5.2.2 AIRMET Issuance Criteria.
An AIRMET may be issued when any of the following weather phenomena are occurring or are expected to occur over an area of at least 3,000 mi2:
• Ceiling less than 1,000 ft and/or visibility less than 3 statute miles (sm) (IFR).
o Weather phenomena restricting the visibility including, but not limited to, precipitation (PCPN), smoke (FU), haze (HZ), mist (BR), fog (FG), and blowing snow (BS).
• Widespread mountain obscuration (MTN OBSCN).
o Weather phenomena causing the obscuration are included, but not limited to, clouds (CLDS), precipitation (PCPN), smoke (FU), haze (HZ), mist (BR), and fog (FG).
• Moderate turbulence (MOD TURB).
o Top and bottom of MOD TURB layer are specified.
• Sustained surface wind greater than 30 kts (STG SFC WND).
• Moderate icing (MOD ICE).
o Top and bottom of MOD ICE are specified.
o The range of freezing level altitudes is given when the bottom altitude of MOD ICE is the freezing level (FRZLVL).
o Areas with multiple freezing levels are specified.
o Range of freezing levels over the area is specified.
o Lowest freezing levels above ground level (AGL) at intervals of 4,000 ft MSL (or SFC as appropriate) are specified.
• Non-Convective low-level windshear potential below 2,000 ft AGL (LLWS POTENTIAL).
5.2.3 AIRMET Standardization.
All AIRMETs follow these standards:
• All heights or altitudes are referenced to above MSL, unless otherwise noted, and annotated using the height in hundreds of feet, consisting of three digits (e.g., 040).
For heights at or above 18,000 ft, the level is preceded by FL to represent flight levels
(e.g., FL180).
• Messages are prepared in abbreviated plain language using contractions from Order 7340.2. A limited number of non-abbreviated words, geographical names, and numerical values of a self-explanatory nature may also be used.
• We ather and obstructions to visibility are described using the weather abbreviations for surface weather observations (Aviation Routine Weather Report (METAR)/Special Weather Report (SPECI)). See the Federal Meteorological
5-20 Handbook No. 1 (FMH-1), Surface Weather Observations and Reports, or paragraph 3.1 of this document.
Note: See Appendix A for definitions of common terms used in AIRMETs.
5.2.4 AIRMET Bulletins, Issuance Times, and Valid Period.
AIRMETs are issued as bulletins containing one or more AIRMET messages following the schedule listed in Table 5-5, AIRMET Issuance Schedule. AIRMETs are issued 4 times a day except for those in Alaska, which are issued three times a day. Unscheduled AIRMETs are issued when conditions are occurring or expected to occur but were not forecast.
Table 5-5. AIRMET Issuance Schedule 1st Scheduled Issuance (UTC) 2nd Scheduled Issuance (UTC) 3rd Scheduled Issuance (UTC) 4th Scheduled Issuance (UTC) CONUS 0245 0845 1445 2045 Alaska 0415 (DT)/ 0515 (ST) 1215 (DT)/ 1315 (ST) 2015 (DT)/ 2115 (ST) None Hawaii 0400 1000 1600 2200 Note: DT—During Alaska Daylight Time, ST—During Alaska Standard Time AIRMETs are valid for 6 hours except for those in Alaska, which are valid for 8 hours.
The valid period of an AIRMET message cannot exceed the valid time of the AIRMET bulletin. However, note that each AIRMET contains remarks concerning the continuance of the phenomenon during the 6 hours following the AIRMET ending time. Also, AIRMET bulletins can contain a separate outlook when conditions meeting AIRMET criteria are expected to occur during the 6-hour (8-hour for Alaska) period after the valid time of the AIRMET bulletin.
5.2.5 AIRMET Format and Example.
An AIRMET message includes the following information as appropriate and in the order indicated:
• Reference to appropriate active SIGMETs affecting the area at the time of AIRMET issuance (e.g., SEE SIGMET BRAVO SERIES).
