Puerto Cabezas Airport

MNPC / PUZ

Puerto Cabezas, NI

Current TAF Forecast

Raw TAF:
TAF MNPC 162124Z 1700/1724 08010G20KT 9999/6000 HZ/VCRA SCT016 SCT100 TEMPO 1704/1710 33008KT TEMPO 1715/1720 02012G22KT 9999/4000 RA BKN016TCU

Detailed TAF Table

Parameter
Sat
14:00Z
+-1h
Sat
15:00Z
+0h
Sat
16:00Z
+1h
Sat
17:00Z
+2h
Sat
18:00Z
+3h
Sat
19:00Z
+4h
Sat
20:00Z
+5h
Sat
21:00Z
+6h
Sat
22:00Z
+7h
Wind Dir
80°
E
20°
N
20°
N
20°
N
20°
N
20°
N
80°
E
80°
E
80°
E
Wind Speed
10kt
G20kt
12kt
G22kt
12kt
G22kt
12kt
G22kt
12kt
G22kt
12kt
G22kt
10kt
G20kt
10kt
G20kt
10kt
G20kt
Visibility -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Weather
HZ/VCRA
HZ/VCRA
Rain
RA
Rain
RA
Rain
RA
Rain
RA
Rain
RA
HZ/VCRA
HZ/VCRA
HZ/VCRA
HZ/VCRA
HZ/VCRA
HZ/VCRA
Clouds
SCT016
SCT100
BKN016TCU
BKN016TCU
BKN016TCU
BKN016TCU
BKN016TCU
SCT016
SCT100
SCT016
SCT100
SCT016
SCT100
Ceiling
🌤️ Unlimited
1600ft
AGL
1600ft
AGL
1600ft
AGL
1600ft
AGL
1600ft
AGL
🌤️ Unlimited
🌤️ Unlimited
🌤️ Unlimited
Flight Rules VFR MVFR MVFR MVFR MVFR MVFR VFR VFR VFR
Day/Night
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
🌇 17:33
☀️
Day
🌇 17:33
☀️
Day
🌇 17:33
🌇
Dusk
🌇 17:33
🌙
Night
🌇 17:33
🌙
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
80° at 10 kt
Gusts: 20 kt
Weather
HZ/VCRA
Clouds
SCT016 SCT100
📖 Plain English Explanation:

This is the base forecast condition. Winds from the East (80°) at 10kt. Gusts up to 20kt are expected. Weather conditions: HZ/VCRA. Scattered clouds at 1600 feet, Scattered clouds at 10000 feet. Conditions will be suitable for Visual Flight Rules (VFR) operations.

TEMPO 2026-02-17 04:00:00 - 2026-02-17 10:00:00
VFR
Wind
330° at 8 kt
📖 Plain English Explanation:

Temporary conditions (lasting less than an hour at a time) may include: Winds from the North-Northwest (330°) at 8kt. Conditions will be suitable for Visual Flight Rules (VFR) operations.

TEMPO 2026-01-17 15:00:00 - 2026-01-17 20:00:00
MVFR
Wind
20° at 12 kt
Gusts: 22 kt
Weather
Rain
Clouds
BKN016TCU
📖 Plain English Explanation:

Temporary conditions (lasting less than an hour at a time) may include: Winds from the North-Northeast (20°) at 12kt. Gusts up to 22kt are expected. Weather conditions: Rain. Broken clouds at 1600 feet. Marginal VFR conditions - some restrictions for visual flying.

📚 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.