Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport

KBWI / BWI

Baltimore, US

Current TAF Forecast

Raw TAF:
TAF KBWI 042320Z 0500/0606 04004KT 6SM -DZ BR BKN006 OVC012 TEMPO 0501/0503 5SM -RA BR SCT006 FM050300 06002KT 2SM -DZ BR OVC004 FM050900 08003KT 1/2SM FG SCT002 OVC003 FM051400 00000KT 3SM BR OVC004 FM051800 10003KT 6SM BR BKN015 OVC045 PROB30 0521/0524 6SM -SHRA FM060000 08003KT 3SM -SHRA BR BKN005 OVC010

Detailed TAF Table

Parameter
Thu
00:00Z
+-1h
Thu
01:00Z
+0h
Thu
02:00Z
+1h
Thu
03:00Z
+2h
Thu
04:00Z
+3h
Thu
05:00Z
+4h
Thu
06:00Z
+5h
Thu
07:00Z
+6h
Thu
08:00Z
+7h
Thu
09:00Z
+8h
Thu
10:00Z
+9h
Thu
11:00Z
+10h
Thu
12:00Z
+11h
Thu
13:00Z
+12h
Thu
14:00Z
+13h
Thu
15:00Z
+14h
Thu
16:00Z
+15h
Thu
17:00Z
+16h
Thu
18:00Z
+17h
Thu
19:00Z
+18h
Thu
20:00Z
+19h
Thu
21:00Z
+20h
Thu
22:00Z
+21h
Thu
23:00Z
+22h
Fri
00:00Z
+23h
Fri
01:00Z
+24h
Fri
02:00Z
+25h
Fri
03:00Z
+26h
Fri
04:00Z
+27h
Wind Dir
40°
NE
40°
NE
40°
NE
60°
NE
60°
NE
60°
NE
60°
NE
60°
NE
60°
NE
80°
E
80°
E
80°
E
80°
E
80°
E
-- -- -- --
100°
E
100°
E
100°
E
40°
NE
40°
NE
40°
NE
80°
E
80°
E
80°
E
80°
E
80°
E
Wind Speed
4 kt
4 kt
4 kt
2 kt
2 kt
2 kt
2 kt
2 kt
2 kt
3 kt
3 kt
3 kt
3 kt
3 kt
-- -- -- --
3 kt
3 kt
3 kt
4 kt
4 kt
4 kt
3 kt
3 kt
3 kt
3 kt
3 kt
Visibility
6SM
5SM
5SM
2SM
2SM
2SM
2SM
2SM
2SM
1/2SM
1/2SM
1/2SM
1/2SM
1/2SM
3SM
3SM
3SM
3SM
6SM
6SM
6SM
6SM
6SM
6SM
3SM
3SM
3SM
3SM
3SM
Weather
Light Drizzle, Mist
-DZ BR
Light Rain, Mist
-RA BR
Light Rain, Mist
-RA BR
Light Drizzle, Mist
-DZ BR
Light Drizzle, Mist
-DZ BR
Light Drizzle, Mist
-DZ BR
Light Drizzle, Mist
-DZ BR
Light Drizzle, Mist
-DZ BR
Light Drizzle, Mist
-DZ BR
Fog
FG
Fog
FG
Fog
FG
Fog
FG
Fog
FG
Mist
BR
Mist
BR
Mist
BR
Mist
BR
Mist
BR
Mist
BR
Mist
BR
Light Showers Rain
-SHRA
30%
Light Showers Rain
-SHRA
30%
Light Showers Rain
-SHRA
30%
Light Showers Rain, Mist
-SHRA BR
Light Showers Rain, Mist
-SHRA BR
Light Showers Rain, Mist
-SHRA BR
Light Showers Rain, Mist
-SHRA BR
Light Showers Rain, Mist
-SHRA BR
Clouds
BKN006
OVC012
SCT006
SCT006
OVC004
OVC004
OVC004
OVC004
OVC004
OVC004
SCT002
OVC003
SCT002
OVC003
SCT002
OVC003
SCT002
OVC003
SCT002
OVC003
OVC004
OVC004
OVC004
OVC004
BKN015
OVC045
BKN015
OVC045
BKN015
OVC045
☀️ CLR
☀️ CLR
☀️ CLR
BKN005
OVC010
BKN005
OVC010
BKN005
OVC010
BKN005
OVC010
BKN005
OVC010
Ceiling
600 ft
AGL
🌤️ Unlimited
🌤️ Unlimited
400 ft
AGL
400 ft
AGL
400 ft
AGL
400 ft
AGL
400 ft
AGL
400 ft
AGL
300 ft
AGL
300 ft
AGL
300 ft
AGL
300 ft
AGL
300 ft
AGL
400 ft
AGL
400 ft
AGL
400 ft
AGL
400 ft
AGL
1,500 ft
AGL
1,500 ft
AGL
1,500 ft
AGL
🌤️ Unlimited
🌤️ Unlimited
🌤️ Unlimited
500 ft
AGL
500 ft
AGL
500 ft
AGL
500 ft
AGL
500 ft
AGL
Flight Rules IFR MVFR MVFR LIFR LIFR LIFR LIFR LIFR LIFR LIFR LIFR LIFR LIFR LIFR LIFR LIFR LIFR LIFR MVFR MVFR MVFR VFR VFR VFR IFR IFR IFR IFR IFR
Day/Night
🌙
Night
🌙
Night
🌙
Night
🌙
Night
🌙
Night
🌅 06:23Z
🌙
Night
🌅 06:23Z
🌅
Dawn
🌅 06:23Z
☀️
Day
🌅 06:23Z
☀️
Day
🌅 06:23Z
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
🌇 17:36Z
☀️
Day
🌇 17:36Z
☀️
Day
🌇 17:36Z
🌇
Dusk
🌇 17:36Z
🌙
Night
🌇 17:36Z
🌙
Night
🌙
Night
🌙
Night
🌙
Night
🌙
Night
🌙
Night
🌙
Night
🌙
Night
🌙
Night
🌅 06:21Z
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
40° at 4 kt
Visibility
6SM
Weather
Light Drizzle, Mist
Clouds
BKN006 OVC012
📖 Plain English Explanation:

