Prince Albert Glass Field

CYPA / YPA

Prince Albert, CA

Current TAF Forecast

Raw TAF:
TAF CYPA 040640Z 0407/0419 05012KT P6SM -SN OVC040 TEMPO 0407/0412 2SM -SHSN OVC020 FM041200 06010KT P6SM OVC030 TEMPO 0412/0419 4SM -SN OVC020 RMK FCST BASED ON AUTO OBS. NXT FCST BY 041300Z

Detailed TAF Table

Parameter
Wed
12:00Z
+-1h
Wed
13:00Z
+0h
Wed
14:00Z
+1h
Wed
15:00Z
+2h
Wed
16:00Z
+3h
Wed
17:00Z
+4h
Wind Dir
50°
NE
50°
NE
50°
NE
50°
NE
50°
NE
50°
NE
Wind Speed
12 kt
12 kt
12 kt
12 kt
12 kt
12 kt
Visibility
>6SM
>6SM
>6SM
>6SM
>6SM
>6SM
Weather
Light Snow
-SN
Light Snow
-SN
Light Snow
-SN
Light Snow
-SN
Light Snow
-SN
Light Snow
-SN
Clouds
OVC040
OVC040
OVC040
OVC040
OVC040
OVC040
Ceiling
4,000 ft
AGL
4,000 ft
AGL
4,000 ft
AGL
4,000 ft
AGL
4,000 ft
AGL
4,000 ft
AGL
Flight Rules VFR VFR VFR VFR VFR VFR
Day/Night
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
🌇 17:29Z
☀️
Day
🌇 17:29Z
☀️
Day
🌇 17:29Z
Flight Rules
VFR: Visual Flight Rules
MVFR: Marginal VFR
IFR: Instrument Flight Rules
LIFR: Low IFR
Ceiling Colors
Red: < 500ft
Amber: 500-1000ft
Blue: 1000-3000ft
Green: > 3000ft
⛈️ TCU: Towering Cumulus
🌩️ CB: Cumulonimbus
+Nh: Hours from now%: Probability of occurrenceAGL: Above Ground Level

Forecast Periods

BASE
VFR
Wind
50° at 12 kt
Visibility
>6SM
Weather
Light Snow
Clouds
OVC040
📖 Plain English Explanation:

This is the base forecast condition. Winds from the Northeast (50°) at 12 kt. Visibility will be excellent at more than 6SM. Weather conditions: Light Snow. Overcast skies at 4000 feet. Conditions will be suitable for Visual Flight Rules (VFR) operations.

TEMPO 07:00Z - 12:00Z
IFR
Visibility
2SM
Weather
Light Showers Snow
Clouds
OVC020
📖 Plain English Explanation:

Temporary conditions (lasting less than an hour at a time) may include: Visibility will be moderate at 2SM. Weather conditions: Light Showers Snow. Overcast skies at 2000 feet. Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) conditions - instrument flying required.

FM041200 12:00Z - 18:00Z
VFR
Wind
60° at 10 kt
Visibility
>6SM
Clouds
OVC030
📖 Plain English Explanation:

Winds from the East-Northeast (60°) at 10 kt. Visibility will be excellent at more than 6SM. Overcast skies at 3000 feet. Conditions will be suitable for Visual Flight Rules (VFR) operations.

TEMPO 12:00Z - 19:00Z
MVFR
Visibility
4SM
Weather
Light Snow, FCST, FCST
Clouds
OVC020
📖 Plain English Explanation:

Temporary conditions (lasting less than an hour at a time) may include: Visibility will be good at 4SM. Weather conditions: Light Snow, FCST, FCST. Overcast skies at 2000 feet. Marginal VFR conditions - some restrictions for visual flying.

📚 Understanding TAF Forecasts

Terminal Aerodrome Forecast (TAF) provides detailed weather forecasts specifically for aviation operations. Our system translates complex meteorological codes into plain English to help pilots of all experience levels understand forecasted conditions.

What TAF Includes:

  • • Wind direction, speed, and gusts
  • • Visibility in statute miles or kilometers
  • • Weather phenomena (rain, snow, fog, thunderstorms)
  • • Cloud coverage types and altitudes
  • • Forecast changes with timing
  • • Flight rules categories (VFR/IFR)

Change Indicators Explained:

  • BASE - Main forecast conditions
  • FM - Permanent change from specific time
  • BECMG - Gradual change over 2-4 hours
  • TEMPO - Temporary changes (less than 1 hour)
  • PROB30/40 - 30% or 40% probability

🛩️ Flight Rules Categories

VFR

Visual Flight Rules

  • • Ceiling ≥ 3000 ft
  • • Visibility ≥ 5 miles
  • • Good for visual flying

MVFR

Marginal VFR

  • • Ceiling 1000-3000 ft
  • • Visibility 3-5 miles
  • • Caution for VFR

IFR

Instrument Flight Rules

  • • Ceiling 500-1000 ft
  • • Visibility 1-3 miles
  • • Instruments required

LIFR

Low IFR

  • • Ceiling < 500 ft
  • • Visibility < 1 mile
  • • Challenging conditions

💡 TAF Reading Tips

For Student Pilots:

  • • Focus on the plain English explanations above
  • • Pay attention to flight rules categories
  • • Look for wind direction relative to runway headings
  • • Check for temporary conditions (TEMPO)

For Experienced Pilots:

  • • Cross-reference with raw TAF for precise timing
  • • Consider probability forecasts for alternate planning
  • • Monitor BECMG periods for gradual changes
  • • Always check current METAR vs TAF forecast

Important: TAF forecasts should always be supplemented with current METAR observations, PIREPs, and other weather information for complete situational awareness. Weather can change rapidly, and forecasts have inherent limitations.