Which statement best distinguishes METAR and TAF?

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

Answer: (A)

METAR and TAF serve different time horizons. METAR is a current weather observation for an airport, delivering the present wind, visibility, weather phenomena, cloud cover and height, temperature and dew point, and altimeter setting at the moment of observation. TAF is a forecast for a future period, usually covering 24 hours with updates every 6 hours, describing expected winds, visibility, weather, and cloud conditions, including any planned changes. Because of that time relationship, the statement that METAR is a current observation and TAF is a forecast for a future period is the best description. The other ideas misstate the roles or the data included—for example, METAR is not just a forecast and TAF is not merely a current observation, and each report contains more than just wind or visibility.