• Beginning time of the AIRMET phenomenon if different from the AIRMET beginning valid time.
• AIRMET name (SIERRA, TANGO, or ZULU), update number, weather phenomenon, and ending valid time. (Note: The AIRMET number is reset to 1 after 0000 UTC each day.)
• AIRMET Sierra describes IFR (instrument flight rules) conditions and/or extensive mountain obscurations. Hawaii AIRMETs for mountain obscuration may be issued for an area less than 3,000 mi.
• AIRMET Tango describes moderate turbulence, sustained surface winds of 30 kts or greater, and Non-Convective low-level windshear.
• AIRMET Zulu describes moderate icing and provides freezing-level heights.
• List of affected states (CONUS only).
• Location of phenomenon using VORs.
• Description of phenomenon for the AIRMET issuance.
• Vertical extent (bases and tops), as appropriate.
• Ending time of phenomenon if different from the AIRMET ending time.
• Remarks concerning the continuance of the phenomenon during the 6 hours following the AIRMET ending time.
• CONUS and Hawaii AIRMETs: A separate AIRMET outlook is included in the AIRMET bulletin when conditions meeting AIRMET criteria are expected to occur during the 6-hour period after the valid time of the AIRMET bulletin.
• Alaska AIRMETs: Outlook information is included in the appropriate area forecast (FA) zone when conditions are expected to occur during the 8-hour period after the valid time of the AIRMET bulletin.
Figure 5-11. AIRMET Bulletin Decoding-Example LINE 1 BOSS WA 211945 2 AIRMET SIERRA UPDT 3 FOR IFR AND MIN OBSCN VALID UNTIL 220200 AIRMET IFR.ME NH VT MA CT RI NY NJ AND CSTL WIRS FROM CAR TO YSJ TO 150E ACK TO EWR TO YOW TO CAR CIG BLW 010/VIS BLN 3SM PCPN/BR. CONDS CONT BYD 02Z THRU 08Z.
З AIRMET MIN OBSCN..ME NH VT MA NY PA 4 FROM CAR TO MLT TO CON TO AVP TO SYR TO CAR 5 MINS OBSCD BY CLDS/PCPN/BR. CONDS CONT BYD 02Z THRU 08Z.
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5-22 Table 5-6. Decoding an AIRMET Bulletin Line Content Description 1 BOS AIRMET area identifier S AIRMET series WA Product type 211945 Issuance UTC date/time 2 AIRMET Product type SIERRA AIRMET series UPDT 3 Update number FOR IFR AND MTN OBSCN Product description VALID UNTIL 220200 Ending UTC date/time 3A AIRMET IFR..ME NH VT MA CT RI NY NJ AND CSTL WTRS Product type/series… Phenomenon location (states) 3B AIRMET MTN OBSCN..ME NH VT MA NY PA 4A FROM CAR TO YSJ TO 150E ACK TO EWR TO YOW TO CAR Phenomenon location (VOR locations) 4B FROM CAR TO MLT TO CON TO SLT TO SYR TO CAR 5A CIG BLW 010/VIS BLW 3SM PCPN/BR. CONDS CONT BYD 02Z THRU 08Z. Phenomenon description 5B MTNS OBSCD BY CLDS/PCPN/BR. CONDS CONT BYD 02Z THRU 08Z.
The AIRMET bulletin in Figure 5-11, AIRMET Bulletin Decoding—Example, is decoded as follows:
(Line 1) AIRMET SIERRA issued for the Boston area at 1945Z on the 21st day of the month. “SIERRA” contains information on instrument flight rules (IFR) and/or mountain obscurations.
(Line 2) This is the third updated issuance of this Boston AIRMET series as indicated by “SIERRA UPDT 3” and is valid until 0200Z on the 22nd.
(Line 3A) The affected states within the BOS area are: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey and coastal waters.
(Line 3B) The affected states within the BOS area are: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, New York and Pennsylvania.
