Aviation Forecast Discussion help
Overview
Area Forecast Discussions (AFD) are issued by each weather service forecast office (WFO) provide a narrative prose about weather conditions within their region as it relates to the creation of the area TAF products. These are useful for additional aviation related issues that cannot be encoded into the TAF. The discussion also gives some reasoning behind the forecast. These are generated roughly every 6 hours and corresponds to the release of the latest TAFs for that office.
To view the aviation portion of the AFD select the region from the map, or find the WFO code in the dropdown. The expanded Area Forecast is available under the Full Area Forecast link.
FAQ
What has changed recently?
The entire site has been redesigned so almost everything is new. For information about the most recent updates, please see the change log.
How often do you update the website?
We fix critical bugs as soon as possible, and we deploy functional upgrades regularly. Please let us know if you find something that isn’t working.
Why is my URL link not working?
As part of the upgrade to the site, some pages were consolidated and some URL's have changed. Check out the link conversions to find what you are looking for. If you are still unable to find the information you are looking for, submit a question using the envelope in the top right.
Why can't I log in to my account?
Most features of AviationWeather.gov do not require an account. If you are a pilot that previously had an account to submit PIREPs, please log in with your old username and password and you will be asked to reset your password the first time you log in. If you recently signed up for a new account, please check your email (including spam folders) for a confirmation email and follow the steps listed in the email. If you are still unable to log in after following the steps in the confirmation email, please contact us for additional information.
Where is the METAR page?
The interactive Graphical Forecasts for Aviation observation tab displays METARs along with other current data including surface fronts and radar imagery. To view METARs alone, click on the Layers button at the top left corner of the map and deselect items you do not wish to view. Decoded METARs can be displayed by enabling the "decoded METARs" option in the Map Options under the gear icon on GFA.
Raw METAR data can be displayed by selecting the Products dropdown and selecting METAR data.
Where is the Satellite/Radar page?
Satellite and radar imagery are available on the observations tab of the interactive Graphical Forecasts for Aviation, that displays surface observations, imagery, fronts, and more in one place. Satellite imagery is an optional layer available from the layer selector in the upper right corner of the map. To display satellite or radr imagery alone, deselect items on the layer selector to simplify the display.
How do I submit PIREPs?
Please use the operational AviationWeather.gov to submit PIREPs — this site is experimental. More information can be found found on the request page.
How do I access the Flight Path Tool?
The flight path tool is now embedded into the interactive Graphical Forecasts for Aviation map. Click on the route button along the right side of the map to open the display. Enter the airports to navigate, and select the product you wish to display from the dropdown. Watch a video on how to use the cross sections here.
Where is the HEMS (Helicopter Emergency Medical Services) tool?
The HEMS tool has been integrated into the interactive Graphical Forecasts for Aviation. Click on the helicopter button in the upper right part of the map to switch GFA from general aviation mode into low-altitude mode, which offers similar features as the HEMS tool.
What will happen to ADDS with this update
The ADDS static graphics are being phased out and replaced with the Graphical Forecasts for Aviation, which offers greater flexibility and configurability; some static graphics continue to be available for decision support. The ADDS Text Data Server has been succeeded by the Data API. Please let us know if you need assistance with the migration.