A Terminal Aerodrome Forecast (TAF) covers what area and time period?
Why →
TAFs are aerodrome-specific weather forecasts for a 5 SM radius. They are valid for 24 or 30 hours and issued four times daily at 0000Z, 0600Z, 1200Z, and 1800Z. TAFs use the same encoding as METARs and include change groups (TEMPO, BECMG, FM) for expected condition transitions.The trap →
TAFs cover a 5 SM radius. Much smaller than an Area Forecast. TAFs are NOT updated hourly; that's METARs. The 24–30 hour window is longer than many pilots expect.SOURCE → FAA Aviation Weather Services / PHAK Chapter 13CHECKED APR 21ACS III.A.K1MED