Which statement best describes METAR and TAF in flight planning?

• A. METAR is a forecast for weather conditions at a location over a period; TAF is a current surface weather observation.
• B. METAR provides wind speed only; TAF provides temperature forecasts.
• C. METAR is a current surface weather observation; TAF is a forecast for weather conditions at a location over a period.
• D. METAR and TAF are interchangeable weather products for planning.

Answer: (C)

In flight planning, you need to distinguish what’s happening now from what to expect later. METAR is a current surface weather observation for an airport, giving real-time data on wind, visibility, weather phenomena, sky condition, temperature, dew point, and altimeter. TAF is a forecast for the same location over a period (typically the next 24 to 30 hours), outlining expected wind, visibility, weather, and cloud conditions, along with possible changes or probabilities.

This description matches the statement well: METAR reports current conditions, while TAF provides the forecast over a period. The other options aren’t correct because METAR isn’t just wind or just a forecast, and the two products aren’t interchangeable.