Cairns International Airport

YBCS / CNS

Cairns, AU

Current TAF Forecast

Raw TAF:
TAF YBCS 150803Z 1509/1606 16009KT 9999 -SHRA SCT018 BKN025 FM160000 14016KT 9999 -SHRA SCT025 INTER 1509/1522 5000 SHRA BKN015 INTER 1522/1604 5000 SHRA SCT015

Detailed TAF Table

Parameter
Fri
10:00Z
+-1h
Fri
11:00Z
+0h
Fri
12:00Z
+1h
Fri
13:00Z
+2h
Fri
14:00Z
+3h
Fri
15:00Z
+4h
Fri
16:00Z
+5h
Fri
17:00Z
+6h
Fri
18:00Z
+7h
Fri
19:00Z
+8h
Fri
20:00Z
+9h
Fri
21:00Z
+10h
Fri
22:00Z
+11h
Fri
23:00Z
+12h
Sat
00:00Z
+13h
Sat
01:00Z
+14h
Sat
02:00Z
+15h
Sat
03:00Z
+16h
Sat
04:00Z
+17h
Wind Dir
160°
S
160°
S
160°
S
160°
S
160°
S
160°
S
160°
S
160°
S
160°
S
160°
S
160°
S
160°
S
160°
S
160°
S
140°
SE
140°
SE
140°
SE
140°
SE
140°
SE
Wind Speed
9 kt
9 kt
9 kt
9 kt
9 kt
9 kt
9 kt
9 kt
9 kt
9 kt
9 kt
9 kt
9 kt
9 kt
16 kt
16 kt
16 kt
16 kt
16 kt
Visibility
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
5 km
5 km
5 km
5 km
5 km
Weather
Light Showers Rain
-SHRA
Light Showers Rain
-SHRA
Light Showers Rain
-SHRA
Light Showers Rain
-SHRA
Light Showers Rain
-SHRA
Light Showers Rain
-SHRA
Light Showers Rain
-SHRA
Light Showers Rain
-SHRA
Light Showers Rain
-SHRA
Light Showers Rain
-SHRA
Light Showers Rain
-SHRA
Light Showers Rain
-SHRA
Light Showers Rain
-SHRA
Light Showers Rain
-SHRA
Light Showers Rain, Showers Rain, Showers Rain
-SHRA SHRA SHRA
Light Showers Rain, Showers Rain, Showers Rain
-SHRA SHRA SHRA
Light Showers Rain, Showers Rain, Showers Rain
-SHRA SHRA SHRA
Light Showers Rain, Showers Rain, Showers Rain
-SHRA SHRA SHRA
Light Showers Rain, Showers Rain, Showers Rain
-SHRA SHRA SHRA
Clouds
SCT018
BKN025
SCT018
BKN025
SCT018
BKN025
SCT018
BKN025
SCT018
BKN025
SCT018
BKN025
SCT018
BKN025
SCT018
BKN025
SCT018
BKN025
SCT018
BKN025
SCT018
BKN025
SCT018
BKN025
SCT018
BKN025
SCT018
BKN025
SCT025
BKN015
SCT025
BKN015
SCT025
BKN015
SCT025
BKN015
SCT025
BKN015
Ceiling
2,500 ft
AGL
2,500 ft
AGL
2,500 ft
AGL
2,500 ft
AGL
2,500 ft
AGL
2,500 ft
AGL
2,500 ft
AGL
2,500 ft
AGL
2,500 ft
AGL
2,500 ft
AGL
2,500 ft
AGL
2,500 ft
AGL
2,500 ft
AGL
2,500 ft
AGL
1,500 ft
AGL
1,500 ft
AGL
1,500 ft
AGL
1,500 ft
AGL
1,500 ft
AGL
Flight Rules MVFR MVFR MVFR MVFR MVFR MVFR MVFR MVFR MVFR MVFR MVFR MVFR MVFR MVFR MVFR MVFR MVFR MVFR MVFR
Day/Night
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
🌇 17:32Z
☀️
Day
🌇 17:32Z
☀️
Day
🌇 17:32Z
🌇
Dusk
🌇 17:32Z
🌙
Night
🌇 17:32Z
🌙
Night
🌙
Night
🌙
Night
🌙
Night
🌙
Night
🌙
Night
🌙
Night
🌙
Night
🌙
Night
🌅 06:27Z
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 9 kt
Visibility
10+ km
Weather
Light Showers Rain
Clouds
SCT018 BKN025
📖 Plain English Explanation:

This is the base forecast condition. Winds from the South-Southeast (160°) at 9 kt. Visibility will be excellent at 10+ km. Weather conditions: Light Showers Rain. Scattered clouds at 1800 feet, Broken clouds at 2500 feet. Marginal VFR conditions - some restrictions for visual flying.

FM160000 00:00Z - 06:00Z
MVFR
Wind
140° at 16 kt
Visibility
5 km
Weather
Light Showers Rain, Showers Rain, Showers Rain
Clouds
SCT025 BKN015 SCT015
📖 Plain English Explanation:

Winds from the Southeast (140°) at 16 kt. Visibility will be good at 5 km. Weather conditions: Light Showers Rain, Showers Rain, Showers Rain. Scattered clouds at 2500 feet, Broken clouds at 1500 feet, Scattered 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.