Understanding TAF: Terminal Area Forecast Explained

A Terminal Aerodrome Forecast (TAF) is the standard aviation weather forecast product for conditions at a specific airport. Unlike a METAR, which is an observation of current conditions, a TAF is a prediction of future conditions. This distinction is critical. A METAR tells a pilot what the weather is right now; a TAF tells the pilot what the weather is expected to be. Both products use similar coding formats, but they serve fundamentally different purposes in flight planning. ---