Newcastle Airport

YWLM / NTL

Williamtown, AU

Current TAF Forecast

Raw TAF:
TAF YWLM 050504Z 0506/0606 19010KT 9999 -SHRA SCT025 BKN040 FM050900 17008KT 9999 -SHRA SCT020 BKN035 FM052300 16014KT 9999 -SHRA SCT025 BKN040 INTER 0506/0606 18015G25KT 4000 SHRA BKN012

Detailed TAF Table

Parameter
Sun
09:00Z
+-1h
Sun
10:00Z
+0h
Sun
11:00Z
+1h
Sun
12:00Z
+2h
Sun
13:00Z
+3h
Sun
14:00Z
+4h
Sun
15:00Z
+5h
Sun
16:00Z
+6h
Sun
17:00Z
+7h
Sun
18:00Z
+8h
Sun
19:00Z
+9h
Sun
20:00Z
+10h
Sun
21:00Z
+11h
Sun
22:00Z
+12h
Sun
23:00Z
+13h
Mon
00:00Z
+14h
Mon
01:00Z
+15h
Mon
02:00Z
+16h
Mon
03:00Z
+17h
Mon
04:00Z
+18h
Wind Dir
190°
S
190°
S
190°
S
190°
S
190°
S
190°
S
190°
S
190°
S
190°
S
190°
S
190°
S
190°
S
190°
S
190°
S
180°
S
180°
S
180°
S
180°
S
180°
S
180°
S
Wind Speed
10 kt
10 kt
10 kt
10 kt
10 kt
10 kt
10 kt
10 kt
10 kt
10 kt
10 kt
10 kt
10 kt
10 kt
15 kt
G25 kt
15 kt
G25 kt
15 kt
G25 kt
15 kt
G25 kt
15 kt
G25 kt
15 kt
G25 kt
Visibility
10+ km
10+ km
10+ km
10+ km
10+ km
10+ km
10+ km
10+ km
10+ km
10+ km
10+ km
10+ km
10+ km
10+ km
4 km
4 km
4 km
4 km
4 km
4 km
Weather
Light Showers Rain
-SHRA
Light Showers Rain
-SHRA
Light Showers Rain
-SHRA
Light Showers Rain
-SHRA
Light Showers Rain
-SHRA
Light Showers Rain
-SHRA
Light Showers Rain
-SHRA
Light Showers Rain
-SHRA
Light Showers Rain
-SHRA
Light Showers Rain
-SHRA
Light Showers Rain
-SHRA
Light Showers Rain
-SHRA
Light Showers Rain
-SHRA
Light Showers Rain
-SHRA
Light Showers Rain, Showers Rain
-SHRA SHRA
Light Showers Rain, Showers Rain
-SHRA SHRA
Light Showers Rain, Showers Rain
-SHRA SHRA
Light Showers Rain, Showers Rain
-SHRA SHRA
Light Showers Rain, Showers Rain
-SHRA SHRA
Light Showers Rain, Showers Rain
-SHRA SHRA
Clouds
SCT025
BKN040
SCT025
BKN040
SCT025
BKN040
SCT025
BKN040
SCT025
BKN040
SCT025
BKN040
SCT025
BKN040
SCT025
BKN040
SCT025
BKN040
SCT025
BKN040
SCT025
BKN040
SCT025
BKN040
SCT025
BKN040
SCT025
BKN040
SCT025
BKN040
SCT025
BKN040
SCT025
BKN040
SCT025
BKN040
SCT025
BKN040
SCT025
BKN040
Ceiling
4,000 ft
AGL
4,000 ft
AGL
4,000 ft
AGL
4,000 ft
AGL
4,000 ft
AGL
4,000 ft
AGL
4,000 ft
AGL
4,000 ft
AGL
4,000 ft
AGL
4,000 ft
AGL
4,000 ft
AGL
4,000 ft
AGL
4,000 ft
AGL
4,000 ft
AGL
1,200 ft
AGL
1,200 ft
AGL
1,200 ft
AGL
1,200 ft
AGL
1,200 ft
AGL
1,200 ft
AGL
Flight Rules VFR VFR VFR VFR VFR VFR VFR VFR VFR VFR VFR VFR VFR VFR IFR IFR IFR IFR IFR IFR
Day/Night
☀️
Day
🌅 07:03Z
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
☀️
Day
🌇 16:56Z
☀️
Day
🌇 16:56Z
☀️
Day
🌇 16:56Z
🌇
Dusk
🌇 16:56Z
🌙
Night
🌇 16:56Z
🌙
Night
🌙
Night
🌙
Night
🌙
Night
🌙
Night
🌙
Night
🌙
Night
🌙
Night
🌙
Night
🌙
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 occurrence • AGL: Above Ground Level

Forecast Periods

BASE
VFR
Wind
190° at 10 kt
Visibility
10+ km
Weather
Light Showers Rain
Clouds
SCT025 BKN040
📖 Plain English Explanation:

This is the base forecast condition. Winds from the South (190°) at 10 kt. Visibility will be excellent at 10+ km. Weather conditions: Light Showers Rain. Scattered clouds at 2500 feet, Broken clouds at 4000 feet. Conditions will be suitable for Visual Flight Rules (VFR) operations.

FM050900 09:00Z - 15:00Z
VFR
Wind
170° at 8 kt
Visibility
10+ km
Weather
Light Showers Rain
Clouds
SCT020 BKN035
📖 Plain English Explanation:

Winds from the South (170°) at 8 kt. Visibility will be excellent at 10+ km. Weather conditions: Light Showers Rain. Scattered clouds at 2000 feet, Broken clouds at 3500 feet. Conditions will be suitable for Visual Flight Rules (VFR) operations.

FM052300 23:00Z - 05:00Z
IFR
Wind
180° at 15 kt
Gusts: 25 kt
Visibility
4 km
Weather
Light Showers Rain, Showers Rain
Clouds
SCT025 BKN040 BKN012
📖 Plain English Explanation:

Winds from the South (180°) at 15 kt. Gusts up to 25 kt are expected. Visibility will be moderate at 4 km. Weather conditions: Light Showers Rain, Showers Rain. Scattered clouds at 2500 feet, Broken clouds at 4000 feet, Broken clouds at 1200 feet. Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) conditions - instrument flying required.

📚 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.