Sydney / J.A. Douglas McCurdy Airport

CYQY / YQY

Sydney, CA

Current TAF Forecast

Raw TAF:
TAF AMD CYQY 151109Z 1511/1518 VRB03KT P6SM FEW002 SCT080 BKN120 TEMPO 1511/1514 1 1/2SM BR OVC002 BECMG 1514/1516 12008KT FM151600 12008KT P6SM -SHSN SCT015 OVC040 TEMPO 1516/1518 1 1/2SM -SHSN BKN015 OVC040 RMK NXT FCST BY 151200Z

Detailed TAF Table

Parameter
Sun
11:00Z
+-1h
Sun
12:00Z
+0h
Sun
13:00Z
+1h
Sun
14:00Z
+2h
Sun
15:00Z
+3h
Sun
16:00Z
+4h
Wind Dir
VRB
VRB
VRB
120°
SE
120°
SE
120°
SE
Wind Speed
3 kt
3 kt
3 kt
8 kt
8 kt
8 kt
Visibility
>6SM
>6SM
>6SM
>6SM
>6SM
1/2SM
Weather
☀️ Clear
☀️ Clear
☀️ Clear
☀️ Clear
☀️ Clear
Light Showers Snow, FCST
-SHSN FCST
Clouds
FEW002
SCT080
FEW002
SCT080
FEW002
SCT080
☀️ CLR
☀️ CLR
BKN015
OVC040
Ceiling
12,000 ft
AGL
12,000 ft
AGL
12,000 ft
AGL
🌤️ Unlimited
🌤️ Unlimited
1,500 ft
AGL
Flight Rules VFR VFR VFR VFR VFR IFR
Day/Night
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
🌇 17:09Z
☀️
Day
🌇 17:09Z
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
FEW002 SCT080 BKN120
📖 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. Few clouds at 200 feet, Scattered clouds at 8000 feet, Broken clouds at 12000 feet. Conditions will be suitable for Visual Flight Rules (VFR) operations.

TEMPO 11:00Z - 14:00Z
LIFR
Visibility
1/2SM
Weather
Mist
Clouds
OVC002
📖 Plain English Explanation:

Temporary conditions (lasting less than an hour at a time) may include: Visibility will be moderate at 1/2SM. Weather conditions: Mist. Overcast skies at 200 feet. Low IFR conditions - challenging even for instrument operations.

BECMG 14:00Z - 16:00Z
VFR
Wind
120° at 8 kt
📖 Plain English Explanation:

Conditions will gradually change to become: Winds from the East-Southeast (120°) at 8 kt. Conditions will be suitable for Visual Flight Rules (VFR) operations.

FM151600 16:00Z - 22:00Z
VFR
Wind
120° at 8 kt
Visibility
>6SM
Weather
Light Showers Snow
Clouds
SCT015 OVC040
📖 Plain English Explanation:

Winds from the East-Southeast (120°) at 8 kt. Visibility will be excellent at more than 6SM. Weather conditions: Light Showers Snow. Scattered clouds at 1500 feet, Overcast skies at 4000 feet. Conditions will be suitable for Visual Flight Rules (VFR) operations.

TEMPO 16:00Z - 18:00Z
IFR
Visibility
1/2SM
Weather
Light Showers Snow, FCST
Clouds
BKN015 OVC040
📖 Plain English Explanation:

Temporary conditions (lasting less than an hour at a time) may include: Visibility will be moderate at 1/2SM. Weather conditions: Light Showers Snow, FCST. Broken clouds at 1500 feet, Overcast skies at 4000 feet. Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) conditions - instrument flying required.

📚 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.