Global Airports: 24-hour Forecasts Go Source: Terminal Aerodrome Forecasts (TAFs)

Domestic U.S. Airports: 72-hour Forecasts Go Source: U.S. National Blend of Models, Short-Range (NBS)

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Weather: The Last Great X-Factor in Air Travel?

Technology has made airplanes and navigation supremely reliable and pilots are better trained than ever. But the weather (and weather forecasts) still change rapidly, and surprises still happen. And the hard fact is that by the time the airlines tell you about major weather problems they have told hundreds or thousands of other customers, too, and everyone will be trying to reschedule together. Don't get stuck in that herd. Stay ahead of the game and keep informed on the latest airport weather risks.

How we rate the airport weather risk:

We use the "stoplight" approach to rate the weather risk - it is concise and intuitive and has proven

effective in the operations of leading forecasting centers worldwide. Our "stoplight" rating of the weather risks for any given airport is as follows:

Risk Level

Types of Weather

	High	• Heavy, moderate, or light freezing rain • Heavy or moderate snow • Cloud ceiling < 500 feet • Heavy rain • Visibility ≤ 1 mile • Wind speed > 25 knots • Thunderstorm probability ≥ 60%
	Moderate	• Light snow • Cloud ceiling 500-2000 feet • Moderate rain • Visibility 1-3 miles • Wind speed > 18 knots • Thunderstorm probability ≥ 30%
	Low	• Light rain • Cloud ceiling > 2000 feet • Wind speed ≤ 18 knots • Visibility > 3 miles • No snow • Thunderstorm probability < 30% • No freezing rain