WINDS ALOFT

Winds Aloft, officially known as the Winds and Temperatures Aloft Forecast, (known
as "FD" in the US, but are becoming known as "FB", following the World Meteorological
Organization (WMO) nomenclature), is a forecast of specific atmospheric conditions in
terms of wind and temperature at certain altitudes, typically measured in feet (ft) above
mean sea level (MSL). The forecast is specifically used for aviation purposes.

The components of a Winds and Temperatures Aloft Forecast are displayed as: DD ss
+/- TT.

 Wind Direction (DD) and Wind Speed (ss), displayed as a 4-digit number, e.g.
3127, indicating a wind direction of 310 degrees True North and a wind speed of
27 knots. Note that wind direction is rounded to the nearest 10 degrees and the
zero is excluded.
 Temperature (TT), displayed as a +/- two-digit number, e.g. -12, which means -
12 degrees Celsius.

Example

FBUS31 KWNO 190440

DATA BASED ON 190000Z DATA VALID 190600Z FOR USE 0600-1200Z.
TEMPS NEG ABV 24000
FT 3000 6000 9000 12000 18000 24000 30000 34000 39000
ABR 1027 1326+01 1428-03 1431-09 1639-21 1749-34 175849 175957 174758
ABI 2849+04 2857-02 2760-07 2670-20 2682-32 760344 760648 259451
ALS (etc.)

ABR, ABI, and ALS are the station abbreviations used in this report.

Wind speeds over 99 knots are decoded by subtracting 50 from the direction and
adding 100 to the speed. Thus, for example, the wind forecast for Abilene (ABI) at
30,000 feet, shown above as 7603, indicates a forecast wind of 260 degrees at 103
knots.

This forecast is now made four times a day based on 0000Z, 0600Z, 1200Z, and
1800Z data (the Z stands for Zulu and indicates Coordinated Universal Time). The
forecasts are valid 6 (FD1/8), 12 (FD2/9), and 24 (FD3/10) hours after the observation
date/times of 0000Z and 1200Z upon which they are based. Depending on station
elevation, FD1/2/3 wind forecasts are issued for the following levels: 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, 24,
30, 34, and 39 thousand feet.

The first level for which a wind forecast is issued is 1,500 feet or more above the station
elevation. Temperature is forecast for all wind levels, except the 3,000 foot level, that
are 2,500 feet or more above the station. As indicated in the third line of the forecast,
the temperatures at all levels above 24,000 feet are generally negative and the minus
sign is excluded. FD8/9/10 are for the 45,000 and 53,000 foot levels.

If there is no velocity, then there is no direction, so light and variable is coded as 9900