Watson Lake Airport

CYQH / YQH

Watson Lake, CA

Current TAF Forecast

Raw TAF:
TAF CYQH 180540Z 1806/1818 VRB03KT P6SM SCT020 BKN050 TEMPO 1806/1809 1SM -SHSN VV020 FM180900 VRB03KT P6SM SCT020 BKN100 TEMPO 1809/1816 BKN020 FM181600 VRB03KT P6SM SCT040 BKN100 TEMPO 1816/1818 4SM -SHSN BKN040 RMK NXT FCST BY 181200Z

Detailed TAF Table

Parameter
Wed
09:00Z
+-1h
Wed
10:00Z
+0h
Wed
11:00Z
+1h
Wed
12:00Z
+2h
Wed
13:00Z
+3h
Wed
14:00Z
+4h
Wed
15:00Z
+5h
Wed
16:00Z
+6h
Wind Dir
VRB
VRB
VRB
VRB
VRB
VRB
VRB
VRB
Wind Speed
3 kt
3 kt
3 kt
3 kt
3 kt
3 kt
3 kt
3 kt
Visibility
>6SM
>6SM
>6SM
>6SM
>6SM
>6SM
>6SM
4SM
Weather
☀️ Clear
☀️ Clear
☀️ Clear
☀️ Clear
☀️ Clear
☀️ Clear
☀️ Clear
Light Showers Snow, FCST
-SHSN FCST
Clouds
SCT020
BKN050
SCT020
BKN050
SCT020
BKN050
SCT020
BKN050
SCT020
BKN050
SCT020
BKN050
SCT020
BKN050
BKN040
Ceiling
5,000 ft
AGL
5,000 ft
AGL
5,000 ft
AGL
5,000 ft
AGL
5,000 ft
AGL
5,000 ft
AGL
5,000 ft
AGL
4,000 ft
AGL
Flight Rules VFR VFR VFR VFR VFR VFR VFR MVFR
Day/Night
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
🌇 17:51Z
☀️
Day
🌇 17:51Z
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
VRB° at 3 kt
Visibility
>6SM
Clouds
SCT020 BKN050
📖 Plain English Explanation:

This is the base forecast condition. Winds will be variable in direction at 3 kt. Visibility will be excellent at more than 6SM. Scattered clouds at 2000 feet, Broken clouds at 5000 feet. Conditions will be suitable for Visual Flight Rules (VFR) operations.

TEMPO 06:00Z - 09:00Z
IFR
Visibility
1SM
Weather
Light Showers Snow
Clouds
VV020
📖 Plain English Explanation:

Temporary conditions (lasting less than an hour at a time) may include: Visibility will be moderate at 1SM. Weather conditions: Light Showers Snow. Vertical visibility at 2000 feet. Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) conditions - instrument flying required.

FM180900 09:00Z - 15:00Z
VFR
Wind
VRB° at 3 kt
Visibility
>6SM
Clouds
SCT020 BKN100
📖 Plain English Explanation:

Winds will be variable in direction at 3 kt. Visibility will be excellent at more than 6SM. Scattered clouds at 2000 feet, Broken clouds at 10000 feet. Conditions will be suitable for Visual Flight Rules (VFR) operations.

TEMPO 09:00Z - 16:00Z
MVFR
Clouds
BKN020
📖 Plain English Explanation:

Temporary conditions (lasting less than an hour at a time) may include: Broken clouds at 2000 feet. Marginal VFR conditions - some restrictions for visual flying.

FM181600 16:00Z - 22:00Z
VFR
Wind
VRB° at 3 kt
Visibility
>6SM
Clouds
SCT040 BKN100
📖 Plain English Explanation:

Winds will be variable in direction at 3 kt. Visibility will be excellent at more than 6SM. Scattered clouds at 4000 feet, Broken clouds at 10000 feet. Conditions will be suitable for Visual Flight Rules (VFR) operations.

TEMPO 16:00Z - 18:00Z
MVFR
Visibility
4SM
Weather
Light Showers Snow, FCST
Clouds
BKN040
📖 Plain English Explanation:

Temporary conditions (lasting less than an hour at a time) may include: Visibility will be good at 4SM. Weather conditions: Light Showers Snow, FCST. Broken clouds at 4000 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.