Fort Mcpherson Airport

CZFM / ZFM

Fort Mcpherson, CA

Current TAF Forecast

Raw TAF:
TAF CZFM 301440Z 3015/3023 VRB03KT 3SM BR OVC004 TEMPO 3015/3017 6SM BR OVC008 FM301700 VRB03KT P6SM OVC012 TEMPO 3017/3020 5SM BR OVC006 FM302000 VRB03KT P6SM OVC012 TEMPO 3020/3023 BKN025 RMK NXT FCST BY 301900Z

Detailed TAF Table

Parameter
Thu
18:00Z
+-1h
Thu
19:00Z
+0h
Thu
20:00Z
+1h
Thu
21:00Z
+2h
Wind Dir
VRB
VRB
VRB
VRB
Wind Speed
3 kt
3 kt
3 kt
3 kt
Visibility
3SM
3SM
3SM
3SM
Weather
Mist
BR
Mist
BR
FCST
FCST
FCST
FCST
Clouds
OVC004
OVC004
BKN025
BKN025
Ceiling
400 ft
AGL
400 ft
AGL
2,500 ft
AGL
2,500 ft
AGL
Flight Rules LIFR LIFR MVFR MVFR
Day/Night
☀️
Day
🌇 19:07Z
☀️
Day
🌇 19:07Z
🌙
Night
🌇 19:07Z
🌙
Night
🌇 19:07Z
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
LIFR
Wind
VRB° at 3 kt
Visibility
3SM
Weather
Mist
Clouds
OVC004
📖 Plain English Explanation:

This is the base forecast condition. Winds will be variable in direction at 3 kt. Visibility will be good at 3SM. Weather conditions: Mist. Overcast skies at 400 feet. Low IFR conditions - challenging even for instrument operations.

TEMPO 15:00Z - 17:00Z
IFR
Visibility
6SM
Weather
Mist
Clouds
OVC008
📖 Plain English Explanation:

Temporary conditions (lasting less than an hour at a time) may include: Visibility will be excellent at 6SM. Weather conditions: Mist. Overcast skies at 800 feet. Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) conditions - instrument flying required.

FM301700 17:00Z - 23:00Z
MVFR
Wind
VRB° at 3 kt
Visibility
>6SM
Clouds
OVC012
📖 Plain English Explanation:

Winds will be variable in direction at 3 kt. Visibility will be excellent at more than 6SM. Overcast skies at 1200 feet. Marginal VFR conditions - some restrictions for visual flying.

TEMPO 17:00Z - 20:00Z
IFR
Visibility
5SM
Weather
Mist
Clouds
OVC006
📖 Plain English Explanation:

Temporary conditions (lasting less than an hour at a time) may include: Visibility will be good at 5SM. Weather conditions: Mist. Overcast skies at 600 feet. Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) conditions - instrument flying required.

FM302000 20:00Z - 02:00Z
MVFR
Wind
VRB° at 3 kt
Visibility
>6SM
Clouds
OVC012
📖 Plain English Explanation:

Winds will be variable in direction at 3 kt. Visibility will be excellent at more than 6SM. Overcast skies at 1200 feet. Marginal VFR conditions - some restrictions for visual flying.

TEMPO 20:00Z - 23:00Z
MVFR
Weather
FCST
Clouds
BKN025
📖 Plain English Explanation:

Temporary conditions (lasting less than an hour at a time) may include: Weather conditions: FCST. Broken clouds at 2500 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.