Sunshine Coast Airport

YBSU / MCY

Maroochydore, AU

Current TAF Forecast

Raw TAF:
TAF AMD YBSU 042320Z 0500/0600 13014KT 9999 -SHRA SCT030 FM050900 12010KT 9999 -SHRA SCT015 FM051400 12006KT 9999 -SHRA BKN015 FM052200 10014KT 9999 -SHRA SCT015 BKN020 INTER 0500/0509 5000 SHRA BKN015 INTER 0509/0513 08014KT 3000 SHRA BKN008 SCT018TCU TEMPO 0513/0600 08014KT 3000 SHRA BKN008 SCT018TCU

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
130°
SE
130°
SE
130°
SE
130°
SE
130°
SE
130°
SE
130°
SE
130°
SE
130°
SE
120°
SE
120°
SE
120°
SE
120°
SE
80°
E
80°
E
80°
E
80°
E
80°
E
80°
E
80°
E
80°
E
80°
E
80°
E
Wind Speed
14 kt
14 kt
14 kt
14 kt
14 kt
14 kt
14 kt
14 kt
14 kt
10 kt
10 kt
10 kt
10 kt
14 kt
14 kt
14 kt
14 kt
14 kt
14 kt
14 kt
14 kt
14 kt
14 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
3 km
3 km
3 km
3 km
3 km
3 km
3 km
3 km
3 km
3 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
Showers Rain
SHRA
Showers Rain
SHRA
Showers Rain
SHRA
Showers Rain
SHRA
Showers Rain
SHRA
Showers Rain
SHRA
Showers Rain
SHRA
Showers Rain
SHRA
Showers Rain
SHRA
Showers Rain
SHRA
Clouds
SCT030
SCT030
SCT030
SCT030
SCT030
SCT030
SCT030
SCT030
SCT030
SCT015
SCT015
SCT015
SCT015
BKN008
SCT018TCU
BKN008
SCT018TCU
BKN008
SCT018TCU
BKN008
SCT018TCU
BKN008
SCT018TCU
BKN008
SCT018TCU
BKN008
SCT018TCU
BKN008
SCT018TCU
BKN008
SCT018TCU
BKN008
SCT018TCU
Ceiling
🌤️ Unlimited
🌤️ Unlimited
🌤️ Unlimited
🌤️ Unlimited
🌤️ Unlimited
🌤️ Unlimited
🌤️ Unlimited
🌤️ Unlimited
🌤️ Unlimited
🌤️ Unlimited
🌤️ Unlimited
🌤️ Unlimited
🌤️ Unlimited
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
Flight Rules VFR VFR VFR VFR VFR VFR VFR VFR VFR VFR VFR VFR VFR LIFR LIFR LIFR LIFR LIFR LIFR LIFR LIFR LIFR LIFR
Day/Night
🌙
Night
🌙
Night
🌙
Night
🌙
Night
🌅 05:43Z
🌙
Night
🌅 05:43Z
🌙
Night
🌅 05:43Z
☀️
Day
🌅 05:43Z
☀️
Day
🌅 05:43Z
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
🌇 18:16Z
☀️
Day
🌇 18:16Z
☀️
Day
🌇 18:16Z
🌙
Night
🌇 18:16Z
🌙
Night
🌇 18:16Z
🌙
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
VFR
Wind
130° at 14 kt
Visibility
10+ km
Weather
Light Showers Rain
Clouds
SCT030
📖 Plain English Explanation:

This is the base forecast condition. Winds from the Southeast (130°) at 14 kt. Visibility will be excellent at 10+ km. Weather conditions: Light Showers Rain. Scattered clouds at 3000 feet. Conditions will be suitable for Visual Flight Rules (VFR) operations.

FM050900 09:00Z - 15:00Z
VFR
Wind
120° at 10 kt
Visibility
10+ km
Weather
Light Showers Rain
Clouds
SCT015
📖 Plain English Explanation:

Winds from the East-Southeast (120°) at 10 kt. Visibility will be excellent at 10+ km. Weather conditions: Light Showers Rain. Scattered clouds at 1500 feet. Conditions will be suitable for Visual Flight Rules (VFR) operations.

FM051400 14:00Z - 20:00Z
MVFR
Wind
120° at 6 kt
Visibility
10+ km
Weather
Light Showers Rain
Clouds
BKN015
📖 Plain English Explanation:

Winds from the East-Southeast (120°) at 6 kt. Visibility will be excellent at 10+ km. Weather conditions: Light Showers Rain. Broken clouds at 1500 feet. Marginal VFR conditions - some restrictions for visual flying.

FM052200 22:00Z - 04:00Z
LIFR
Wind
80° at 14 kt
Visibility
3 km
Weather
Light Showers Rain, Showers Rain, Showers Rain
Clouds
SCT015 BKN020 BKN015 BKN008 SCT018TCU
📖 Plain English Explanation:

Winds from the East (80°) at 14 kt. Visibility will be moderate at 3 km. Weather conditions: Light Showers Rain, Showers Rain, Showers Rain. Scattered clouds at 1500 feet, Broken clouds at 2000 feet, Broken clouds at 1500 feet, Broken clouds at 800 feet, Scattered clouds at 1800 feet. Low IFR conditions - challenging even for instrument operations.

TEMPO 13:00Z - 00:00Z
LIFR
Wind
80° at 14 kt
Visibility
3 km
Weather
Showers Rain
Clouds
BKN008 SCT018TCU
📖 Plain English Explanation:

Temporary conditions (lasting less than an hour at a time) may include: Winds from the East (80°) at 14 kt. Visibility will be moderate at 3 km. Weather conditions: Showers Rain. Broken clouds at 800 feet, Scattered clouds at 1800 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.