How do ATC and pilots use METAR, TAF, and ATIS/AWOS information?

• A. ATIS/AWOS provides forecasts; METAR/TAF are for enroute weather only.
• B. METAR/TAF provide real-time/current weather and forecasts; ATIS/AWOS provide continuous weather information broadcast to pilots.
• C. METAR reports are used only for flight planning; ATIS/AWOS are not weather related.
• D. TAF reports replace METAR during night operations.

Answer: (B)

METAR and TAF together give the weather picture for an airport: METAR is real-time weather as observed at the airport (wind, visibility, precipitation, cloud cover, temperature/dew point, and altimeter), while TAF is the forecast for the same location over the next 24 hours (with updates as needed). Pilots rely on METAR to know current conditions before and during flight, and on TAF to anticipate how conditions may change during departure, approach, or routing. ATIS and AWOS continuously broadcast weather information to pilots on a dedicated frequency, providing the latest observations and airport specifics (like active runway and altimeter) without needing to request it. ATC uses METAR/TAF to gauge current and expected weather for planning and sequencing, but pilots obtain the ongoing weather picture directly through ATIS/AWOS for up-to-date situational awareness.