Issue of SIGMET/AIRMET warning 1
Presentation Objectives After this presentation session you will be able to: Warn for Hazardous weather phenomena using the correct ICAO coding with regards to SIGMET/AIRMET Specify significant weather to be included in the issue of low level significant weather charts Specify significant weather to be included in the issue of high level significant weather charts 2
TYPES OF AERONAUTICAL FORECASTS TYPE OF AREA AIRSPACE STAGE OF FLIGHT VALIDITY PERIOD RESPONSIBILITY AMF Competency FORECAST COVERED PLANNING OR FIXED TIME addressed SIGMET FIR OR Control Areas Pre Flight and in flight Not more than 4 Hours MWO (Meteorological AMF competency 3: Watch Office) SIGMET for Volcanic Ash and Tropical FIR OR Control Area Pre Flight and in flight 6 Hours MWO AMF competency 3: cyclones AIRMET FIR OR Control Area up to FL100 (FL150 Pre Flight and in flight Not more than 4 Hours MWO AMF competency 3: In Mountains) Aerodrome Aerodrome surface Parked Aircraft and Usually not more AMO AMF competency 3: warnings conditions Buildings than 24 Hours 3
AMF COMPETENCY CRITERIA ADRESSED WARN OF HAZARDOUS PHENOMENA thunderstorms, particularly organized systems, including associated turbulence, in-flight icing, hail, heavy precipitation with poor visibility, electrical phenomena, down-burst/microburst or gust front, tornadic activity This is addressed under SIGMET/AIRMET/AERODROME WARNINGS turbulence (moderate or greater), including onset and duration, intensity, spatial extent, type (orographic, mechanical, convective and clear air turbulence). This is addressed under SIGMET/AIRMET/AERODROME WARNINGS moderate and severe low-level wind shear This is addressed under SIGMET 4
AMF COMPETENCY CRITERIA ADRESSED aircraft icing (moderate or greater), including onset and duration, intensity, accumulation rate, spatial extent, type (rime or opaque, glaze or clear, freezing rain, hoar frost, mixed ice) This is addressed under SIGMET sand- and dust storms This is addressed under Aerodrome warnings/sigmet/airmet volcanic ash based on observations and/or advisory products This is addressed under WV SIGMET tropical cyclones. This is addressed under WT SIGMET 5
AIRMET (Airman Meteorological Report) Shall be issued by a Meteorological Watch Office (MWO) and the area forecasts shall be issued to cover the layer between the ground and flight level 100 (or FL150 in mountainous areas, or higher, where necessary) and shall contain information on en-route weather phenomena hazardous to low-level flights. Issued for Flight Information Region (FIR) of responsibility. A MWO office shall issue separate AIRMET messages for each FIR within their area of responsibility. AIRMET information shall be cancelled when the phenomena are no longer occurring or are no longer expected to occur in the area. 6
The period of validity of an AIRMET message shall be not more than 4 hours. The AIRMET messages shall be numbered for the FIR since 0001 UTC on the day concerned. AIRMET information is of special importance in the planning of low level flights and should be included in their flight documentation. Data designator for AIRMET is WA Data designator for SIGMET is WS The AIRMET messages shall be numbered for the FIR since 0001 UTC on the day concerned. AIRMET information is often based on weather satellite data and ground based observations such as weather radar observations, or on forecasts. AIRMET messages are abbreviated in plain language using approved ICAO abbreviations 7
PHENOMENA FOR WHICH AIRMET ARE ISSUED: Widespread surface wind speed > 60km/hr or 30kts SFC WSPD (+wind speed and units) 8
