Fairchild Air Force Base

KSKA / SKA

Spokane, US

Current TAF Forecast

Raw TAF:
TAF AMD KSKA 042100Z 0421/0601 22012KT 9000 -SHRA BKN007 OVC030 610609 QNH2974INS BECMG 0423/0501 23012KT 9999 NSW BKN015 BKN040 620604 QNH2978INS BECMG 0504/0505 23009KT 9999 OVC060 620609 QNH2984INS TX08/0421Z TN01/0510Z

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
Wind Dir
220°
SW
230°
SW
230°
SW
230°
SW
230°
SW
230°
SW
230°
SW
230°
SW
230°
SW
230°
SW
230°
SW
230°
SW
230°
SW
230°
SW
230°
SW
230°
SW
230°
SW
230°
SW
230°
SW
230°
SW
230°
SW
230°
SW
230°
SW
230°
SW
Wind Speed
12 kt
12 kt
12 kt
12 kt
12 kt
12 kt
12 kt
12 kt
12 kt
12 kt
12 kt
12 kt
12 kt
12 kt
12 kt
12 kt
12 kt
12 kt
12 kt
12 kt
12 kt
12 kt
12 kt
12 kt
Visibility
9 km
10+ km
10+ km
10+ km
10+ km
10+ km
10+ km
10+ km
10+ km
10+ km
10+ km
10+ km
10+ km
10+ km
10+ km
10+ km
10+ km
10+ km
10+ km
10+ km
10+ km
10+ km
10+ km
10+ km
Weather
Light Showers Rain
-SHRA
☀️ Clear
☀️ Clear
☀️ Clear
☀️ Clear
☀️ Clear
☀️ Clear
☀️ Clear
☀️ Clear
☀️ Clear
☀️ Clear
☀️ Clear
☀️ Clear
☀️ Clear
☀️ Clear
☀️ Clear
☀️ Clear
☀️ Clear
☀️ Clear
☀️ Clear
☀️ Clear
☀️ Clear
☀️ Clear
☀️ Clear
Clouds
BKN007
OVC030
BKN015
BKN040
BKN015
BKN040
BKN015
BKN040
BKN015
BKN040
BKN015
BKN040
BKN015
BKN040
BKN015
BKN040
BKN015
BKN040
BKN015
BKN040
BKN015
BKN040
BKN015
BKN040
BKN015
BKN040
BKN015
BKN040
BKN015
BKN040
BKN015
BKN040
BKN015
BKN040
BKN015
BKN040
BKN015
BKN040
BKN015
BKN040
BKN015
BKN040
BKN015
BKN040
BKN015
BKN040
BKN015
BKN040
Ceiling
700 ft
AGL
1,500 ft
AGL
1,500 ft
AGL
1,500 ft
AGL
1,500 ft
AGL
1,500 ft
AGL
1,500 ft
AGL
1,500 ft
AGL
1,500 ft
AGL
1,500 ft
AGL
1,500 ft
AGL
1,500 ft
AGL
1,500 ft
AGL
1,500 ft
AGL
1,500 ft
AGL
1,500 ft
AGL
1,500 ft
AGL
1,500 ft
AGL
1,500 ft
AGL
1,500 ft
AGL
1,500 ft
AGL
1,500 ft
AGL
1,500 ft
AGL
1,500 ft
AGL
Flight Rules IFR MVFR MVFR MVFR MVFR MVFR MVFR MVFR MVFR MVFR MVFR MVFR MVFR MVFR MVFR MVFR MVFR MVFR MVFR MVFR MVFR MVFR MVFR MVFR
Day/Night
🌙
Night
🌙
Night
🌙
Night
🌙
Night
🌙
Night
🌅 06:27Z
🌙
Night
🌅 06:27Z
🌅
Dawn
🌅 06:27Z
☀️
Day
🌅 06:27Z
☀️
Day
🌅 06:27Z
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
🌇 17:32Z
☀️
Day
🌇 17:32Z
☀️
Day
🌇 17:32Z
🌇
Dusk
🌇 17:32Z
🌙
Night
🌇 17:32Z
🌙
Night
🌙
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
IFR
Wind
220° at 12 kt
Visibility
9 km
Weather
Light Showers Rain
Clouds
BKN007 OVC030
📖 Plain English Explanation:

This is the base forecast condition. Winds from the Southwest (220°) at 12 kt. Visibility will be good at 9 km. Weather conditions: Light Showers Rain. Broken clouds at 700 feet, Overcast skies at 3000 feet. Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) conditions - instrument flying required.

BECMG 23:00Z - 01:00Z
MVFR
Wind
230° at 12 kt
Visibility
10+ km
Clouds
BKN015 BKN040
📖 Plain English Explanation:

Conditions will gradually change to become: Winds from the Southwest (230°) at 12 kt. Visibility will be excellent at 10+ km. Broken clouds at 1500 feet, Broken clouds at 4000 feet. Marginal VFR conditions - some restrictions for visual flying.

BECMG 04:00Z - 05:00Z
VFR
Wind
230° at 9 kt
Visibility
10+ km
Clouds
OVC060
📖 Plain English Explanation:

Conditions will gradually change to become: Winds from the Southwest (230°) at 9 kt. Visibility will be excellent at 10+ km. Overcast skies at 6000 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.