The Weather Forecasting Forum

Tim,

With the loss of SFLOC data, is it possible for Digital Atmosphere to plot the TCU and CB from METARs - perhaps with a distinctive colour ?

Regards

Phil

I don't know the protocols for Europe, but for the US ...
METARS usually don't have that info, since the modernization. Cloud groups are only still encoded by military METAR stations. Those WILL plot, though - doing the cloud group such as 8/210 (always starts with an 8 and /).

I am surprised that US METARs do not show CBs.

Here's todays from London Heathrow:

EGLL 111120Z 20016KT 9999 8000SW VCTS SCT029CB SCT041 12/04 Q0994 TEMPO 4000 +TSRA BKN015CB

the TCU and CB are appended to the cloud amount and height.

Phil

Ooops, yes, actually US METAR obs do have CBs in the cloud altitude area just like your example. No TCU stuff though, except at military locations (TCU N-SE anyone?).

It may only be at augmented stations, though.