RAF Lakenheath

EGUL / LKZ

Brandon, Suffolk, GB

Current TAF Forecast

Raw TAF:
TAF AMD EGUL 101850Z 1018/1119 25010KT 9999 -RA VCTS BKN040CB BKN080 QNH2992INS TEMPO 1018/1019 6000 TSRA BKN025CB BECMG 1019/1020 26012KT 9999 NSW FEW030 QNH3000INS BECMG 1108/1109 20012KT 8000 -RA BKN045 620606 QNH3011INS BECMG 1109/1110 23010KT 6000 RA BKN040 QNH3011INS BECMG 1110/1111 20012KT 6000 RA BKN035 QNH3011INS BECMG 1113/1114 18010G20KT 6000 RA BKN020 510006 QNH2998INS BECMG 1118/1119 23010G20KT 9999 NSW BKN025 QNH2995INS TX14/1110Z TN08/1102Z LAST NO AMDS AFT 1018 NEXT 1106

Detailed TAF Table

Parameter
Wed
20:00Z
+-1h
Wed
21:00Z
+0h
Wed
22:00Z
+1h
Wed
23:00Z
+2h
Thu
00:00Z
+3h
Thu
01:00Z
+4h
Thu
02:00Z
+5h
Thu
03:00Z
+6h
Thu
04:00Z
+7h
Thu
05:00Z
+8h
Thu
06:00Z
+9h
Thu
07:00Z
+10h
Thu
08:00Z
+11h
Thu
09:00Z
+12h
Thu
10:00Z
+13h
Thu
11:00Z
+14h
Thu
12:00Z
+15h
Thu
13:00Z
+16h
Thu
14:00Z
+17h
Thu
15:00Z
+18h
Thu
16:00Z
+19h
Thu
17:00Z
+20h
Wind Dir
250°
W
250°
W
250°
W
250°
W
250°
W
250°
W
250°
W
250°
W
250°
W
250°
W
250°
W
250°
W
200°
S
230°
SW
200°
S
200°
S
200°
S
180°
S
180°
S
180°
S
180°
S
180°
S
Wind Speed
10 kt
10 kt
10 kt
10 kt
10 kt
10 kt
10 kt
10 kt
10 kt
10 kt
10 kt
10 kt
12 kt
10 kt
12 kt
12 kt
12 kt
10 kt
G20 kt
10 kt
G20 kt
10 kt
G20 kt
10 kt
G20 kt
10 kt
G20 kt
Visibility
10+ km
10+ km
10+ km
10+ km
10+ km
10+ km
10+ km
10+ km
10+ km
10+ km
10+ km
10+ km
8 km
6 km
6 km
6 km
6 km
6 km
6 km
6 km
6 km
6 km
Weather
Light Rain
-RA
Light Rain
-RA
Light Rain
-RA
Light Rain
-RA
Light Rain
-RA
Light Rain
-RA
Light Rain
-RA
Light Rain
-RA
Light Rain
-RA
Light Rain
-RA
Light Rain
-RA
Light Rain
-RA
Light Rain
-RA
Rain
RA
Rain
RA
Rain
RA
Rain
RA
Rain
RA
Rain
RA
Rain
RA
Rain
RA
Rain
RA
Clouds
BKN040CB
BKN080
BKN040CB
BKN080
BKN040CB
BKN080
BKN040CB
BKN080
BKN040CB
BKN080
BKN040CB
BKN080
BKN040CB
BKN080
BKN040CB
BKN080
BKN040CB
BKN080
BKN040CB
BKN080
BKN040CB
BKN080
BKN040CB
BKN080
BKN045
BKN040
BKN035
BKN035
BKN035
BKN020
BKN020
BKN020
BKN020
BKN020
Ceiling
4,000 ft
AGL
4,000 ft
AGL
4,000 ft
AGL
4,000 ft
AGL
4,000 ft
AGL
4,000 ft
AGL
4,000 ft
AGL
4,000 ft
AGL
4,000 ft
AGL
4,000 ft
AGL
4,000 ft
AGL
4,000 ft
AGL
4,500 ft
AGL
4,000 ft
AGL
3,500 ft
AGL
3,500 ft
AGL
3,500 ft
AGL
2,000 ft
AGL
2,000 ft
AGL
2,000 ft
AGL
2,000 ft
AGL
2,000 ft
AGL
Flight Rules MVFR MVFR MVFR MVFR MVFR MVFR MVFR MVFR MVFR MVFR MVFR MVFR MVFR MVFR MVFR MVFR MVFR MVFR MVFR MVFR MVFR MVFR
Day/Night
🌇
Dusk
🌇 19:32Z
🌙
Night
🌇 19:32Z
🌙
Night
🌙
Night
🌙
Night
🌙
Night
🌙
Night
🌅 04:26Z
🌙
Night
🌅 04:26Z
🌅
Dawn
🌅 04:26Z
☀️
Day
🌅 04:26Z
☀️
Day
🌅 04:26Z
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
🌇 19:33Z
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 occurrence • AGL: Above Ground Level

