Upcoming changes to AviationWeather.gov
Tropical Area Forecast (FA) retirement
The NWS is retiring select OCONUS FAs as part of the transition to the Graphical Forecasts for Aviation (GFA). The FA is an abbreviated, plain-language forecast of specified weather phenomena, covering a geographical area designated by the FAA and produced by the NWS. GFA provides a more detailed and frequently updated graphical forecast over the same area.
Alaska text Area Forecasts are not affected at this time.
The FAs affected:
- FACA20 (OFAMKC) for Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico
- FAGX20 (OFAGX) for Gulf of Mexico
- FAHW31 PHFO (FA0HI) for Hawaii
To view the graphical data on AviationWeather.gov, click on the Weather dropdown menu from the navigation bar at the top of your browser and select any of the weather parameters. The GFA web page is intended to provide the necessary aviation weather information to give users a complete picture of the weather that may impact flight. Review the products that are available on the GFA help page.
Click to review the NWS Public Information Statement for the OCONUS FA retirement!
Please note a NWS Service Change Notice will be disseminated before the change occurs.
Text AIRMET retirement
Effective on January 27, 2025
The NWS is retiring the Traditional Alphanumeric Code (TAC) Text AIRMET over the six regions of the Contiguous United States (CONUS). G-AIRMETs, introduced in 2010, replace the AIRMETs, increasing forecast precision in both time and space.
G-AIRMETs are available in GFA, are distributed in BUFR and IWXXM XML through the NWS Gateway, and are available through the AviationWeather Data API in JSON, GeoJSON, and XML.
TAC AIRMETs for Alaska and Hawaii are not affected at this time.
The TAC AIRMETs affected:
- WAUS41 (BOS) Sierra, Tango, and Zulu
- WAUS42 (MIA) Sierra, Tango, and Zulu
- WAUS43 (CHI) Sierra, Tango, and Zulu
- WAUS44 (DFW) Sierra, Tango, and Zulu
- WAUS45 (SLC) Sierra, Tango, and Zulu
- WAUS46 (SFO) Sierra, Tango, and Zulu
To view the G-AIRMETs on AviationWeather.gov, click on the Products dropdown menu from the navigation bar at the top of your browser, and select G-AIRMETs. Additionally, G-AIRMETs are available by parameter when viewing specific weather phenomenon found under the Weather dropdown menu. Review additional information on the GFA products that are available on the help page.
Click to review the NWS Service Change Notice for the Text AIRMET retirement!
World Area Forecast Center (WAFC) SIGWX Forecast Graphics Changes
In collaboration with the World Area Forecast Centre (WAFC) London, the UK Met Office, WAFC Washington National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is developing the next generation of WAFS SigWx forecast charts. The changes will take effect in January 2025.
Click for more information on the upcoming changes!
Current Charts
To view existing SigWx charts on AviationWeather.gov:
- Colored low level, mid level, and high level charts are available as static images on the Decision Support Imagery page, found under the tools dropdown menu
- Black and white Fax charts are available on the Fax Charts page, found under the tools dropdown menu. Select the SigWx from the top of the screen.
FAQ
What has changed recently?
The entire site has been redesigned so almost everything is new. For information about the most recent updates, please see the change log.
Why is my link not working?
As part of the upgrade to the site, some pages were consolidated and some URL's have changed. Check out the link conversions to find what you are looking for. If you are still unable to find the information you are looking for, submit a question using the envelope in the top right.
Where is the METAR page?
You can view the METAR data by using the Products dropdown and selecting METAR data. The interactive Graphical Forecasts for Aviation map also displays METARs, under the observations tab. To view METARs alone, click on the Layers button at the top left corner of the map and deselect items you do not wish to view. You can view decoded METARs by checking the "decoded box in the Map Options under the gear icon on GFA. Here is a link to the observations tab: GFA Observations tab.
How do I submit PIREPs?
Sign up for an account on our registration page, or using the Contact Us dialog under the envelope at the top right corner of the screen. Select "PIREP Access" as the category, and be sure to include your airmen’s certificate number or affiliation with an airline, flight school, government or military organization for validation purposes to streamline the process. Accounts are validated via the FAA Airmen Inquiry.
Once you have an account and are logged in, select "Submit a PIREP" from the Tools dropdown and fill out the form. For more information on PIREP submit, use the link at the bottom, or click here.
Where do I submit questions/comments?
Click on the envelope button at the top right corner of your screen to fill out the webmail form. There are some new features and there will be some initial bugs. Please don't hesitate to let us know. We run a deployment of functionality upgrades every month. Critical bugs will be fixed as soon as possible.
Why can't I log in to my account?
You will need to log in and/or have correct permissions. If you do not see a confirmation email after registering, please check your spam folder. Please contact us if further information is required.
How do I access the Flight Path Tool?
The flight path tool is now embedded into the interactive Graphical Forecasts for Aviation map. Click on the route button along theright side of the map to open the display. Enter the airports to navigate, and select the product you wish to display from the dropdown. Watch a video on how to use the cross sections here.