METAR and TAF Practice Questions

25 DGCA CPL Meteorology questions on METAR, SPECI, TREND and TAF, each with the correct answer and an explanation. Free, no sign-up needed. Open the answer under a question after you have committed to your own.

METAR notesTAF notes

Learn the chapters first

  • Aerodrome Met Reports: METAR, SPECI & TREND

    Decoding and encoding METAR, SPECI and TREND: groups for wind, visibility, RVR, weather, cloud, temperature, QNH and significant changes.

    Notes · Video lecture · All 22 questions

  • Aviation Weather Forecasts: TAF, ARFOR & ROFOR

    Decoding TAF, area forecasts (ARFOR) and route forecasts (ROFOR), validity periods, change groups and probability groups.

    Notes · Video lecture · All 3 questions

Aerodrome Met Reports: METAR, SPECI & TREND: practice questions

22 questions from this chapter.

1. The landing forecast appended to any METAR is valid for

  1. 1 hr
  2. 2 hr
  3. 3 hr
Show answer

Correct answer: B. 2 hr

A TREND forecast attached to a METAR/SPECI is valid for 2 hours from the report time.

2. The difference between TT and TdTd is 3°C. The atmosphere is

  1. Very Dry
  2. Moist
  3. Saturated
Show answer

Correct answer: B. Moist

A small temperature/dew-point spread indicates near-saturated, moist air; 0°C spread would be saturated.

3. Range of pressure as Q1003 is

  1. 1002.5 to 1003.5 hPa
  2. 1003.0 to 1003.5 hPa
  3. 1003.0 to 1003.9 hPa
Show answer

Correct answer: C. 1003.0 to 1003.9 hPa

QNH is rounded down to the whole hPa, so Q1003 covers 1003.0 to 1003.9 hPa.

4. Temperature reported as 32°C is

  1. 31.4 to 32.3°C
  2. 32.1 to 32.4°C
  3. 31.5 to 32.4°C
Show answer

Correct answer: C. 31.5 to 32.4°C

Temperature is rounded to the nearest whole degree, so 32 represents 31.5 to 32.4°C.

5. Visibility is reported in steps of 50 m when visibility is

  1. 800 m to 5000 m
  2. 0 to 800 m
  3. 5000 m to 10 km
Show answer

Correct answer: B. 0 to 800 m

Visibility is coded in 50 m steps from 0 up to 800 m.

6. Visibility reported in steps of 100 m when visibility is

  1. 800 m to 5000 m
  2. 0 to 800 m
  3. 5000 m to 10 km
Show answer

Correct answer: A. 800 m to 5000 m

Visibility is coded in 100 m steps between 800 m and 5000 m.

7. Visibility reported in steps of 1000 m when visibility is

  1. 800 to 5000 m
  2. 0 to 800 m
  3. 5000 m to 9999
Show answer

Correct answer: C. 5000 m to 9999

Visibility is coded in 1000 m steps from 5000 m up to 9999.

8. Visibility reported 9999 when visibility is

  1. 800 to 5000 m
  2. 9000 to 9999 m
  3. 10 km or more
Show answer

Correct answer: C. 10 km or more

The code 9999 is used when visibility is 10 km or more.

9. Temperature +2.5°C is reported as

  1. 02
  2. 03
  3. 2.5°C
Show answer

Correct answer: B. 03

Half-degree rounds up, so +2.5°C is reported as 03.

10. Temperature −12.5°C is reported as

  1. −12
  2. −13
  3. M 12
Show answer

Correct answer: C. M 12

Negative temperatures use the M prefix; −12.5°C rounds to M12, and only the M-form is the valid METAR notation.

11. Pressure rounded to nearest whole number in hectopascal

  1. exact value
  2. upper value
  3. lower value
Show answer

Correct answer: C. lower value

QNH in the pressure group is always rounded down to the next lower whole hPa.

12. QNH 1002.6 hPa is reported as

  1. Q1002
  2. Q1003
  3. Q1002.6
Show answer

Correct answer: A. Q1002

QNH is rounded down to the whole hPa, so 1002.6 becomes Q1002.

13. QNH 29.92 inches is reported as

  1. Q2900
  2. A2992
  3. A 3000
Show answer

Correct answer: B. A2992

Altimeter setting in inches uses the A prefix with hundredths, so 29.92 in is A2992.

