London Southend Airport

EGMC / SEN

Southend-on-Sea, Essex, GB

Current TAF Forecast

Raw TAF:
TAF EGMC 142000Z 1421/1501 22017G30KT 9999 FEW012 SCT025 PROB40 TEMPO 1421/1422 7000 RA BKN012 PROB30 TEMPO 1422/1501 7000 SHRA

Detailed TAF Table

Parameter
Sun
21:00Z
+-1h
Sun
22:00Z
+0h
Sun
23:00Z
+1h
Wind Dir
220°
SW
220°
SW
220°
SW
Wind Speed
17kt
G30kt
17kt
G30kt
17kt
G30kt
Visibility
10+ km
7 km
7 km
Weather
☀️ Clear
Showers Rain
SHRA
30%
Showers Rain
SHRA
30%
Clouds
FEW012
SCT025
☀️ CLR
☀️ CLR
Ceiling
🌤️ Unlimited
🌤️ Unlimited
🌤️ Unlimited
Flight Rules VFR MVFR MVFR
Day/Night
🌙
Night
🌙
Night
🌙
Night
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
220° at 17 kt
Gusts: 30 kt
Visibility
10+ km
Clouds
FEW012 SCT025
📖 Plain English Explanation:

This is the base forecast condition. Winds from the Southwest (220°) at 17kt. Gusts up to 30kt are expected. Visibility will be excellent at 10+ km. Few clouds at 1200 feet, Scattered clouds at 2500 feet. Conditions will be suitable for Visual Flight Rules (VFR) operations.

PROB40 TEMPO 2025-10-14 21:00:00 - 2025-09-14 22:00:00
IFR
Visibility
7 km
Weather
Rain
Clouds
BKN012
📖 Plain English Explanation:

There is a 40% probability of: Visibility will be good at 7 km. Weather conditions: Rain. Broken clouds at 1200 feet. Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) conditions - instrument flying required.

PROB30 TEMPO 2025-09-14 22:00:00 - 2025-09-15 01:00:00
MVFR
Visibility
7 km
Weather
Showers Rain
📖 Plain English Explanation:

There is a 30% probability of: Visibility will be good at 7 km. Weather conditions: Showers Rain. 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.