Previously issued TAFs??

[RadarVector]

I can't seem to find a website that provides previously issued TAFs. Does anyone know where they can be found. METARs are readily available, but I haven't found any TAFs. I need the info to end a heated debate and I need some additional ammo to drive the point home. Thanks!

 

[Markm1811]

tafs

I know that i can pull old wx briefs from dispatched planes in the 121 world. you might try wx brief or noaa though for old taf's. I guess i kinda need to ask the obvious.. Why ? Tafs are just guesses ....

 

[RadarVector]

Markm1811

Well, its one of those "what would you have done" scenarios so I'm trying to obtain the same wx info that was available at the time. I agree that TAFs are educated guess at best and one of the issues being debated is how much weight thaey should really carry. The core issue in this debate was whether or not a fuel stop would have been absolutely necessary. In my opinion, its better to not second guess decisions after the fact. Hindsight is only gained with information that was unclear when the decision had to be made.

Actually, as a dispatcher, you probably look at more weather than the average pilot. What would you say, on average, that the forecasted conditions in a TAF actually become reality. Obviously the longer into the forecast period the more like it is to be wrong, but I'm curious to get your opinion. I wonder if any stats are kept on this.

 

[GravityHater]

Hey you think those guys want to advertise their failures??
You can be sure as soon as the new ones come out, the old ones are history!

 

[TDTURBO]

I asked this same question about a month ago and got zero replies, all I wanted to know was were to get old METARS. I am still looking.

 

[GravityHater]

Here is the closest I have seen for Metars:
http://www.wunderground.com/

Type in the zip code for the location desired.
Under Current Conditions, click on History.
If it is a non-personal weather station (usually) it will say, "History and Almanac" where you can enter the date desired, mine offers weather back to 1986 but not all go back that far.
NOW you must find the line that says, "Show full metars" and when you click that you will see the metars available.



I have NEVER seen aged TAFs collected anywhere. Which is crazy, IMO. I think a large computer should be constantly comparing TAFs to actual weather observed...... and use this growing database of comparison to improve the quality & predictive value of TAFs. Sort of like learning from our mistakes. Instead of sweeping them under the carpet (discarding another pile of incorrect data) we should dissect them "how did we come up with rain? There was no rain that day.... Let's look at this and find out why."

 

[RadarVector]

TDTURBO

Here's another link. Doesn't sound a good as Gravity's but it offers METARS for the past 36 hours.

http://adds.aviationweather.noaa.gov/metars/

 

[TDTURBO]

Here is the closest I have seen for Metars:
http://www.wunderground.com/

Type in the zip code for the location desired.
Under Current Conditions, click on History.
If it is a non-personal weather station (usually) it will say, "History and Almanac" where you can enter the date desired, mine offers weather back to 1986 but not all go back that far.
NOW you must find the line that says, "Show full metars" and when you click that you will see the metars available.



I have NEVER seen aged TAFs collected anywhere. Which is crazy, IMO. I think a large computer should be constantly comparing TAFs to actual weather observed...... and use this growing database of comparison to improve the quality & predictive value of TAFs. Sort of like learning from our mistakes. Instead of sweeping them under the carpet (discarding another pile of incorrect data) we should dissect them "how did we come up with rain? There was no rain that day.... Let's look at this and find out why."

Thanks a million Gravity, that link is awesome. I was just checking back to 2001 on 11/23 to see the wx. That was my trip down to the bahamas where I had to shoot the approach to minimums. No big deal normally except for I just got my IR 8hrs before and it was just me and my g/f. Fond memories.

Thanks!

METAR KAHN 240153Z 10008KT 3SM RA BR OVC001 14/13 A3001 RMK AO2 CIG 001V005 SLP162 P0003 T01390128 $[size=-1]9:00 PM[/size][size=-1]57.2 °F / 14.0 °C [/size][size=-1]55.4 °F / 13.0 °C [/size][size=-1]94%[/size][size=-1]30.01 in / 1016.1 hPa [/size][size=-1]2.5 miles / 4.0 kilometers [/size][size=-1]ESE[/size][size=-1]8.1 mph / 13.0 km/h [/size][size=-1]- [/size]