decipher ATIS

[clayton4115 56]

Hi

 

I am trying to decipher this but get confused with the altitudes

 

YPKS 052200Z AUTO 12004KT 9999 // OVC006 03/03 Q1023 RMK RF00.0/002.2

 

Is OVC006  = overcast at 600 feet or 60 feet?

[Shug 210]

600 feet.

[clayton4115 56]

awesome thanks!

[Farlis 2,280]

Just for future reference, whenever you run into something you can't decode:

http://www.flightutilities.com/MRonline.aspx

[Mike S KPDX 597]

Here is the metar decoder I use:

https://metarreader.com/

[clayton4115 56]

great need those sites for future!

[regis9 4,004]

Thanks for the decoder websites.  I’ve gotten pretty good at reading METARs for the most part (I can even remember that BR = brume = mist) but every once and a while I come across something that throws me for a loop.

[sd_flyer 6,034]

4 hours ago, clayton4115 said:

Hi

 

I am trying to decipher this but get confused with the altitudes

 

YPKS 052200Z AUTO 12004KT 9999 // OVC006 03/03 Q1023 RMK RF00.0/002.2

 

Is OVC006  = overcast at 600 feet or 60 feet?

This is METAR. ATIS broadcast "altitudes" in MSL (altitude over sea level) while METAR in AGL (altitude over ground). For example YPKS elevation 1069 ft so OVC006 so overcast is 1069ft+600ft=1669ft MSL. MSL is what aircraft in most countries read on altimeter gauge . Also notice no spread between temperature and dew point 03/03 which implies  fog 

[clayton4115 56]

nice explanation thanks!

[clayton4115 56]

so in the above scenario, if the metar was showing 1669 feet and the DA is 1440 feet I could take off and commence my journey to YPKS?

https://ibb.co/RQ8P0sG

 

[Farlis 2,280]

3 hours ago, clayton4115 said:

so in the above scenario, if the metar was showing 1669 feet and the DA is 1440 feet I could take off and commence my journey to YPKS?

https://ibb.co/RQ8P0sG

 

Probably not. 

The METAR is missing visibility information, but considering that the temperature and dewpoint readings point to fog, that means that the top layer of the fog is at 1669ft and you won't be seeing anything below that layer. Most certainly not the 2.3 KM's required for the approach.

[martinboehme 492]

7 hours ago, sd_flyer said:

This is METAR. ATIS broadcast "altitudes" in MSL (altitude over sea level) while METAR in AGL (altitude over ground).

Cloud bases in the ATIS are AGL (or more precisely, AAL - above aerodrome level), just like METARs. 

[martinboehme 492]

22 minutes ago, Farlis said:

Probably not. 

The METAR is missing visibility information,

There is a visibility measurement in the METAR: 9999, meaning greater than 10 km. 

[martinboehme 492]

3 hours ago, clayton4115 said:

so in the above scenario, if the metar was showing 1669 feet and the DA is 1440 feet I could take off and commence my journey to YPKS?

https://ibb.co/RQ8P0sG

 

You should break out above minimums if the conditions don't become worse, but you should check the TAF too and plan for an alternate.

[sd_flyer 6,034]

2 hours ago, martinboehme said:

Cloud bases in the ATIS are AGL (or more precisely, AAL - above aerodrome level), just like METARs. 

You are right ! I mixed up with PIREP