Which statement about METAR and TAF is incorrect?

Which statement about METAR and TAF is incorrect?

• A. METAR provides current weather observations.
• B. TAF provides forecast weather.
• C. METAR forecasts winds aloft.
• D. Dispatch uses METAR/TAF to plan route and fuel.

Answer: (C)

METARs provide current observations at the surface of an airport—wind at the surface, visibility, cloud cover, temperature, dew point, and altimeter setting. TAFs give forecast weather for the same location over a 24 to 30 hour window. Winds aloft, which are forecasts of wind speed and direction at various altitudes, are published separately and are not part of METARs. So saying METAR forecasts winds aloft isn’t accurate. For planning, dispatch uses METARs and TAFs to anticipate weather along the route and to estimate fuel needs, while winds aloft information is used for altitude-based routing and performance calculations.

METARs provide current observations at the surface of an airport—wind at the surface, visibility, cloud cover, temperature, dew point, and altimeter setting. TAFs give forecast weather for the same location over a 24 to 30 hour window. Winds aloft, which are forecasts of wind speed and direction at various altitudes, are published separately and are not part of METARs. So saying METAR forecasts winds aloft isn’t accurate. For planning, dispatch uses METARs and TAFs to anticipate weather along the route and to estimate fuel needs, while winds aloft information is used for altitude-based routing and performance calculations.