Santa Maria Airport

SBSM / RIA

Santa Maria, BR

Current TAF Forecast

Raw TAF:
TAF SBSM 181500Z 1818/1906 36015G30KT 9999 SCT040 TX30/1818Z TN21/1906Z BECMG 1821/1823 BKN020 FEW035TCU PROB40 1903/1906 4000 TSRA BKN012 FEW040CB RMK PEN

Detailed TAF Table

Parameter
Sat
23:00Z
+-1h
Sun
00:00Z
+0h
Sun
01:00Z
+1h
Sun
02:00Z
+2h
Sun
03:00Z
+3h
Sun
04:00Z
+4h
Wind Dir
360°
N
360°
N
360°
N
360°
N
360°
N
360°
N
Wind Speed
15 kt
G30 kt
15 kt
G30 kt
15 kt
G30 kt
15 kt
G30 kt
15 kt
G30 kt
15 kt
G30 kt
Visibility
10+ km
10+ km
10+ km
10+ km
4 km
4 km
Weather
☀️ Clear
☀️ Clear
☀️ Clear
☀️ Clear
Thunderstorm Rain
TSRA
40%
Thunderstorm Rain
TSRA
40%
Clouds
SCT040
SCT040
SCT040
SCT040
BKN012
FEW040CB
BKN012
FEW040CB
Ceiling
🌤️ Unlimited
🌤️ Unlimited
🌤️ Unlimited
🌤️ Unlimited
1,200 ft
AGL
1,200 ft
AGL
Flight Rules VFR VFR VFR VFR IFR IFR
Day/Night
🌙
Night
🌙
Night
🌙
Night
🌙
Night
🌙
Night
🌙
Night
🌅 06:53Z
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
360° at 15 kt
Gusts: 30 kt
Visibility
10+ km
Clouds
SCT040
📖 Plain English Explanation:

This is the base forecast condition. Winds from the North (360°) at 15 kt. Gusts up to 30 kt are expected. Visibility will be excellent at 10+ km. Scattered clouds at 4000 feet. Conditions will be suitable for Visual Flight Rules (VFR) operations.

BECMG 21:00Z - 23:00Z
MVFR
Clouds
BKN020 FEW035TCU
📖 Plain English Explanation:

Conditions will gradually change to become: Broken clouds at 2000 feet, Few clouds at 3500 feet. Marginal VFR conditions - some restrictions for visual flying.

PROB40 03:00Z - 06:00Z
IFR
Visibility
4 km
Weather
Thunderstorm Rain
Clouds
BKN012 FEW040CB
📖 Plain English Explanation:

There is a 40% probability of: Visibility will be moderate at 4 km. Weather conditions: Thunderstorm Rain. Broken clouds at 1200 feet, Few clouds at 4000 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.