Christmas Island Airport

YPXM / XCH

Flying Fish Cove, CX

Current TAF Forecast

Raw TAF:
TAF AMD YPXM 152309Z 1523/1700 12012KT 9999 BKN016 BECMG 1618/1620 12010KT 9999 BKN012 TEMPO 1523/1618 9999 BKN010 TEMPO 1618/1700 9999 BKN008

Detailed TAF Table

Parameter
Tue
02:00Z
+-1h
Tue
03:00Z
+0h
Tue
04:00Z
+1h
Tue
05:00Z
+2h
Tue
06:00Z
+3h
Tue
07:00Z
+4h
Tue
08:00Z
+5h
Tue
09:00Z
+6h
Tue
10:00Z
+7h
Tue
11:00Z
+8h
Tue
12:00Z
+9h
Tue
13:00Z
+10h
Tue
14:00Z
+11h
Tue
15:00Z
+12h
Tue
16:00Z
+13h
Tue
17:00Z
+14h
Tue
18:00Z
+15h
Tue
19:00Z
+16h
Tue
20:00Z
+17h
Tue
21:00Z
+18h
Tue
22:00Z
+19h
Wind Dir
120°
SE
120°
SE
120°
SE
120°
SE
120°
SE
120°
SE
120°
SE
120°
SE
120°
SE
120°
SE
120°
SE
120°
SE
120°
SE
120°
SE
120°
SE
120°
SE
120°
SE
120°
SE
120°
SE
120°
SE
120°
SE
Wind Speed
12kt
12kt
12kt
12kt
12kt
12kt
12kt
12kt
12kt
12kt
12kt
12kt
12kt
12kt
12kt
12kt
10kt
10kt
10kt
10kt
10kt
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
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
☀️ Clear
☀️ Clear
☀️ Clear
☀️ Clear
☀️ Clear
☀️ Clear
☀️ Clear
☀️ Clear
☀️ Clear
Clouds
BKN016
BKN016
BKN016
BKN016
BKN016
BKN016
BKN016
BKN016
BKN016
BKN016
BKN016
BKN016
BKN016
BKN016
BKN016
BKN016
BKN008
BKN008
BKN008
BKN008
BKN008
Ceiling
1600ft
AGL
1600ft
AGL
1600ft
AGL
1600ft
AGL
1600ft
AGL
1600ft
AGL
1600ft
AGL
1600ft
AGL
1600ft
AGL
1600ft
AGL
1600ft
AGL
1600ft
AGL
1600ft
AGL
1600ft
AGL
1600ft
AGL
1600ft
AGL
800ft
AGL
800ft
AGL
800ft
AGL
800ft
AGL
800ft
AGL
Flight Rules MVFR MVFR MVFR MVFR MVFR MVFR MVFR MVFR MVFR MVFR MVFR MVFR MVFR MVFR MVFR MVFR IFR IFR IFR IFR IFR
Day/Night
🌙
Night
🌙
Night
🌙
Night
🌅 06:02
🌙
Night
🌅 06:02
🌅
Dawn
🌅 06:02
☀️
Day
🌅 06:02
☀️
Day
🌅 06:02
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
🌇 17:57
☀️
Day
🌇 17:57
☀️
Day
🌇 17:57
🌇
Dusk
🌇 17:57
🌙
Night
🌇 17:57
🌙
Night
🌙
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
120° at 12 kt
Visibility
10+ km
Clouds
BKN016
📖 Plain English Explanation:

This is the base forecast condition. Winds from the East-Southeast (120°) at 12kt. Visibility will be excellent at 10+ km. Broken clouds at 1600 feet. Marginal VFR conditions - some restrictions for visual flying.

BECMG 2025-09-16 18:00:00 - 2025-09-16 20:00:00
MVFR
Wind
120° at 10 kt
Visibility
10+ km
Clouds
BKN012
📖 Plain English Explanation:

Conditions will gradually change to become: Winds from the East-Southeast (120°) at 10kt. Visibility will be excellent at 10+ km. Broken clouds at 1200 feet. Marginal VFR conditions - some restrictions for visual flying.

TEMPO 2025-10-15 23:00:00 - 2025-09-16 18:00:00
MVFR
Visibility
10+ km
Clouds
BKN010
📖 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 1000 feet. Marginal VFR conditions - some restrictions for visual flying.

TEMPO 2025-09-16 18:00:00 - 2025-09-17 00:00:00
IFR
Visibility
10+ km
Clouds
BKN008
📖 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 800 feet. Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) conditions - instrument flying required.

📚 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.