Forecast Periods

BASE
MVFR
Wind
250° at 10 kt
Visibility
10+ km
Weather
Light Rain
Clouds
BKN040CB BKN080
📖 Plain English Explanation:

This is the base forecast condition. Winds from the West-Southwest (250°) at 10 kt. Visibility will be excellent at 10+ km. Weather conditions: Light Rain. Broken clouds at 4000 feet, Broken clouds at 8000 feet. Marginal VFR conditions - some restrictions for visual flying.

TEMPO 18:00Z - 19:00Z
MVFR
Visibility
6 km
Weather
Thunderstorm Rain
Clouds
BKN025CB
📖 Plain English Explanation:

Temporary conditions (lasting less than an hour at a time) may include: Visibility will be good at 6 km. Weather conditions: Thunderstorm Rain. Broken clouds at 2500 feet. Marginal VFR conditions - some restrictions for visual flying.

BECMG 19:00Z - 20:00Z
VFR
Wind
260° at 12 kt
Visibility
10+ km
Clouds
FEW030
📖 Plain English Explanation:

Conditions will gradually change to become: Winds from the West (260°) at 12 kt. Visibility will be excellent at 10+ km. Few clouds at 3000 feet. Conditions will be suitable for Visual Flight Rules (VFR) operations.

BECMG 08:00Z - 09:00Z
MVFR
Wind
200° at 12 kt
Visibility
8 km
Weather
Light Rain
Clouds
BKN045
📖 Plain English Explanation:

Conditions will gradually change to become: Winds from the South-Southwest (200°) at 12 kt. Visibility will be good at 8 km. Weather conditions: Light Rain. Broken clouds at 4500 feet. Marginal VFR conditions - some restrictions for visual flying.

BECMG 09:00Z - 10:00Z
MVFR
Wind
230° at 10 kt
Visibility
6 km
Weather
Rain
Clouds
BKN040
📖 Plain English Explanation:

Conditions will gradually change to become: Winds from the Southwest (230°) at 10 kt. Visibility will be good at 6 km. Weather conditions: Rain. Broken clouds at 4000 feet. Marginal VFR conditions - some restrictions for visual flying.

BECMG 10:00Z - 11:00Z
MVFR
Wind
200° at 12 kt
Visibility
6 km
Weather
Rain
Clouds
BKN035
📖 Plain English Explanation:

Conditions will gradually change to become: Winds from the South-Southwest (200°) at 12 kt. Visibility will be good at 6 km. Weather conditions: Rain. Broken clouds at 3500 feet. Marginal VFR conditions - some restrictions for visual flying.

BECMG 13:00Z - 14:00Z
MVFR
Wind
180° at 10 kt
Gusts: 20 kt
Visibility
6 km
Weather
Rain
Clouds
BKN020
📖 Plain English Explanation:

Conditions will gradually change to become: Winds from the South (180°) at 10 kt. Gusts up to 20 kt are expected. Visibility will be good at 6 km. Weather conditions: Rain. Broken clouds at 2000 feet. Marginal VFR conditions - some restrictions for visual flying.

BECMG 18:00Z - 19:00Z
LIFR
Wind
230° at 10 kt
Gusts: 20 kt
Visibility
1.106 km
Clouds
BKN025
📖 Plain English Explanation:

Conditions will gradually change to become: Winds from the Southwest (230°) at 10 kt. Gusts up to 20 kt are expected. Visibility will be poor at 1.106 km. Broken clouds at 2500 feet. Low IFR conditions - challenging even for instrument operations.

📚 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.