What Is METAR? Definition & Meaning in Aviation
A METAR is a routine report of the actual weather at an airport, issued in a standard coded format, usually every 30 or 60 minutes.
In plain language
It gives wind, visibility, weather such as fog or rain, cloud, temperature, dew point and pressure. Pilots and dispatchers use it to decide whether a flight can land or take off.
Example
A Lahore METAR in winter might report visibility of 1,000 m with mist (BR), which explains why fog can delay flights there.
Why it matters
For travellers, the METAR explains many delays: visibility below the limit, strong wind or storms show up in it before the airline announces anything. Pilots and dispatchers use it for every landing and departure decision.