Newcastle Airport

YWLM / NTL

Williamtown, AU

Current TAF Forecast

Raw TAF:
TAF AMD YWLM 171958Z 1719/1818 10014KT 7000 -SHRA SCT008 BKN016 FM172300 14015G25KT 9999 -SHRA SCT012 BKN016 FM180600 12014KT 9999 -SHRA SCT025 FM181000 13008KT 9999 -SHRA SCT020 TEMPO 1719/1806 10025G35KT 2000 SHRA BKN006 SCT020TCU INTER 1806/1818 11015G25KT 4000 SHRA BKN015 PROB30 TEMPO 1719/1804 VRB30G40KT 1000 TSRA BKN005 SCT025CB

Detailed TAF Table

Parameter
Sat
20:00Z
+-1h
Sat
21:00Z
+0h
Sat
22:00Z
+1h
Sat
23:00Z
+2h
Sun
00:00Z
+3h
Sun
01:00Z
+4h
Sun
02:00Z
+5h
Sun
03:00Z
+6h
Sun
04:00Z
+7h
Sun
05:00Z
+8h
Sun
06:00Z
+9h
Sun
07:00Z
+10h
Sun
08:00Z
+11h
Sun
09:00Z
+12h
Sun
10:00Z
+13h
Sun
11:00Z
+14h
Sun
12:00Z
+15h
Sun
13:00Z
+16h
Sun
14:00Z
+17h
Sun
15:00Z
+18h
Sun
16:00Z
+19h
Wind Dir
100°
E
100°
E
100°
E
140°
SE
140°
SE
140°
SE
140°
SE
140°
SE
140°
SE
100°
E
120°
SE
120°
SE
120°
SE
120°
SE
130°
SE
130°
SE
130°
SE
130°
SE
130°
SE
130°
SE
100°
E
Wind Speed
14kt
14kt
14kt
15kt
G25kt
15kt
G25kt
15kt
G25kt
15kt
G25kt
15kt
G25kt
15kt
G25kt
14kt
14kt
14kt
14kt
14kt
8kt
8kt
8kt
8kt
8kt
8kt
14kt
Visibility
7 km
7 km
7 km
10+ km
10+ km
10+ km
10+ km
10+ km
10+ km
7 km
10+ km
10+ km
10+ km
10+ km
10+ km
10+ km
10+ km
10+ km
10+ km
10+ km
7 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
-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
Clouds
SCT008
BKN016
SCT008
BKN016
SCT008
BKN016
SCT012
BKN016
SCT012
BKN016
SCT012
BKN016
SCT012
BKN016
SCT012
BKN016
SCT012
BKN016
SCT008
BKN016
SCT025
SCT025
SCT025
SCT025
SCT020
SCT020
SCT020
SCT020
SCT020
SCT020
SCT008
BKN016
Ceiling
1600ft
AGL
1600ft
AGL
1600ft
AGL
1600ft
AGL
1600ft
AGL
1600ft
AGL
1600ft
AGL
1600ft
AGL
1600ft
AGL
1600ft
AGL
🌤️ Unlimited
🌤️ Unlimited
🌤️ Unlimited
🌤️ Unlimited
🌤️ Unlimited
🌤️ Unlimited
🌤️ Unlimited
🌤️ Unlimited
🌤️ Unlimited
🌤️ Unlimited
1600ft
AGL
Flight Rules MVFR MVFR MVFR MVFR MVFR MVFR MVFR MVFR MVFR MVFR VFR VFR VFR VFR VFR VFR VFR VFR VFR VFR MVFR
Day/Night
🌙
Night
🌇 18:58
🌙
Night
🌙
Night
🌙
Night
🌙
Night
🌙
Night
🌙
Night
🌙
Night
🌅 05:02
🌙
Night
🌅 05:02
🌅
Dawn
🌅 05:02
☀️
Day
🌅 05:02
☀️
Day
🌅 05:02
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
🌇 18:57
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
MVFR
Wind
100° at 14 kt
Visibility
7 km
Weather
Light Showers Rain
Clouds
SCT008 BKN016
📖 Plain English Explanation:

This is the base forecast condition. Winds from the East (100°) at 14kt. Visibility will be good at 7 km. Weather conditions: Light Showers Rain. Scattered clouds at 800 feet, Broken clouds at 1600 feet. Marginal VFR conditions - some restrictions for visual flying.

FM172300 2026-01-17 23:00:00 - 2026-01-18 05:00:00
MVFR
Wind
140° at 15 kt
Gusts: 25 kt
Visibility
10+ km
Weather
Light Showers Rain
Clouds
SCT012 BKN016
📖 Plain English Explanation:

Winds from the Southeast (140°) at 15kt. Gusts up to 25kt are expected. Visibility will be excellent at 10+ km. Weather conditions: Light Showers Rain. Scattered clouds at 1200 feet, Broken clouds at 1600 feet. Marginal VFR conditions - some restrictions for visual flying.

FM180600 2026-01-18 06:00:00 - 2026-01-18 12:00:00
VFR
Wind
120° at 14 kt
Visibility
10+ km
Weather
Light Showers Rain
Clouds
SCT025
📖 Plain English Explanation:

Winds from the East-Southeast (120°) at 14kt. Visibility will be excellent at 10+ km. Weather conditions: Light Showers Rain. Scattered clouds at 2500 feet. Conditions will be suitable for Visual Flight Rules (VFR) operations.

FM181000 2026-01-18 10:00:00 - 2026-01-18 16:00:00
VFR
Wind
130° at 8 kt
Visibility
10+ km
Weather
Light Showers Rain
Clouds
SCT020
📖 Plain English Explanation:

Winds from the Southeast (130°) at 8kt. 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.

TEMPO 2026-02-17 19:00:00 - 2026-01-18 06:00:00
LIFR
Wind
110° at 15 kt
Gusts: 25 kt
Visibility
4 km
Weather
Showers Rain, Showers Rain
Clouds
BKN006 SCT020TCU BKN015
📖 Plain English Explanation:

Temporary conditions (lasting less than an hour at a time) may include: Winds from the East-Southeast (110°) at 15kt. Gusts up to 25kt are expected. Visibility will be moderate at 4 km. Weather conditions: Showers Rain, Showers Rain. Broken clouds at 600 feet, Scattered clouds at 2000 feet, Broken clouds at 1500 feet. Low IFR conditions - challenging even for instrument operations.

PROB30 TEMPO 2026-02-17 19:00:00 - 2026-01-18 04:00:00
LIFR
Wind
VRB° at 30 kt
Gusts: 40 kt
Visibility
1 km
Weather
Thunderstorm Rain
Clouds
BKN005 SCT025CB
📖 Plain English Explanation:

There is a 30% probability of: Winds will be variable in direction at 30kt. Gusts up to 40kt are expected. Visibility will be poor at 1 km. Weather conditions: Thunderstorm Rain. Broken clouds at 500 feet, Scattered clouds at 2500 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.