Columbus Air Force Base

KCBM / CBM

Columbus, US

Current TAF Forecast

Raw TAF:
TAF AMD KCBM 162303Z 1623/1724 21012KT 9999 SCT080 520106 QNH2980INS BECMG 1623/1624 20009KT 8000 -SHRA BKN030 520106 QNH2981INS BECMG 1705/1706 27006KT 9999 NSW BKN050 QNH2994INS BECMG 1707/1708 27006KT 9999 SCT060 QNH2997INS BECMG 1716/1717 33010G15KT 9999 SCT030 QNH3008INS TX16/1623Z TNM02/1710Z LAST NO AMDS AFT 1623 NEXT 1910

Detailed TAF Table

Parameter
Sat
18:00Z
+-1h
Sat
19:00Z
+0h
Sat
20:00Z
+1h
Sat
21:00Z
+2h
Sat
22:00Z
+3h
Wind Dir
210°
SW
210°
SW
210°
SW
210°
SW
210°
SW
Wind Speed
12kt
12kt
12kt
12kt
12kt
Visibility
10+ km
10+ km
10+ km
10+ km
10+ km
Weather
☀️ Clear
☀️ Clear
☀️ Clear
☀️ Clear
☀️ Clear
Clouds
SCT080
SCT080
SCT080
SCT080
SCT080
Ceiling
🌤️ Unlimited
🌤️ Unlimited
🌤️ Unlimited
🌤️ Unlimited
🌤️ Unlimited
Flight Rules VFR VFR VFR VFR VFR
Day/Night
🌙
Night
🌇 17:00
🌙
Night
🌇 17:00
🌙
Night
🌙
Night
🌙
Night
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
VFR
Wind
210° at 12 kt
Visibility
10+ km
Clouds
SCT080
📖 Plain English Explanation:

This is the base forecast condition. Winds from the South-Southwest (210°) at 12kt. Visibility will be excellent at 10+ km. Scattered clouds at 8000 feet. Conditions will be suitable for Visual Flight Rules (VFR) operations.

BECMG 2026-02-16 23:00:00 - 2026-02-17 00:00:00
MVFR
Wind
200° at 9 kt
Visibility
8 km
Weather
Light Showers Rain
Clouds
BKN030
📖 Plain English Explanation:

Conditions will gradually change to become: Winds from the South-Southwest (200°) at 9kt. Visibility will be good at 8 km. Weather conditions: Light Showers Rain. Broken clouds at 3000 feet. Marginal VFR conditions - some restrictions for visual flying.

BECMG 2026-02-17 05:00:00 - 2026-02-17 06:00:00
VFR
Wind
270° at 6 kt
Visibility
10+ km
Clouds
BKN050
📖 Plain English Explanation:

Conditions will gradually change to become: Winds from the West (270°) at 6kt. Visibility will be excellent at 10+ km. Broken clouds at 5000 feet. Conditions will be suitable for Visual Flight Rules (VFR) operations.

BECMG 2026-02-17 07:00:00 - 2026-02-17 08:00:00
VFR
Wind
270° at 6 kt
Visibility
10+ km
Clouds
SCT060
📖 Plain English Explanation:

Conditions will gradually change to become: Winds from the West (270°) at 6kt. Visibility will be excellent at 10+ km. Scattered clouds at 6000 feet. Conditions will be suitable for Visual Flight Rules (VFR) operations.

BECMG 2026-02-17 16:00:00 - 2026-02-17 17:00:00
IFR
Wind
330° at 10 kt
Gusts: 15 kt
Visibility
1.91 km
Clouds
SCT030
📖 Plain English Explanation:

Conditions will gradually change to become: Winds from the North-Northwest (330°) at 10kt. Gusts up to 15kt are expected. Visibility will be moderate at 1.91 km. Scattered clouds at 3000 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.