Hamilton Island Airport

YBHM / HTI

Hamilton Island, AU

Current TAF Forecast

Raw TAF:
TAF YBHM 081720Z 0818/0906 11015KT 9999 -SHRA SCT020 FM090200 13014KT 9999 NSW SCT022 INTER 0818/0902 6000 SHRA BKN015

Detailed TAF Table

Parameter
Sun
23:00Z
+-1h
Mon
00:00Z
+0h
Mon
01:00Z
+1h
Mon
02:00Z
+2h
Mon
03:00Z
+3h
Mon
04:00Z
+4h
Wind Dir
110°
E
110°
E
110°
E
130°
SE
130°
SE
130°
SE
Wind Speed
15 kt
15 kt
15 kt
14 kt
14 kt
14 kt
Visibility
10+ km
10+ km
10+ km
6 km
6 km
6 km
Weather
Light Showers Rain
-SHRA
Light Showers Rain
-SHRA
Light Showers Rain
-SHRA
Showers Rain
SHRA
Showers Rain
SHRA
Showers Rain
SHRA
Clouds
SCT020
SCT020
SCT020
SCT022
BKN015
SCT022
BKN015
SCT022
BKN015
Ceiling
🌤️ Unlimited
🌤️ Unlimited
🌤️ Unlimited
1,500 ft
AGL
1,500 ft
AGL
1,500 ft
AGL
Flight Rules VFR VFR VFR MVFR MVFR MVFR
Day/Night
🌙
Night
🌙
Night
🌙
Night
🌙
Night
🌙
Night
🌅 05:32Z
🌙
Night
🌅 05:32Z
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
110° at 15 kt
Visibility
10+ km
Weather
Light Showers Rain
Clouds
SCT020
📖 Plain English Explanation:

This is the base forecast condition. Winds from the East-Southeast (110°) at 15 kt. Visibility will be excellent at 10+ km. Weather conditions: Light Showers Rain. Scattered clouds at 2000 feet. Conditions will be suitable for Visual Flight Rules (VFR) operations.

FM090200 02:00Z - 08:00Z
MVFR
Wind
130° at 14 kt
Visibility
6 km
Weather
Showers Rain
Clouds
SCT022 BKN015
📖 Plain English Explanation:

Winds from the Southeast (130°) at 14 kt. Visibility will be good at 6 km. Weather conditions: Showers Rain. Scattered clouds at 2200 feet, 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.