(Line 4A) Within an area bounded by: Caribou, ME; to Saint Johns, New Brunswick; to 150 nautical miles east of Nantucket, MA; to Newark, NJ; to Ottawa, Ontario; to Caribou, ME.
5-23 (Line 4B) Within an area bounded by: Caribou, ME to Millinocket, ME to Concord, NH to Slate Run, PA to Syracuse, NY to Caribou, ME.
(Line 5A) Ceiling below 1,000 feet/visibility below 3 statute miles, precipitation/mist.
Conditions continuing beyond 0200Z through 0800Z.
(Line 5B) Mountains Obscured by clouds, precipitation and mist. Conditions continuing beyond 0200Z through 0800Z.
5.2.5.1 AIRMET Updates and Amendments.
If an AIRMET is amended, AMD is added after the date/time group on the FAA product line. The update number will be incremented, UPDT is added to end of the line containing the list of affected states (CONUS only). The issuance time of the AIRMET bulletin is updated to reflect the time of the amendment. The ending valid time remains unchanged.
5.2.5.2 AIRMET Corrections.
AIRMETs containing errors are corrected by adding COR after the date/time group on the FAA product line. The issuance time of the AIRMET bulletin is updated to reflect the time of the correction. The ending valid time remains unchanged.
5.3 Graphical Airman’s Meteorological Advisory (G-AIRMET).
The Graphical AIRMET (G-AIRMET) product is a decision-making tool based on weather “snapshots” displayed at short time intervals. The G-AIRMET identifies hazardous weather in space and time more precisely than text products, enabling pilots to maintain high safety margins while flying more efficient routes.
The NWS’s goal is to maximize aviation safety and air space efficiency by providing the most accurate and timely weather information possible to enhance both pre-flight and in-flight decision making. For decades, NWS has issued text-based AIRMETs that have provided broad-scale descriptions of hazardous weather. Often referred to as a time “smear,” the text-based AIRMET requires meteorologists to describe hazardous weather over large geographical areas for 6-hour periods. G-AIRMET provides more precise and informative weather hazard depictions than the text-only AIRMET.
Aviation weather users have found that pictures are worth a thousand contractions.
G-AIRMETs provide a better path from the aviation meteorologist to the weather user, by providing precise, interactive, and easy-to-understand graphical displays. Meteorologists can put their energy into creating and updating G-AIRMET weather graphics. The traditional text AIRMET coincides with G-AIRMET information because texts AIRMETs are formatted from G-AIRMET information.
G-AIR METs are available for the CONUS and adjacent coastal waters only and can be viewed on https://www.aviationweather.gov.
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5.3.1 G-AIRMET Issuance.
G-AIRMETs are issued by the AWC every 6 hours and are updated/amended as necessary, coinciding with the text AIRMET products.
Table 5-7. G-AIRMET Issuance Schedule 1st Scheduled Issuance (UTC) 2nd Scheduled Issuance (UTC) 3rd Scheduled Issuance (UTC) 4th Scheduled Issuance (UTC) CONUS 0300 0900 1500 2100
5.3.2 G-AIRMET Content.
G-AIRMET snapshots are graphical forecasts of en route weather hazards valid at discrete times no more than 3 hours apart for a period of up to 12 hours into the future (00, 03, 06, 09, and 12 hours). 00 hour represents the initial conditions, and the subsequent 3-hourly graphics depict the area affected by the particular hazard at that valid time.
The AWC’s website provides several options to display the G-AIRMET. There is an interactive display as well as snapshots that may be viewed as static (single), combined, and looped images using the tools provided on the Web page. The following are examples of G-AIRMET snapshot static images.
G-AIRMET depicts the following en route aviation weather hazards:
• IFR Ceiling and Visibility (see Figure 5-12, G-AIRMET—Ceiling and Visibility (IFR) Snapshot Example).
o Areas of cloud ceilings with bases less than 1000 ft AGL and/or areas of surface visibilities below 3 sm, including the weather causing the visibility restriction. The cause of the visibility restriction includes only PCPN, FU, HZ, BR, FG, and BLSN.
