Owais Crawford
Airport weather warnings are alerts issued to aviation users to notify them of hazardous weather conditions that may affect aerodrome operations. These warnings are intended to ensure the safety of ground operations and enable airport managers, airline ground personnel, and other personnel to take necessary precautions. Warnings are typically issued for weather phenomena such as strong winds, freezing rain, heavy snow, thunderstorms, and lightning within a certain distance of the airport. Aerodrome Weather Warnings are available through services like the Aviation Briefing Service and email alerts, providing routine updates and advance notice of potential hazards.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Who issues airport weather warnings? | The National Weather Service Aviation Weather Center (outside of Alaska) or Alaska Aviation Weather Unit |
| Who are airport weather warnings intended for? | Airport managers, fixed-base operators, airline ground personnel, and other personnel responsible for the safety of ground operations |
| What weather conditions trigger an airport weather warning? | Surface wind gusts around or above 40 knots, freezing rain, heavy snow, thunderstorms producing cloud-to-ground lightning within 5 miles of the airport, and/or 1⁄2-inch hail |
| What is the purpose of an airport weather warning? | To address weather phenomena capable of adversely affecting ground operations at regional and international airports |
| How often are aerodrome weather warnings issued? | Every six hours, four times per day |
| How are aerodrome weather warnings issued? | Through the Aviation Briefing Service, with an option to receive warning alerts by email |
| What is a Center Weather Advisory (CWA)? | An unscheduled weather advisory for conditions meeting or approaching national in-flight advisory criteria |
| Who is a CWA intended for? | Aircrews, to help them anticipate and avoid adverse weather conditions en route and at terminals |
| How long is a CWA valid for? | Up to 2 hours, with forecasts of conditions expected to begin within 2 hours of issuance |
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What You'll Learn
- Airport weather warnings are issued when hazardous weather is likely to affect ground operations
- Warnings are issued for weather phenomena including surface wind gusts, freezing rain, heavy snow, and thunderstorms
- Warnings are intended for airport managers, fixed-base operators, airline ground personnel, and other personnel responsible for ground operations
- Aerodrome Weather Warnings are available to aviation users via the Aviation Briefing Service and email alerts
- Center Weather Advisories (CWAs) are issued when conditions approach national in-flight advisory criteria and may affect air traffic
Airport weather warnings are issued when hazardous weather is likely to affect ground operations
The criteria for issuing airport weather warnings vary slightly between organizations but generally include weather phenomena that can disrupt airport operations. For example, according to the National Weather Service Aviation Weather Center, an Airport Weather Warning (AWW) is issued for weather conditions such as surface wind gusts of 40 knots or more, freezing rain, heavy snow, thunderstorms with cloud-to-ground lightning within 5 miles (8.0 km) of the airport, or hail. These warnings are intended for airport managers, fixed-base operators, airline ground personnel, and individuals responsible for ensuring safe ground operations.
The Center Weather Advisory (CWA) is another type of weather advisory issued when conditions meet or approach national in-flight advisory criteria. CWAs are primarily used by aircrews to anticipate and navigate around adverse weather conditions en route and near airports. They are typically valid for up to 2 hours and may include forecasts for conditions expected to begin within that timeframe. If the adverse weather conditions are expected to persist beyond the advisory's validity period, this information is included in the CWA.
Additionally, Aerodrome Weather Warnings are provided by the Met Office and are accessible through their Aviation Briefing Service. These warnings are issued every six hours, four times a day, to ensure that aviation users are alerted in advance of conditions that may impact aerodrome operations. The Met Office also offers a free email alert service for registered users, providing warnings for up to two aerodromes.
It is important to note that while airport weather warnings provide crucial information about potential hazards, individuals should refer to official sources and follow the instructions of airport and aviation authorities to ensure safe operations during hazardous weather conditions.
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Warnings are issued for weather phenomena including surface wind gusts, freezing rain, heavy snow, and thunderstorms
Airport weather warnings are issued to address weather phenomena that can adversely affect ground operations at regional and international airports. These warnings are intended for airport managers, fixed-base operators, airline ground personnel, and other personnel responsible for the safety of ground operations. Warnings are routinely issued every six hours, four times a day, and are available to aviation users through services like the Aviation Briefing Service and email alerts.
Surface wind gusts are one of the key weather phenomena that trigger airport weather warnings. A strong wind is characterised by a sudden onset, with speeds increasing by at least 18 mph (16 knots, 30 km/h) and sustained at 25 mph (22 knots, 41 km/h) or more for at least one minute. At airports, a warning is issued when wind gusts are around or above 40 knots (46 mph). Strong winds can have significant impacts on aviation operations, and when coupled with snow, they can create blizzards, leading to very low visibility and hazardous travel conditions.
Freezing rain is another critical weather phenomenon that prompts airport weather warnings. It occurs when snowflakes descend into a warmer layer of air, melt completely, and then refreeze upon contact with anything at or below 0°C. This creates a glaze of ice on the ground, trees, power lines, and other objects, posing risks to aircraft operations and personnel safety. An accumulation of at least 0.25 inches of ice on exposed surfaces constitutes an ice storm, which is particularly dangerous.
Heavy snow is a significant concern for airports and can lead to airport weather warnings. Snowfall intensity varies across locations, with places in the middle of a storm track receiving more snow than those at the edges. Snow squalls, characterised by intense snow showers and strong gusty winds, can result in significant snow accumulation. When heavy snow combines with strong winds, it can lead to blizzards, further reducing visibility and causing travel disruptions.
