Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport

KBWI / BWI

Baltimore, US

Current TAF Forecast

Raw TAF:
TAF KBWI 051140Z 0512/0618 09005KT 1/4SM FG OVC002 FM051500 10003KT 2SM BR OVC004 FM051800 08003KT P6SM OVC007 FM060100 06004KT 2SM -SHRA BR OVC004 FM060700 00000KT 3/4SM BR OVC003 FM061300 05004KT 3SM BR OVC004

Detailed TAF Table

Parameter
Thu
13:00Z
+-1h
Thu
14:00Z
+0h
Thu
15:00Z
+1h
Thu
16:00Z
+2h
Thu
17:00Z
+3h
Thu
18:00Z
+4h
Thu
19:00Z
+5h
Thu
20:00Z
+6h
Thu
21:00Z
+7h
Thu
22:00Z
+8h
Thu
23:00Z
+9h
Fri
00:00Z
+10h
Fri
01:00Z
+11h
Fri
02:00Z
+12h
Fri
03:00Z
+13h
Fri
04:00Z
+14h
Fri
05:00Z
+15h
Fri
06:00Z
+16h
Fri
07:00Z
+17h
Fri
08:00Z
+18h
Fri
09:00Z
+19h
Fri
10:00Z
+20h
Fri
11:00Z
+21h
Fri
12:00Z
+22h
Fri
13:00Z
+23h
Fri
14:00Z
+24h
Fri
15:00Z
+25h
Fri
16:00Z
+26h
Wind Dir
90°
E
90°
E
100°
E
100°
E
100°
E
80°
E
80°
E
80°
E
80°
E
80°
E
80°
E
90°
E
60°
NE
60°
NE
60°
NE
60°
NE
60°
NE
60°
NE
-- -- -- -- -- --
50°
NE
50°
NE
50°
NE
50°
NE
Wind Speed
5 kt
5 kt
3 kt
3 kt
3 kt
3 kt
3 kt
3 kt
3 kt
3 kt
3 kt
5 kt
4 kt
4 kt
4 kt
4 kt
4 kt
4 kt
-- -- -- -- -- --
4 kt
4 kt
4 kt
4 kt
Visibility
1/4SM
1/4SM
2SM
2SM
2SM
>6SM
>6SM
>6SM
>6SM
>6SM
>6SM
1/4SM
2SM
2SM
2SM
2SM
2SM
2SM
3/4SM
3/4SM
3/4SM
3/4SM
3/4SM
3/4SM
3SM
3SM
3SM
3SM
Weather
Fog
FG
Fog
FG
Mist
BR
Mist
BR
Mist
BR
☀️ Clear
☀️ Clear
☀️ Clear
☀️ Clear
☀️ Clear
☀️ Clear
Fog
FG
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
Light Showers Rain, Mist
-SHRA BR
Mist
BR
Mist
BR
Mist
BR
Mist
BR
Mist
BR
Mist
BR
Mist
BR
Mist
BR
Mist
BR
Mist
BR
Clouds
OVC002
OVC002
OVC004
OVC004
OVC004
OVC007
OVC007
OVC007
OVC007
OVC007
OVC007
OVC002
OVC004
OVC004
OVC004
OVC004
OVC004
OVC004
OVC003
OVC003
OVC003
OVC003
OVC003
OVC003
OVC004
OVC004
OVC004
OVC004
Ceiling
200 ft
AGL
200 ft
AGL
400 ft
AGL
400 ft
AGL
400 ft
AGL
700 ft
AGL
700 ft
AGL
700 ft
AGL
700 ft
AGL
700 ft
AGL
700 ft
AGL
200 ft
AGL
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
300 ft
AGL
400 ft
AGL
400 ft
AGL
400 ft
AGL
400 ft
AGL
Flight Rules LIFR LIFR LIFR LIFR LIFR IFR IFR IFR IFR IFR IFR LIFR LIFR LIFR LIFR LIFR LIFR LIFR LIFR LIFR LIFR LIFR LIFR LIFR LIFR LIFR LIFR LIFR
Day/Night
☀️
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
🌙
Night
🌅 06:21Z
🌅
Dawn
🌅 06:21Z
☀️
Day
🌅 06:21Z
☀️
Day
🌅 06:21Z
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
🌇 17:38Z
☀️
Day
🌇 17:38Z
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
90° at 5 kt
Visibility
1/4SM
Weather
Fog
Clouds
OVC002
📖 Plain English Explanation:

This is the base forecast condition. Winds from the East (90°) at 5 kt. Visibility will be moderate at 1/4SM. Weather conditions: Fog. Overcast skies at 200 feet. Low IFR conditions - challenging even for instrument operations.

FM051500 15:00Z - 21:00Z
LIFR
Wind
100° at 3 kt
Visibility
2SM
Weather
Mist
Clouds
OVC004
📖 Plain English Explanation:

Winds from the East (100°) at 3 kt. Visibility will be moderate at 2SM. Weather conditions: Mist. Overcast skies at 400 feet. Low IFR conditions - challenging even for instrument operations.

FM051800 18:00Z - 00:00Z
IFR
Wind
80° at 3 kt
Visibility
>6SM
Clouds
OVC007
📖 Plain English Explanation:

Winds from the East (80°) at 3 kt. Visibility will be excellent at more than 6SM. Overcast skies at 700 feet. Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) conditions - instrument flying required.

FM060100 01:00Z - 07:00Z
LIFR
Wind
60° at 4 kt
Visibility
2SM
Weather
Light Showers Rain, Mist
Clouds
OVC004
📖 Plain English Explanation:

Winds from the East-Northeast (60°) at 4 kt. Visibility will be moderate at 2SM. Weather conditions: Light Showers Rain, Mist. Overcast skies at 400 feet. Low IFR conditions - challenging even for instrument operations.

FM060700 07:00Z - 13:00Z
LIFR
Wind
0° at 0 kt
Visibility
3/4SM
Weather
Mist
Clouds
OVC003
📖 Plain English Explanation:

Winds from the North (0°) at 0 kt. Visibility will be good at 3/4SM. Weather conditions: Mist. Overcast skies at 300 feet. Low IFR conditions - challenging even for instrument operations.

FM061300 13:00Z - 19:00Z
LIFR
Wind
50° at 4 kt
Visibility
3SM
Weather
Mist
Clouds
OVC004
📖 Plain English Explanation:

Winds from the Northeast (50°) at 4 kt. Visibility will be good at 3SM. Weather conditions: Mist. Overcast skies at 400 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.