Figure 5-12. G-AIRMET-Ceiling and Visibility (IFR) Snapshot Example Ceiling & Visiblity Turb High Turb Low Icing Mountain Obscuration Low Level Wind Shear Surface Winds Freezing Level lower Loop speed Faster ISSUED: 1445 UTC MON 26 APR 2010 Celling & I Visibility Turb High Turb Low Icing Obsch CL63/BR - - - LL Wind [LLWS € > Sfc Winds Frzg Lvl 0°: 120
• Mountain Obscuration (see Figure 5-13, G-AIRMET-Mountain Obscuration Snapshot Example).
• Areas of widespread mountain obscuration where Visual Meteorological Conditions (VMC) cannot be maintained, including the weather causing the obscuration. The weather causing the obscuration includes only CLDS, PCPN, FU, HZ, BR, and FG.
Figure 5-13. G-AIRMET-Mountain Obscuration Snapshot Example Ceiling & Visiblity Turb High Turb Low Icing Low Level Wind Shear Surface Winds Freezing Leve SueT Loop speed Faster · 26 APR 2H11 Turb High dộc Icing Mtn Sfc Winds → Frzg Lvl [0*: 120 5-25
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• Icing (see Figure 5-14, G-AIRMET—Icing Snapshot Example).
o Areas of moderate airframe icing, other than convectively induced, including the vertical extent (base and top). Altitude variations in the base of icing layers may be denoted (e.g., “080 / 060” indicates the altitude varies between 6,000 and 8,000 ft MSL).
Figure 5-14. G-AIRMET—Icing Snapshot Example
• Fre ezing Level (see Figure 5-15, G-AIRMET—Freezing Level Snapshot Example).
o Freezing level is defined as the lowest freezing level above the ground or at the SFC as appropriate. Freezing levels above the ground are delineated at 4,000 ft intervals MSL. Areas with multiple freezing levels above the ground are delineated including the vertical extent (base and top).
Figure 5-15. G-AIRMET-Freezing Level Snapshot Example Ceiling & Visiblity Turb High Turb Low Icing Mountain Obscuration Low Level Wind Shear Surface Winds Freezing Level Clear Slower Loop speed Faster Play 03Z APR ISSUED: 1445 UTC MON 26 APR 2018 Ceiling & Visibility Turb High Turb Low Icing Mtn SIc Winds ® Frzg Lvl 0": 120] tw Obscn
• Turbulence (see Figure 5-16, G-AIRMET-Turbulence-High Snapshot Example, and Figure 5-17, G-AIRMET-Turbulence-Low Snapshot Example).
o Areas of moderate turbulence, other than convectively induced, including the vertical extent (base and top).
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Figure 5-16. G-AIRMET-Turbulence-High Snapshot Example Ceiling & Visiblity Turb High Turb Low Icing Mountain Obscuration Low Level Wind Shear Surface Winds Freezing Level Slower Loop speed Faster 03Z
G-AIRME I UTC MON ISSUED: 1445 UTC MON 26 APR 201 Ceiling & Visibility Turb High Icing Mitn CLOS/ BR --- LL Wind [LLWS → Sfc Winds Frzg Lvl 0*: 120 Obscn Shear Figure 5-17. G-AIRMET-Turbulence-Low Snapshot Example Ceiling & Visiblity Turb High Turb Low Icing Mountain Obscuration Low Level Wind Shear Surface Winds Freezing Leve Slower Loop speed Faster Play 03Z G-AIRMET VALID: 1 UTC MON ISSUED: 1445 UTC MON 26 APR 2010 Ceiling & BR Visibility Turb High 280 Turb Low Icing ObSch CLbS/BR --- Mitn LL Wind [LLWS < Shea Stc Winds Frzg Lvl [0*: 120 5-28