Thunderstorms are also included in airport weather warnings. They are associated with lightning, hail, and strong winds, known as squall lines. Thunderstorms can produce destructive tornadoes and pose threats to aircraft and ground operations. Thunderstorms are typically summer occurrences, but rare instances of meteorological phenomena can result in "thunder snow" during winter.
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Warnings are intended for airport managers, fixed-base operators, airline ground personnel, and other personnel responsible for ground operations
Airport weather warnings are intended to address weather phenomena that could adversely affect ground operations at regional and international airports. These warnings are specifically directed at airport managers, fixed-base operators, airline ground personnel, and other staff responsible for ground operations, to ensure the safety of airport operations and those using the airport.
Airport weather warnings are issued when hazardous weather is imminent or already occurring, and they are a prompt for those in the path of the storm to take protective action. Warnings are issued for a variety of weather conditions, including surface wind gusts of around 40 knots or above, freezing rain, heavy snow, thunderstorms, and cloud-to-ground lightning within 5 miles of an airport.
These warnings are available through services such as the Aviation Weather Center, the Aviation Briefing Service, and the National Weather Service. The Aviation Weather Center issues advisories for conditions outside of Alaska, while the Alaska Aviation Weather Unit handles Alaska. Warnings are also issued by the United States Geological Survey in the form of Aviation Color Codes.
Additionally, the National Weather Service provides hazardous weather alerts and forecasts through its network of local Weather Forecast Offices, each responsible for a designated geographic area. These offices issue watches and warnings based on the specific criteria outlined by the NWS and its sub-organizations. Warnings are also issued by the FAA, which requires controllers to advise pilots of hazardous weather that may impact operations within 150 NM of their sector.
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Aerodrome Weather Warnings are available to aviation users via the Aviation Briefing Service and email alerts
Aerodrome Weather Warnings are routinely issued every six hours, four times a day, and are available to aviation users via the Met Office's Aviation Briefing Service. Warnings are displayed on a map-based view, indicated by a red triangle, or when looking at the detail of an individual aerodrome location. The Aviation Briefing Service is freely accessible at the point of use, but registration is required.
Aerodrome Weather Warnings are also available via email alerts, which are optional and free to register for. Users can set their own preferences to receive warnings for up to two aerodromes. It is the user's responsibility to ensure they are able to receive these email alerts.
Aerodrome Weather Warnings are issued when there is any weather that may affect the ability of an airport to conduct safe ground operations. This includes, but is not limited to, surface wind gusts of around or above 40 knots, freezing rain, heavy snow, thunderstorms producing cloud-to-ground lightning within 5 miles of the airport, and/or 1⁄2-inch hail. Aerodrome Weather Warnings are intended for aviation users, including airport operators, air traffic control units, and general aviation pilots.
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Center Weather Advisories (CWAs) are issued when conditions approach national in-flight advisory criteria and may affect air traffic
Center Weather Advisories (CWAs) are unscheduled weather advisories for conditions that meet or approach national in-flight advisory criteria. They are used by aircrews to anticipate and avoid adverse weather conditions in the en route and terminal environments. CWAs are issued when observed or developing weather conditions do not meet WS, WST or WA criteria, but current pilot reports or other weather information sources indicate that an existing, or anticipated, meteorological phenomenon will adversely affect the safe flow of air traffic within the ARTCC's area of responsibility.
CWAs are valid for up to 2 hours and may include forecasts of conditions expected to begin within 2 hours of issuance. If conditions are expected to persist after the advisory's valid period, a statement to that effect is included in the advisory. Additional CWAs will be issued as appropriate. The CWSU will issue a CWA when necessary to supplement an existing WS, WST, or WA to refine or update the location, movement, extent, or intensity of the weather event relevant to the ARTCC's area of responsibility.
The CWA will describe the location of the phenomenon using ARTCC relevant points of reference, such as VORs, and will include the height, extent, intensity, and movement of the phenomenon. Each CWA will have a phenomenon number. The format of the CWA communications header is:
> (ARTCC designator)(phenomenon number) CWA (date/time issued in UTC)/(ARTCC designator) CWA (issuance number) VALID UNTIL (date/time in UTC)/(FROM) (affected area)/(text)
For example, a CWA communication header may look like this:
> ZOB1 CWA 032141 ZOB CWA 101 VALID UNTIL 032300 FROM 10S DET TO 40N DJB TO 40E SBN TO 80SE MKG LN SEV TSTMS WITH EXTRM PCPN MOVG FROM 2525 3/4 INCH HAIL RPRTD LAST 5 MINS 20 SW YIP
Center Weather Advisories are available to a wide range of aviation users, including airport operators, air traffic control units, and general aviation pilots. Warnings are displayed via the Aviation Briefing Service, and warning alerts by email are also available.
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Frequently asked questions
An airport weather warning (AWW) is issued when there is weather phenomena that could affect the ground operations of an airport. This includes things like surface wind gusts of around 40 knots or above, freezing rain, heavy snow, thunderstorms producing cloud-to-ground lightning within 5 miles of the airport, or hail.
Airport weather warnings are intended for airport managers, fixed-base operators, airline ground personnel, and other personnel responsible for the safety of ground operations.
Airport weather warnings are available on the Met Office's Aviation Briefing Service, which can be accessed via free registration. Warnings are also available via email alerts.