Low Cloud and Poor Visibility (AIRMET) AIRMET for widespread areas of BKN or OVC low cloud with base height <1000 ft a.g.l or <300m a.g.l AIRMET FAJA (Johannesburg) FIR FAOR AIRMET G01 VALID DDTTTT/DDTTTT FAOR - FAJA JOHANNESBURG FIR BKN CLD 1000/6000 FT (FCST/OBS) WI (coordinates) = FAOR AIRMET H01 VALID DDTTTT/DDTTTT FAOR - FAJA JOHANNESBURG FIR OVC CLD 1000/6000 FT (FCST/OBS) WI (coordinates) = 9
AIRMET - Poor surface visibility Widespread areas affected by the reduction of visibility to <5000m, including the weather phenomena causing the reduction of visibility AIRMET FAJA (Johannesburg) FIR FAOR AIRMET E01 VALID DDTTTT/DDTTTT FAOR - FAJA JOHANNESBURG FIR SFC VIS 3000m DZ (FCST/OBS) WI (Coordinates)= PHENOMENA Include: AMF AC 2.1.5 and 3.1.1 DZ - Drizzle (AMF AC 2.1.5) RA - Rain (AMF AC 2.1.5) SH - Showers (Including TS or RA) (AMF AC 2.1.5) TS - Thundershowers (AMF AC 2.1.5 and 3.1.1) SQ Squall (AMF AC 2.1.5 and 3.1.1) FC Funnel cloud (AMF AC 2.1.5 and 3.1.1) GR Hail (AMF AC 2.1.5) AMF AC 2.1.6 FG - Fog (AMF AC 2.1.6) BR - Mist (AMF AC 2.1.6) AMF AC 2.1.7 FU Smoke (AMF AC 2.1.7) HZ - Haze (AMF AC 2.1.7) VA Volcanic Ash (AMF AC 3.1.7) DS Dust storm (AMF AC 2.1.7) DU Dust (AMF AC 2.1.7) SA Sand (AMF AC 2.1.7) SS Sandstorm (AMF AC 2.1.7) 10
FAOR AIRMET H01 VALID 130426/130600 FAOR-FAJA JOHANNESBURG FIR SFC VIS 0800M FG OBS WI S2601 E02848 - S2610 E03010 - S2640 E03015 - S2659 E02852 - S2626 E02748 - S2605 E02755= 11
AIRMET for Mountain Obscured (AMF AC 2.1.4) MT OBSC AIRMET FAJA (Johannesburg) FIR FAOR AIRMET F01 VALID DDTTTT/DDTTTT FAOR - FAJA JOHANNESBURG FIR MT OBSC (FCST/OBS) WI (MAP)= 12
Warning for Thunderstorms AIRMET FAJA (Johannesburg) FIR FAOR AIRMET C01 VALID DDTTTT/DDTTTT FAOR - FAJA JOHANNESBURG FIR ISOL TS (FCST/OBS) WI (MAP)= Thunderstorms can be: ISOL TS - Isolated Thunderstorms without hail ISOL TSGR - Isolated Thunderstorms with hail OCNL TS - Occasional Thunderstorms without hail OCNL TSGR - Occasional Thunderstorms with hail 13
Cumulonimbus Clouds AIRMET FAJA (Johannesburg) FIR FAOR AIRMET B01 VALID DDTTTT/DDTTTT FAOR - FAJA JOHANNESBURG FIR ISOL CB (FCST/OBS) WI (coordinates) TOP FL000= Cumulonimbus Clouds can be: ISOL CB - Isolated Cumulonimbus Clouds OCNL CB - Occasional Cumulonimbus Clouds FRQ CB - Frequent Cumulonimbus Clouds 14
Towering Cumulus Clouds AIRMET FAJA (Johannesburg) FIR FAOR AIRMET D01 VALID DDTTTT/DDTTTT FAOR - FAJA JOHANNESBURG FIR ISOL TCU (FCST/OBS) WI (MAP) TOP FL000= TCUs can be: ISOL TCU - Isolated Towering Cumulus Clouds OCNL TCU - Occasional Towering Cumulus Clouds FRQ TCU - Frequent Towering Cumulus Clouds 15
Warn of Moderate Icing in AIRMET This must be done for all icing except for icing in convective clouds (TCU and CB) Moderate Aircraft Icing MOD ICE AIRMET FAJA (Johannesburg) FIR FAOR AIRMET H01 VALID DDTTTT/DDTTTT FAOR- FAJA JOHANNESBURG FIR MOD ICE (FCST/OBS) WI (coordinates) FL000/000= 16
Warning of Moderate Turbulence (AIRMET) This must be done for all turbulence except for icing for turbulence in convective clouds (TCU and CB) Moderate Turbulence- MOD TURB (vertical speed shear (6 kts per 1000 ft) and/or directional shear) Airmet FAJA (Johannesburg) FIR FAOR AIRMET A01 VALID DDTTTT/DDTTTT FAOR - FAJA JOHANNESBURG MOD TURB (FCST/OBS) WI (coordinates) FL000/000= FAJA AIRMET B01 VALID 290800/291200 FAOR FAJA Johannesburg FIR MOD TURB OBS WI.. FL150/170= FAJA AIRMET A01 VALID 290800/291200 FAOR FACA Cape Town FIR MOD TURB OBS WI.. FL150/170= 17
Warning of Moderate Mountain Waves (AIRMET) Moderate Mountain Waves MOD MTW Airmet FAJA (Johannesburg) FIR FAOR AIRMET I01 VALID DDTTTT/DDTTTT FAOR - FAJA JOHANNESBURG FIR MOD MTW (FCST/OBS) WI (MAP) TOP FL000= 18