AU
YBCS
TAF Forecast

Cairns International Airport

YBCS / CNS

Cairns, AU

Current TAF Forecast

Raw TAF:

TAF AMD YBCS 042325Z 0423/0600 16014KT 9999 -SHRA BKN025 BECMG 0512/0514 17014KT 6000 SHRA FEW015 BKN020 TEMPO 0423/0501 3000 SHRA BKN012 TEMPO 0501/0600 15020G35KT 1000 +SHRA BKN008 SCT025TCU PROB30 TEMPO 0515/0600 VRB30G45KT 0500 +TSRA BKN005 SCT020CB

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
Wind Dir	160° S	150° SE	150° SE	150° SE	150° SE	150° SE	150° SE	150° SE	150° SE	150° SE	150° SE	150° SE	150° SE	150° SE	150° SE	VRB	VRB	VRB	VRB	VRB	VRB	VRB	VRB
Wind Speed	14 kt	20 kt G35 kt	20 kt G35 kt	20 kt G35 kt	20 kt G35 kt	20 kt G35 kt	20 kt G35 kt	20 kt G35 kt	20 kt G35 kt	20 kt G35 kt	20 kt G35 kt	20 kt G35 kt	20 kt G35 kt	20 kt G35 kt	20 kt G35 kt	30 kt G45 kt	30 kt G45 kt	30 kt G45 kt	30 kt G45 kt	30 kt G45 kt	30 kt G45 kt	30 kt G45 kt	30 kt G45 kt
Visibility	10+ km	1 km	1 km	1 km	1 km	1 km	1 km	1 km	1 km	1 km	1 km	1 km	1 km	1 km	1 km	0.5 km	0.5 km	0.5 km	0.5 km	0.5 km	0.5 km	0.5 km	0.5 km
Weather	Light Showers Rain -SHRA	Heavy Showers Rain +SHRA	Heavy Showers Rain +SHRA	Heavy Showers Rain +SHRA	Heavy Showers Rain +SHRA	Heavy Showers Rain +SHRA	Heavy Showers Rain +SHRA	Heavy Showers Rain +SHRA	Heavy Showers Rain +SHRA	Heavy Showers Rain +SHRA	Heavy Showers Rain +SHRA	Heavy Showers Rain +SHRA	Heavy Showers Rain +SHRA	Heavy Showers Rain +SHRA	Heavy Showers Rain +SHRA	Heavy Thunderstorm Rain +TSRA 30%	Heavy Thunderstorm Rain +TSRA 30%	Heavy Thunderstorm Rain +TSRA 30%	Heavy Thunderstorm Rain +TSRA 30%	Heavy Thunderstorm Rain +TSRA 30%	Heavy Thunderstorm Rain +TSRA 30%	Heavy Thunderstorm Rain +TSRA 30%	Heavy Thunderstorm Rain +TSRA 30%
Clouds	BKN025	BKN008 SCT025TCU	BKN008 SCT025TCU	BKN008 SCT025TCU	BKN008 SCT025TCU	BKN008 SCT025TCU	BKN008 SCT025TCU	BKN008 SCT025TCU	BKN008 SCT025TCU	BKN008 SCT025TCU	BKN008 SCT025TCU	BKN008 SCT025TCU	BKN008 SCT025TCU	BKN008 SCT025TCU	BKN008 SCT025TCU	BKN005 SCT020CB	BKN005 SCT020CB	BKN005 SCT020CB	BKN005 SCT020CB	BKN005 SCT020CB	BKN005 SCT020CB	BKN005 SCT020CB	BKN005 SCT020CB
Ceiling	2,500 ft AGL	800 ft AGL	800 ft AGL	800 ft AGL	800 ft AGL	800 ft AGL	800 ft AGL	800 ft AGL	800 ft AGL	800 ft AGL	800 ft AGL	800 ft AGL	800 ft AGL	800 ft AGL	800 ft AGL	500 ft AGL	500 ft AGL	500 ft AGL	500 ft AGL	500 ft AGL	500 ft AGL	500 ft AGL	500 ft AGL
Flight Rules	MVFR	LIFR	LIFR	LIFR	LIFR	LIFR	LIFR	LIFR	LIFR	LIFR	LIFR	LIFR	LIFR	LIFR	LIFR	LIFR	LIFR	LIFR	LIFR	LIFR	LIFR	LIFR	LIFR
Day/Night	🌙 Night	🌙 Night	🌙 Night	🌙 Night 🌅 05:49Z	🌙 Night 🌅 05:49Z	🌙 Night 🌅 05:49Z	☀️ Day 🌅 05:49Z	☀️ Day 🌅 05:49Z	☀️ Day	☀️ Day	☀️ Day	☀️ Day	☀️ Day	☀️ Day	☀️ Day	☀️ Day	☀️ Day 🌇 18:10Z	☀️ Day 🌇 18:10Z	☀️ Day 🌇 18:10Z	🌙 Night 🌇 18:10Z	🌙 Night 🌇 18:10Z	🌙 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 occurrence • AGL: Above Ground Level

Forecast Periods

BASE

MVFR

Wind

160° at 14 kt

Visibility

10+ km

Weather

Light Showers Rain

Clouds

BKN025

📖 Plain English Explanation:

This is the base forecast condition. Winds from the South-Southeast (160°) at 14 kt. Visibility will be excellent at 10+ km. Weather conditions: Light Showers Rain. Broken clouds at 2500 feet. Marginal VFR conditions - some restrictions for visual flying.

BECMG 12:00Z - 14:00Z

MVFR

Wind

170° at 14 kt

Visibility

6 km

Weather

Showers Rain

Clouds

FEW015 BKN020

📖 Plain English Explanation:

Conditions will gradually change to become: Winds from the South (170°) at 14 kt. Visibility will be good at 6 km. Weather conditions: Showers Rain. Few clouds at 1500 feet, Broken clouds at 2000 feet. Marginal VFR conditions - some restrictions for visual flying.

TEMPO 23:00Z - 01:00Z

IFR

Visibility

3 km

Weather

Showers Rain

Clouds

BKN012

📖 Plain English Explanation:

Temporary conditions (lasting less than an hour at a time) may include: Visibility will be moderate at 3 km. Weather conditions: Showers Rain. Broken clouds at 1200 feet. Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) conditions - instrument flying required.

TEMPO 01:00Z - 00:00Z

LIFR

Wind

150° at 20 kt

Gusts: 35 kt

Visibility

1 km

Weather

Heavy Showers Rain

Clouds

BKN008 SCT025TCU

📖 Plain English Explanation:

Temporary conditions (lasting less than an hour at a time) may include: Winds from the South-Southeast (150°) at 20 kt. Gusts up to 35 kt are expected. Visibility will be poor at 1 km. Weather conditions: Heavy Showers Rain. Broken clouds at 800 feet, Scattered clouds at 2500 feet. Low IFR conditions - challenging even for instrument operations.

PROB30 TEMPO 15:00Z - 00:00Z

LIFR

Wind

VRB° at 30 kt

Gusts: 45 kt

Visibility

0.5 km

Weather

Heavy Thunderstorm Rain

Clouds

BKN005 SCT020CB

📖 Plain English Explanation:

There is a 30% probability of: Winds will be variable in direction at 30 kt. Gusts up to 45 kt are expected. Visibility will be poor at 0.5 km. Weather conditions: Heavy Thunderstorm Rain. Broken clouds at 500 feet, Scattered clouds at 2000 feet. Low IFR conditions - challenging even for instrument 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.