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The Aviation Weather Center (AWC) provides weather information and forecasts for air flights over United States territory and at certain altitudes for global traffic. It works with customers, such as commercial airlines, and international partners to improve flight safety and efficiency. It is one of the components of the
Each local NWS office issues Terminal aerodrome forecasts (TAFs) for airports under its area of responsibility. These forecasts are only valid for 10 nautical miles (18.5 km) around the airfield.
AWC forecasts, in text and chart, conditions over all of the
National Centers for Environmental Prediction
The United States National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) delivers national and global weather, water, climate, and space weather guidance, forecasts, warnings, and analyses to government agencies and private users. The centers f ...
of the National Weather Service
The National Weather Service (NWS) is an Government agency, agency of the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government that is tasked with providing weather forecasts, warnings of hazardous weather, and other weathe ...
(NWS) of the United States.
Responsibilities and Products
Each local NWS office issues Terminal aerodrome forecasts (TAFs) for airports under its area of responsibility. These forecasts are only valid for 10 nautical miles (18.5 km) around the airfield.
AWC forecasts, in text and chart, conditions over all of the continental United States
The contiguous United States, also known as the U.S. mainland, officially referred to as the conterminous United States, consists of the 48 adjoining U.S. states and the District of Columbia of the United States in central North America. The te ...
from the surface to over 20 km altitude (Aviation Area forecast). These include freezing level {{Short description, Altitude in which the temperature is at 0 °C
The freezing level, or 0 °C (zero-degree) isotherm, represents the altitude in which the temperature is at 0 °C (the freezing point of water) in a free atmosphere (i.e. ...
, icing, wind and turbulence levels, cloudy areas and thunderstorms at various altitudes. It does the same for high altitudes around the world.
The AWC is also responsible for aviation warnings, such as AIRMETs and SIGMET
SIGMET, or Significant Meteorological Information (AIM 7-1-6), is a severe weather advisory that contains meteorological information concerning the safety of all aircraft. Compared to AIRMETs, SIGMETs cover more severe weather. Today, according ...
s, for the United States, including its overseas territories, and northern portions of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. It is finally the center that issues forecasts for the displacement of volcanic ash
Volcanic ash consists of fragments of rock, mineral crystals, and volcanic glass, produced during volcanic eruptions and measuring less than 2 mm (0.079 inches) in diameter. The term volcanic ash is also often loosely used to r ...
and forest fire smoke plumes for the same territories.
References