14. Fog is reported when visibility is

  1. <1000 m
  2. 1000 m
  3. >1000 m
Show answer

Correct answer: A. <1000 m

Fog is reported when visibility is less than 1000 m.

15. Mist is reported when visibility is

  1. <1000 m to 2000 m
  2. 1000 to 5000 m
  3. >1000 m
Show answer

Correct answer: B. 1000 to 5000 m

Mist is reported when visibility is between 1000 m and 5000 m.

16. CAVOK signifies Visibility, Cloud… and present weather better than the prescribed values or conditions

  1. ceiling
  2. base
  3. amount
Show answer

Correct answer: A. ceiling

CAVOK stands for Ceiling And Visibility OK; the cloud element referred to is the ceiling.

17. CAVOK is issued when visibility is

  1. 9–10 km
  2. 10 km or more
  3. 10 km only
Show answer

Correct answer: B. 10 km or more

CAVOK requires visibility of 10 km or more.

18. CAVOK is issued when: (i) Vis 10 km or more; (ii) No cloud below 1500m or below highest MSA; (iii) No CB.

  1. Any one condition
  2. Any two conditions
  3. All the three conditions
Show answer

Correct answer: C. All the three conditions

CAVOK is used only when all three conditions are met.

19. SPECI is issued when

  1. Any one /
  2. Any two /
  3. All three
Show answer

Correct answer: A. Any one /

A SPECI is issued as soon as any single reporting criterion for change is met.

20. SPECI is issued for vertical visibility, by stations having Ceilograph, when sky is obscured

  1. True
  2. False
Show answer

Correct answer: A. True

Stations equipped to measure vertical visibility issue SPECI for changes in VV when the sky is obscured.

21. WSRWY28 indicates that the wind shear has been reported for

  1. take off path
  2. approach path
  3. both take off and approach paths
Show answer

Correct answer: C. both take off and approach paths

WS RWY28 denotes wind shear along runway 28, covering both the take-off and approach paths of that runway.

22. R26/M0150 in a METAR indicates that

  1. maximum RVR is 150 m
  2. minimum RVR is 150 m
  3. 150 m is the lowest RVR instrument can measure and RVR < 150 m
Show answer

Correct answer: C. 150 m is the lowest RVR instrument can measure and RVR < 150 m

Prefix M means 'less than'; 150 m is the lowest value the RVR instrument can assess, so actual RVR is below 150 m on runway 26.

Aviation Weather Forecasts: TAF, ARFOR & ROFOR: practice questions

3 questions from this chapter.

1. Group 1500/1509 in a TAF indicates

  1. TAF issued on 15th at 0000 UTC
  2. TAF is valid from 15th 0000 to 0900 UTC
  3. TAF is valid from 1500 to 0900 UTC
Show answer

Correct answer: B. TAF is valid from 15th 0000 to 0900 UTC

Validity group DDHH/DDHH: valid day 15 0000 UTC to 0900 UTC.

2. What is true of a TAF?

  1. 9 hr TAF for international dissemination
  2. TAF valid for 9 hr is issued every 6 hr
  3. TAF valid for 12–30 hr is issued every 3 hr
  4. TAF for national use valid for 9 hr and issued every 3 hr
Show answer

Correct answer: D. TAF for national use valid for 9 hr and issued every 3 hr

National TAF is valid 9 hr and issued at 3-hourly intervals.

3. Wind speed in ROFOR is in

  1. KT
  2. MPS
  3. KMH
Show answer

Correct answer: A. KT

Upper-wind speeds in Indian ROFOR are encoded in knots.

Quick answers

Are the METAR and TAF practice questions free?

Yes. The questions, answers and explanations are free to read and practise, and you do not need to sign up. Signing in only adds saved progress and attempt history on your dashboard.

How many METAR and TAF questions are there?

This page currently collects 25 questions from the two Meteorology chapters on aerodrome reports and forecasts: 22 from Aerodrome Met Reports: METAR, SPECI & TREND and 3 from Aviation Weather Forecasts: TAF, ARFOR & ROFOR. The count is read from the live question bank.

Where do METAR and TAF come up in the DGCA exam?

They are part of the DGCA Meteorology paper, which is 50 questions in 2 hours, passed at 70%, with no negative marking.

Where can I learn to decode a METAR or TAF before practising?

Each chapter has full notes and a video lecture. Open the chapter links on this page: the METAR, SPECI and TREND chapter covers the report groups, and the TAF, ARFOR and ROFOR chapter covers validity periods, change groups and probability groups.

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