What do AIRMETs supplement?

• A. SIGMETs
• B. METARs
• C. TAFs
• D. Area Forecast

Answer: (D)

AIRMETs are concise advisories that warn about moderate weather hazards that could affect flight, especially for smaller aircraft and en route planning. They’re designed to give pilots timely, regionally focused information about conditions like moderate icing, moderate turbulence, and ceilings or visibilities that could impact safety, between larger-scale forecasts.

Because the Area Forecast provides a broad, regional forecast of expected weather, AIRMETs augment it by filling in the details for more localized or less intense but still noteworthy phenomena. In other words, AIRMETs extend and refine the general picture from the Area Forecast with quicker updates on conditions that pilots need to know about during flight planning and en route.

SIGMETs cover more severe, hazardous weather for all aircraft, METARs are current weather observations, and TAFs are forecasts for specific airports. AIRMETs specifically complement the Area Forecast.