London Southend Airport

EGMC / SEN

Southend-on-Sea, Essex, GB

Current TAF Forecast

Raw TAF:
TAF EGMC 030610Z 0306/0315 21012KT 9999 FEW030 TEMPO 0306/0313 7000 -RADZ BKN012 TEMPO 0306/0315 22018G28KT PROB30 TEMPO 0306/0313 4000 RADZ BKN008 PROB30 TEMPO 0313/0315 8000 -SHRA

Detailed TAF Table

Parameter
Mon
08:00Z
+-1h
Mon
09:00Z
+0h
Mon
10:00Z
+1h
Mon
11:00Z
+2h
Mon
12:00Z
+3h
Mon
13:00Z
+4h
Wind Dir
210°
SW
210°
SW
210°
SW
210°
SW
210°
SW
210°
SW
Wind Speed
12kt
12kt
12kt
12kt
12kt
12kt
Visibility
10+ km
10+ km
10+ km
10+ km
10+ km
8 km
Weather
☀️ Clear
☀️ Clear
☀️ Clear
☀️ Clear
☀️ Clear
Light Showers Rain
-SHRA
30%
Clouds
FEW030
FEW030
FEW030
FEW030
FEW030
☀️ CLR
Ceiling
🌤️ Unlimited
🌤️ Unlimited
🌤️ Unlimited
🌤️ Unlimited
🌤️ Unlimited
🌤️ Unlimited
Flight Rules VFR VFR VFR VFR VFR MVFR
Day/Night
☀️
Day
🌅 07:02
☀️
Day
🌅 07:02
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
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
210° at 12 kt
Visibility
10+ km
Clouds
FEW030
📖 Plain English Explanation:

This is the base forecast condition. Winds from the South-Southwest (210°) at 12kt. Visibility will be excellent at 10+ km. Few clouds at 3000 feet. Conditions will be suitable for Visual Flight Rules (VFR) operations.

TEMPO 2025-12-03 06:00:00 - 2025-11-03 13:00:00
IFR
Visibility
7 km
Weather
Light RADZ
Clouds
BKN012
📖 Plain English Explanation:

Temporary conditions (lasting less than an hour at a time) may include: Visibility will be good at 7 km. Weather conditions: Light RADZ. Broken clouds at 1200 feet. Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) conditions - instrument flying required.

TEMPO 2025-12-03 06:00:00 - 2025-11-03 15:00:00
VFR
Wind
220° at 18 kt
Gusts: 28 kt
📖 Plain English Explanation:

Temporary conditions (lasting less than an hour at a time) may include: Winds from the Southwest (220°) at 18kt. Gusts up to 28kt are expected. Conditions will be suitable for Visual Flight Rules (VFR) operations.

PROB30 TEMPO 2025-12-03 06:00:00 - 2025-11-03 13:00:00
IFR
Visibility
4 km
Weather
RADZ
Clouds
BKN008
📖 Plain English Explanation:

There is a 30% probability of: Visibility will be moderate at 4 km. Weather conditions: RADZ. Broken clouds at 800 feet. Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) conditions - instrument flying required.

PROB30 TEMPO 2025-11-03 13:00:00 - 2025-11-03 15:00:00
MVFR
Visibility
8 km
Weather
Light Showers Rain
📖 Plain English Explanation:

There is a 30% probability of: Visibility will be good at 8 km. Weather conditions: Light 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.