Büchel Air Base

ETSB

Alflen, DE

Current TAF Forecast

Raw TAF:
TAF ETSB 030523Z 0306/0315 24010KT 8000 NSW BKN004 SCT250 TEMPO 0306/0310 24007KT 2000 BR BKN002 TEMPO 0310/0315 23012G22KT 9999 NSW SCT005 BKN008 BKN250

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
240°
SW
240°
SW
230°
SW
230°
SW
230°
SW
230°
SW
Wind Speed
10kt
10kt
12kt
G22kt
12kt
G22kt
12kt
G22kt
12kt
G22kt
Visibility
8 km
8 km
10+ km
10+ km
10+ km
10+ km
Weather
☀️ Clear
☀️ Clear
☀️ Clear
☀️ Clear
☀️ Clear
☀️ Clear
Clouds
BKN004
SCT250
BKN004
SCT250
SCT005
BKN008
SCT005
BKN008
SCT005
BKN008
SCT005
BKN008
Ceiling
400ft
AGL
400ft
AGL
800ft
AGL
800ft
AGL
800ft
AGL
800ft
AGL
Flight Rules LIFR LIFR IFR IFR IFR IFR
Day/Night
☀️
Day
🌅 07:01
☀️
Day
🌅 07:01
☀️
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
LIFR
Wind
240° at 10 kt
Visibility
8 km
Clouds
BKN004 SCT250
📖 Plain English Explanation:

This is the base forecast condition. Winds from the West-Southwest (240°) at 10kt. Visibility will be good at 8 km. Broken clouds at 400 feet, Scattered clouds at 25000 feet. Low IFR conditions - challenging even for instrument operations.

TEMPO 2025-12-03 06:00:00 - 2025-11-03 10:00:00
LIFR
Wind
240° at 7 kt
Visibility
2 km
Weather
Mist
Clouds
BKN002
📖 Plain English Explanation:

Temporary conditions (lasting less than an hour at a time) may include: Winds from the West-Southwest (240°) at 7kt. Visibility will be moderate at 2 km. Weather conditions: Mist. Broken clouds at 200 feet. Low IFR conditions - challenging even for instrument operations.

TEMPO 2025-11-03 10:00:00 - 2025-11-03 15:00:00
IFR
Wind
230° at 12 kt
Gusts: 22 kt
Visibility
10+ km
Clouds
SCT005 BKN008 BKN250
📖 Plain English Explanation:

Temporary conditions (lasting less than an hour at a time) may include: Winds from the Southwest (230°) at 12kt. Gusts up to 22kt are expected. Visibility will be excellent at 10+ km. Scattered clouds at 500 feet, Broken clouds at 800 feet, Broken clouds at 25000 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.