Townsville Airport / RAAF Base Townsville
YBTL / TSV
Townsville, AU
Current TAF Forecast
Detailed TAF Table
| Parameter |
Tue
11:00Z
+-1h
|
Tue
12:00Z
+0h
|
Tue
13:00Z
+1h
|
Tue
14:00Z
+2h
|
Tue
15:00Z
+3h
|
Tue
16:00Z
+4h
|
Tue
17:00Z
+5h
|
Tue
18:00Z
+6h
|
Tue
19:00Z
+7h
|
Tue
20:00Z
+8h
|
Tue
21:00Z
+9h
|
Tue
22:00Z
+10h
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wind Dir |
90°
E
|
90°
E
|
90°
E
|
90°
E
|
90°
E
|
90°
E
|
90°
E
|
90°
E
|
90°
E
|
90°
E
|
90°
E
|
90°
E
|
| Wind Speed |
18kt
|
18kt
|
18kt
|
18kt
|
18kt
|
18kt
|
18kt
|
18kt
|
18kt
|
18kt
|
18kt
|
18kt
|
| 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
|
| Weather |
☀️ Clear
|
☀️ Clear
|
☀️ Clear
|
☀️ Clear
|
☀️ Clear
|
☀️ Clear
|
☀️ Clear
|
☀️ Clear
|
☀️ Clear
|
☀️ Clear
|
☀️ Clear
|
☀️ Clear
|
| Clouds |
FEW030
SCT050
|
BKN012
|
BKN012
|
BKN012
|
BKN012
|
BKN012
|
BKN012
|
BKN012
|
BKN012
|
BKN012
|
BKN012
|
FEW030
SCT050
|
| Ceiling |
🌤️ Unlimited
|
1200ft
AGL
|
1200ft
AGL
|
1200ft
AGL
|
1200ft
AGL
|
1200ft
AGL
|
1200ft
AGL
|
1200ft
AGL
|
1200ft
AGL
|
1200ft
AGL
|
1200ft
AGL
|
🌤️ Unlimited
|
| Flight Rules | VFR | MVFR | MVFR | MVFR | MVFR | MVFR | MVFR | MVFR | MVFR | MVFR | MVFR | VFR |
| Day/Night |
☀️
Day
|
☀️
Day
|
☀️
Day
|
☀️
Day
|
☀️
Day
🌇
17:56
|
☀️
Day
🌇
17:56
|
☀️
Day
🌇
17:56
|
🌇
Dusk
🌇
17:56
|
🌙
Night
🌇
17:56
|
🌙
Night
|
🌙
Night
|
🌙
Night
|
Forecast Periods
📖 Plain English Explanation:
This is the base forecast condition. Winds from the East (90°) at 18kt. Visibility will be excellent at 10+ km. Few clouds at 3000 feet, Scattered clouds at 5000 feet. Conditions will be suitable for Visual Flight Rules (VFR) operations.
📖 Plain English Explanation:
Winds from the East-Southeast (120°) at 12kt. Visibility will be excellent at 10+ km. Scattered clouds at 1800 feet. Conditions will be suitable for Visual Flight Rules (VFR) operations.
📖 Plain English Explanation:
Winds from the South-Southeast (150°) at 8kt. Visibility will be excellent at 10+ km. Weather conditions: Light Showers Rain. Scattered clouds at 1400 feet, Broken clouds at 2000 feet. Marginal VFR conditions - some restrictions for visual flying.
📖 Plain English Explanation:
Winds from the Southeast (130°) at 14kt. Visibility will be excellent at 10+ km. Scattered clouds at 1700 feet, Broken clouds at 2500 feet. Marginal VFR conditions - some restrictions for visual flying.
📖 Plain English Explanation:
Temporary conditions (lasting less than an hour at a time) may include: Visibility will be excellent at 10+ km. Broken clouds at 1200 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.