Le Touquet-Côte d'Opale Airport

LFAT / LTQ

Le Touquet-Paris-Plage, FR

Current TAF Forecast

Raw TAF:
TAF LFAT 141400Z 1415/1424 35010KT 9999 BKN030 TEMPO 1415/1418 VRB15G25KT 3000 SHRA BKN014 BKN020CB PROB30 TEMPO 1415/1417 1200 TSRAGS SCT009 BKN014CB

Detailed TAF Table

Parameter
Thu
20:00Z
+-1h
Thu
21:00Z
+0h
Thu
22:00Z
+1h
Wind Dir
350°
N
350°
N
350°
N
Wind Speed
10 kt
10 kt
10 kt
Visibility
10+ km
10+ km
10+ km
Weather
☀️ Clear
☀️ Clear
☀️ Clear
Clouds
BKN030
BKN030
BKN030
Ceiling
3,000 ft
AGL
3,000 ft
AGL
3,000 ft
AGL
Flight Rules VFR VFR VFR
Day/Night
🌙
Night
🌇 19:12Z
🌙
Night
🌇 19:12Z
🌙
Night
Flight Rules
VFR: Visual Flight Rules
MVFR: Marginal VFR
IFR: Instrument Flight Rules
LIFR: Low IFR
Ceiling Colors
Red: < 500ft
Amber: 500-1000ft
Blue: 1000-3000ft
Green: > 3000ft
⛈️ TCU: Towering Cumulus
🌩️ CB: Cumulonimbus
+Nh: Hours from now%: Probability of occurrenceAGL: Above Ground Level

Forecast Periods

BASE
VFR
Wind
350° at 10 kt
Visibility
10+ km
Clouds
BKN030
📖 Plain English Explanation:

This is the base forecast condition. Winds from the North (350°) at 10 kt. Visibility will be excellent at 10+ km. Broken clouds at 3000 feet. Conditions will be suitable for Visual Flight Rules (VFR) operations.

TEMPO 15:00Z - 18:00Z
IFR
Wind
VRB° at 15 kt
Gusts: 25 kt
Visibility
3 km
Weather
Showers Rain
Clouds
BKN014 BKN020CB
📖 Plain English Explanation:

Temporary conditions (lasting less than an hour at a time) may include: Winds will be variable in direction at 15 kt. Gusts up to 25 kt are expected. Visibility will be moderate at 3 km. Weather conditions: Showers Rain. Broken clouds at 1400 feet, Broken clouds at 2000 feet. Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) conditions - instrument flying required.

PROB30 TEMPO 15:00Z - 17:00Z
LIFR
Visibility
1.2 km
Weather
Thunderstorm RAGS
Clouds
SCT009 BKN014CB
📖 Plain English Explanation:

There is a 30% probability of: Visibility will be poor at 1.2 km. Weather conditions: Thunderstorm RAGS. Scattered clouds at 900 feet, Broken clouds at 1400 feet. Low IFR conditions - challenging even for instrument operations.

📚 Understanding TAF Forecasts

Terminal Aerodrome Forecast (TAF) provides detailed weather forecasts specifically for aviation operations. Our system translates complex meteorological codes into plain English to help pilots of all experience levels understand forecasted conditions.

What TAF Includes:

  • • Wind direction, speed, and gusts
  • • Visibility in statute miles or kilometers
  • • Weather phenomena (rain, snow, fog, thunderstorms)
  • • Cloud coverage types and altitudes
  • • Forecast changes with timing
  • • Flight rules categories (VFR/IFR)

Change Indicators Explained:

  • BASE - Main forecast conditions
  • FM - Permanent change from specific time
  • BECMG - Gradual change over 2-4 hours
  • TEMPO - Temporary changes (less than 1 hour)
  • PROB30/40 - 30% or 40% probability

🛩️ Flight Rules Categories

VFR

Visual Flight Rules

  • • Ceiling ≥ 3000 ft
  • • Visibility ≥ 5 miles
  • • Good for visual flying

MVFR

Marginal VFR

  • • Ceiling 1000-3000 ft
  • • Visibility 3-5 miles
  • • Caution for VFR

IFR

Instrument Flight Rules

  • • Ceiling 500-1000 ft
  • • Visibility 1-3 miles
  • • Instruments required

LIFR

Low IFR

  • • Ceiling < 500 ft
  • • Visibility < 1 mile
  • • Challenging conditions

💡 TAF Reading Tips

For Student Pilots:

  • • Focus on the plain English explanations above
  • • Pay attention to flight rules categories
  • • Look for wind direction relative to runway headings
  • • Check for temporary conditions (TEMPO)

For Experienced Pilots:

  • • Cross-reference with raw TAF for precise timing
  • • Consider probability forecasts for alternate planning
  • • Monitor BECMG periods for gradual changes
  • • Always check current METAR vs TAF forecast

Important: TAF forecasts should always be supplemented with current METAR observations, PIREPs, and other weather information for complete situational awareness. Weather can change rapidly, and forecasts have inherent limitations.