This is the base forecast condition. Winds from the Northeast (40°) at 4 kt. Visibility will be excellent at 6SM. Weather conditions: Light Drizzle, Mist. Broken clouds at 600 feet, Overcast skies at 1200 feet. Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) conditions - instrument flying required.

TEMPO 01:00Z - 03:00Z
MVFR
Visibility
5SM
Weather
Light Rain, Mist
Clouds
SCT006
📖 Plain English Explanation:

Temporary conditions (lasting less than an hour at a time) may include: Visibility will be good at 5SM. Weather conditions: Light Rain, Mist. Scattered clouds at 600 feet. Marginal VFR conditions - some restrictions for visual flying.

FM050300 03:00Z - 09:00Z
LIFR
Wind
60° at 2 kt
Visibility
2SM
Weather
Light Drizzle, Mist
Clouds
OVC004
📖 Plain English Explanation:

Winds from the East-Northeast (60°) at 2 kt. Visibility will be moderate at 2SM. Weather conditions: Light Drizzle, Mist. Overcast skies at 400 feet. Low IFR conditions - challenging even for instrument operations.

FM050900 09:00Z - 15:00Z
LIFR
Wind
80° at 3 kt
Visibility
1/2SM
Weather
Fog
Clouds
SCT002 OVC003
📖 Plain English Explanation:

Winds from the East (80°) at 3 kt. Visibility will be moderate at 1/2SM. Weather conditions: Fog. Scattered clouds at 200 feet, Overcast skies at 300 feet. Low IFR conditions - challenging even for instrument operations.

FM051400 14:00Z - 20:00Z
LIFR
Wind
0° at 0 kt
Visibility
3SM
Weather
Mist
Clouds
OVC004
📖 Plain English Explanation:

Winds from the North (0°) at 0 kt. Visibility will be good at 3SM. Weather conditions: Mist. Overcast skies at 400 feet. Low IFR conditions - challenging even for instrument operations.

FM051800 18:00Z - 00:00Z
MVFR
Wind
100° at 3 kt
Visibility
6SM
Weather
Mist
Clouds
BKN015 OVC045
📖 Plain English Explanation:

Winds from the East (100°) at 3 kt. Visibility will be excellent at 6SM. Weather conditions: Mist. Broken clouds at 1500 feet, Overcast skies at 4500 feet. Marginal VFR conditions - some restrictions for visual flying.

PROB30 21:00Z - 00:00Z
VFR
Visibility
6SM
Weather
Light Showers Rain
📖 Plain English Explanation:

There is a 30% probability of: Visibility will be excellent at 6SM. Weather conditions: Light Showers Rain. Conditions will be suitable for Visual Flight Rules (VFR) operations.

FM060000 00:00Z - 06:00Z
IFR
Wind
80° at 3 kt
Visibility
3SM
Weather
Light Showers Rain, Mist
Clouds
BKN005 OVC010
📖 Plain English Explanation:

Winds from the East (80°) at 3 kt. Visibility will be good at 3SM. Weather conditions: Light Showers Rain, Mist. Broken clouds at 500 feet, Overcast skies at 1000 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.