At select stations, METARs provide:

At select stations, METARs provide:

• A. An observation of past weather conditions
• B. A forecast of the next six hours
• C. A summary of climate data
• D. An average wind speed for the day

Answer: (A)

METARs are weather observations reported from airports, describing the conditions at the time the report is issued. They provide real-time data such as wind direction and speed, visibility, cloud cover and heights, weather phenomena, temperature, dew point, and altimeter setting. Because they reflect what is currently observed, METARs are not forecasts or summaries of climate data, and they don’t give daily wind averages. The key idea is that METARs give an observed snapshot of current weather at the station, making the statement that they are observations of weather conditions the best description.

METARs are weather observations reported from airports, describing the conditions at the time the report is issued. They provide real-time data such as wind direction and speed, visibility, cloud cover and heights, weather phenomena, temperature, dew point, and altimeter setting. Because they reflect what is currently observed, METARs are not forecasts or summaries of climate data, and they don’t give daily wind averages. The key idea is that METARs give an observed snapshot of current weather at the station, making the statement that they are observations of weather conditions the best description.