AIRMET information – Information issued by a meteorological watch office concerning the occurrence or expected occurrence of specified en-route weather phenomena which may affect the safety of low level aircraft operations and which was not already included in the forecast issued for low-level flights in the flight information region concerned or sub-area forecast.
Definition published in Annex 3 ICAO.
AIRMET information shall be issued for air traffic operating below FL100/150. It shall give a concise description in abbreviated plain language. AIRMET information shall be issued by Meteorological Watch Office in Warsaw taking into account the occurrence and/or expected occurrence of specified en-route whether phenomena (in accordance with criterion published in ICAO Annex 3) in appropriate sectors: A1-FIS GDANSK, A2-FIS POZNAŃ, A3-FIS OLSZTYN, A4-FIS WARSZAWA, A5-FIS KRAKÓW. After FIS sector indicator (A1, A2, A3, A4 and A5) the description of a phenomenon, its location, intensity, speed and direction of its relocation is placed.
Code group Code group specifications Meaning Examples
AIRMET Information indicator Information name AIRMET
EPWW Location indicator ICAO indication for ATS unit operating for this FIR for which the AIRMET was issued EPWW
AIRMET 4 Identification Information identification and the next number AIRMET 2
VALID 030350/030750 Validity period First two numbers indicate a day of the month, next four numbers indicate information validity period in UTC (for example 1230, 1630) VALID 221215/221600
VALID 101520/101800
EPWA- Location indicator of Meteorological Watch Office originating the message with a separating hyphen Aerodrome ICAO code where MWO is located EPWA-
EPWW WARSZAWA FIR Name of the FIR Name of the FIR for which the AIRMET is issued EPWW WARSZAWA FIR
MOD ICE Phenomenon Description of a weather phenomenon causing the issuance of AIRMET. Weather phenomena at cruising levels up to FL100 or FL150 are included Surface wind speed above 30 KT over widespread areas; widespread visibility reduction to less than 5000m including the weather phenomenon causing the reduction of visibility; thunderstorms: ISOL TS, OCNL TS, ISOL TSGR, OCNL TSGR; MT OBSC; widespread area of BKN or OVC cloud with height of base less than 1000 m above ground level; CB and TCU: ISOL, OCNL, FRQ; MOD ICE; MOD TURB; MOD MTW
OBS Observed or forecast phenomenon Indication whether the information is observed and expected to continue, or forecast OBS
FCST
OBS AT 1210Z
A1 Location Location referring to FIR, latitude and longitude in degrees and minutes or locations or geographic features well known internationally S OF 54
N PART A1
OVER N AND W PART OF POLAND
BTN GND/FL150 Level Flight level or altitude or extent FL180
BLW FL200
TOP ABV FL100
MOV E Movement or expected movement Movement or expected movement (direction and speed) with reference to 8 points of compass MOV N
MOV SE
NC Expected changes in intensity INTSF or WKN or NC WKN
NC
CNL AIRMET Cancellation of AIRMET referring to its identification The type of cancelled information and its identification is given CNL AIRMET 1 101200/101430