Polokwane International Airport

FAPP / PTG

Polokwane, ZA

Current TAF Forecast

Raw TAF:
TAF FAPP 100300Z 1004/1015 VRB03KT 9999 BKN006 TX23/1012Z TN09/1004Z PROB40 TEMPO 1004/1007 2000 BCFG BKN003 BECMG 1005/1007 05008KT BECMG 1007/1009 BKN015 BECMG 1009/1011 FEW020 FM101200 03010KT 9999 SCT035

Detailed TAF Table

Parameter
Wed
04:00Z
+-1h
Wed
05:00Z
+0h
Wed
06:00Z
+1h
Wed
07:00Z
+2h
Wed
08:00Z
+3h
Wed
09:00Z
+4h
Wed
10:00Z
+5h
Wed
11:00Z
+6h
Wed
12:00Z
+7h
Wed
13:00Z
+8h
Wind Dir
VRB
50°
NE
50°
NE
50°
NE
50°
NE
50°
NE
50°
NE
50°
NE
50°
NE
50°
NE
Wind Speed
3 kt
8 kt
8 kt
8 kt
8 kt
8 kt
8 kt
8 kt
8 kt
8 kt
Visibility
10+ km
10+ km
10+ km
10+ km
10+ km
10+ km
10+ km
10+ km
10+ km
10+ km
Weather
☀️ Clear
☀️ Clear
☀️ Clear
☀️ Clear
☀️ Clear
☀️ Clear
☀️ Clear
☀️ Clear
☀️ Clear
☀️ Clear
Clouds
BKN006
☀️ CLR
☀️ CLR
BKN015
BKN015
FEW020
FEW020
FEW020
FEW020
FEW020
Ceiling
600 ft
AGL
🌤️ Unlimited
🌤️ Unlimited
1,500 ft
AGL
1,500 ft
AGL
🌤️ Unlimited
🌤️ Unlimited
🌤️ Unlimited
🌤️ Unlimited
🌤️ Unlimited
Flight Rules IFR VFR VFR MVFR MVFR VFR VFR VFR VFR VFR
Day/Night
🌙
Night
🌅 06:47Z
🌙
Night
🌅 06:47Z
🌙
Night
🌅 06:47Z
☀️
Day
🌅 06:47Z
☀️
Day
🌅 06:47Z
☀️
Day
☀️
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
IFR
Wind
VRB° at 3 kt
Visibility
10+ km
Clouds
BKN006
📖 Plain English Explanation:

This is the base forecast condition. Winds will be variable in direction at 3 kt. Visibility will be excellent at 10+ km. Broken clouds at 600 feet. Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) conditions - instrument flying required.

PROB40 TEMPO 04:00Z - 07:00Z
LIFR
Visibility
2 km
Weather
Patches Fog
Clouds
BKN003
📖 Plain English Explanation:

There is a 40% probability of: Visibility will be moderate at 2 km. Weather conditions: Patches Fog. Broken clouds at 300 feet. Low IFR conditions - challenging even for instrument operations.

BECMG 05:00Z - 07:00Z
VFR
Wind
50° at 8 kt
📖 Plain English Explanation:

Conditions will gradually change to become: Winds from the Northeast (50°) at 8 kt. Conditions will be suitable for Visual Flight Rules (VFR) operations.

BECMG 07:00Z - 09:00Z
MVFR
Clouds
BKN015
📖 Plain English Explanation:

Conditions will gradually change to become: Broken clouds at 1500 feet. Marginal VFR conditions - some restrictions for visual flying.

BECMG 09:00Z - 11:00Z
VFR
Clouds
FEW020
📖 Plain English Explanation:

Conditions will gradually change to become: Few clouds at 2000 feet. Conditions will be suitable for Visual Flight Rules (VFR) operations.

FM101200 12:00Z - 18:00Z
VFR
Wind
30° at 10 kt
Visibility
10+ km
Clouds
SCT035
📖 Plain English Explanation:

Winds from the North-Northeast (30°) at 10 kt. Visibility will be excellent at 10+ km. Scattered clouds at 3500 feet. Conditions will be suitable for Visual Flight Rules (VFR) 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.