050504Z 0506/0515 17018G28KT 4000 BR FEW002 SCT004 BKN008 TEMPO 0506/0513 1500 RADZ SCT002 BKN004 PROB40 TEMPO 0506/0512 0800 FG SCT001 BKN002 PROB30 TEMPO 0513/0515 4000 TSRA SCT005 BKN014CB BECMG 0513/0515 7000 HZ FEW005 SCT009 BKN050

Ouch!!!

This is the TAF - the forecast for Culdrose today. It seems to be the longer the length of the forecast the worse the weather - even if you don't understand the symbols the length of it suggests it is not a flyable day.

A good day would be, for example,

050504Z 0506/0515 17005KT CAVOK

So, do you need to learn all the abbreviations to be a pilot? Well some idea would help, but if you are struggling there is a lot of help available in the form of a tutorial and abbreviation breakdown on the met office aviation site:

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/aviation/ga

Just to help you out a little -

BR = Brouillard (French) meaning 'mist'

FG = Fog

TSRA = Thundershowers of rain

G28 = wind will be gusting up to 28knots (33mph)

SCT001 = there will be scattered cloud 100 feet above the ground

CB = cumulo nimbus - the clouds contain clouds likely to cause thunderstorms and contain lots of turbulence.

CAVOK is pronounced "Kav - okay". This means that ceiling and visibility is okay up to 10,000 feet. Sadly not a term that will be used to describe today's weather in Cornwall.

Needless to say it is a groundschool day today!