Santa Maria Airport

SBSM / RIA

Santa Maria, BR

Current TAF Forecast

Raw TAF:
TAF SBSM 260300Z 2606/2618 27005KT 2000 BR OVC002 TN14/2608Z TX20/2617Z PROB40 2606/2611 0800 FG OVC001 BECMG 2611/2613 18005KT 8000 NSW BKN010 BECMG 2614/2616 9999 BKN015 RMK PAB

Detailed TAF Table

Parameter
Tue
09:00Z
+-1h
Tue
10:00Z
+0h
Tue
11:00Z
+1h
Tue
12:00Z
+2h
Tue
13:00Z
+3h
Tue
14:00Z
+4h
Tue
15:00Z
+5h
Tue
16:00Z
+6h
Wind Dir
270°
W
270°
W
180°
S
180°
S
180°
S
180°
S
180°
S
180°
S
Wind Speed
5 kt
5 kt
5 kt
5 kt
5 kt
5 kt
5 kt
5 kt
Visibility
2 km
2 km
8 km
8 km
8 km
10+ km
10+ km
10+ km
Weather
Mist
BR
Mist
BR
☀️ Clear
☀️ Clear
☀️ Clear
☀️ Clear
☀️ Clear
☀️ Clear
Clouds
OVC002
OVC002
BKN010
BKN010
BKN010
BKN015
BKN015
BKN015
Ceiling
200 ft
AGL
200 ft
AGL
1,000 ft
AGL
1,000 ft
AGL
1,000 ft
AGL
1,500 ft
AGL
1,500 ft
AGL
1,500 ft
AGL
Flight Rules LIFR LIFR MVFR MVFR MVFR MVFR MVFR MVFR
Day/Night
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
🌇 17:06Z
☀️
Day
🌇 17:06Z
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
270° at 5 kt
Visibility
2 km
Weather
Mist
Clouds
OVC002
📖 Plain English Explanation:

This is the base forecast condition. Winds from the West (270°) at 5 kt. Visibility will be moderate at 2 km. Weather conditions: Mist. Overcast skies at 200 feet. Low IFR conditions - challenging even for instrument operations.

PROB40 06:00Z - 11:00Z
LIFR
Visibility
0.8 km
Weather
Fog
Clouds
OVC001
📖 Plain English Explanation:

There is a 40% probability of: Visibility will be poor at 0.8 km. Weather conditions: Fog. Overcast skies at 100 feet. Low IFR conditions - challenging even for instrument operations.

BECMG 11:00Z - 13:00Z
MVFR
Wind
180° at 5 kt
Visibility
8 km
Clouds
BKN010
📖 Plain English Explanation:

Conditions will gradually change to become: Winds from the South (180°) at 5 kt. Visibility will be good at 8 km. Broken clouds at 1000 feet. Marginal VFR conditions - some restrictions for visual flying.

BECMG 14:00Z - 16:00Z
MVFR
Visibility
10+ km
Clouds
BKN015
📖 Plain English Explanation:

Conditions will gradually change to become: Visibility will be excellent at 10+ km. Broken clouds at 1500 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.