What is the difference between METAR and TAF in terms of content?

• A. METAR is a forecast; TAF is a current observation.
• B. METAR is a current observation; TAF is a forecast for a future period.
• C. METAR includes wind data only; TAF includes visibility only.
• D. METAR and TAF both provide current weather data.

Answer: (B)

METAR and TAF differ in what they provide about weather content. A METAR is a current surface observation—it's a snapshot of conditions right now at the airport, including wind, visibility, present weather, sky cover and height, temperature/dew point, and altimeter. A TAF, on the other hand, is a forecast for a future period (typically the next 24 hours), outlining expected wind, visibility, weather phenomena, and cloud conditions, with notes on possible changes over time. So METAR tells you what the weather is now; TAF tells you what it is expected to be.