AWM
METEOROLOGY
2 SEP 11
Meteorological Service for
© Jeppesen, 1999, 2011. All Rights International Air Navigation /
Reserved. SIGMET Notations - Annex 3
APPENDIX 1. MODEL SN – SHEET OF NOTATIONS USED IN FLIGHT
DOCUMENTATION
1 SYMBOLS FOR SIGNIFICANT WEATHER
Tropical cyclone Drizzle
Severe squall line1 Rain
Moderate turbulence Snow
Severe turbulence Shower Hail
Mountain waves Widespread blowing snow
Moderate aircraft icing Severe sand or dust haze
Widespread sandstorm or
Severe aircraft icing
duststorm
Widespread fog Widespread haze
Radioactive materials in the atmosphere2 Widespread mist
Volcanic eruption3 Widespread smoke
Mountain obscuration Freezing precipitation4
1 In flight documentation for flights operating up to FL 100, this symbol refers to “squall line”.
2 The following information should be included at the side of the chart: radioactive materials symbol;
Latitude/longitude of accident site; Date and time of accident; check NOTAM for further information.
3 The following information should be included at the side of the chart: Volcanic eruption symbol; Name and
international number of volcano (if known); Latitude/longitude; Date and time of the first eruption (if known);
check SIGMETS and NOTAM or ASHTAM for volcanic ash.
4 This symbol does not refer to icing due to precipitation coming into contact with an aircraft which is at a very low
temperature.
NOTE: Height indications between which phenomena are expected, top above base as per chart legend.
2 FRONTS AND CONVERGENCE ZONES AND OTHER SYMBOLS USED
Cold front at the
Position, speed and level of max. wind
surface
Warm front at
Convergence line
the surface
Occluded front
Freezing level
at the surface
Quasi-stationary
front at the Intertropical convergence zone
surface
Tropopause
State of the sea
high
Tropopause low Sea surface temperature
Tropopause
Widespread strong surface wind1
level
Wind arrows indicate the maximum wind in jet and the flight level at which it occurs. If the maximum wind speed is
60 m/s (120 kt) or more, the flight levels between which winds are greater than 40 m/s (80 kt) is placed below the
maximum wind level. In the example, winds are greater than 40 m/s (80 kt) between FL 220 and FL 400.
The heavy line delineating the jet axis begins/ends at the points where a wind speed of 40 m/s (80 kt) is forecast.
3 ABBREVIATIONS USED TO DESCRIBE CLOUDS
3.1 TYPESymbol used whenever the height of the jet axis changes by +/- 3000 ft or the speed changes by +/- 20 kt.
1 This symbol refers to widespread surface wind speeds exceeding 15 m/s (30 kt).
CI = Cirrus AS = Altostratus ST = Stratus
CC = Cirrocumulus NS = Nimbostratus CU = Cumulus
CS = Cirrostratus SC = Stratocumulus CB = Cumulonimbus
AC = Altocumulus
3.2 AMOUNT
Clouds except CB:
FEW = few (1/8th to 2/8ths)
SCT = scattered (3/8th to 4/8ths)
BKN = broken (5/8ths to 7/8ths)
OVC = overcast (8/8ths)
CB only:
ISOL = individual CBs (isolated)
OCNL = well separated CBs (occasional)
FRQ = CBs with little or no separation (frequent)
EMBD = CBs embedded in layers of other clouds or concealed by haze (embedded)
3.3 HEIGHTS
Heights are indicated on SWH and SWM charts in flight levels (FL), top over base.
When XXX is used, tops or bases are outside the layer of the atmosphere to which the chart applies.
In SWL charts:
a. Heights are indicated as altitudes above mean sea level;
b. The abbreviation SFC is used to indicate ground level.
4 DEPICTING OF LINES AND SYSTEMS ON SPECIFIC CHARTS
4.1 SWH AND SWM — SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CHARTS (HIGH AND MEDIUM)
Scalloped line = demarcation of areas of significant weather
Heavy broken line = delineation of area of CAT
Heavy solid line = position of jet stream axis with indication of wind direction, speed in kt or km/h and
interrupted by wind height in flight levels. The vertical extent of the jet stream is indicated (in flight levels),
arrow and flight e.g. FL270 accompanied by 240/290 indicates that the jet extends from FL240 to
4.2 SWL — SIGNIFICANT FL290.
level WEATHER CHART (LOW LEVEL)
Flight levels inside = height in flight levels of tropopause
X = position of pressure centres given at spot locations; e.g.,
in hectopascals; . Low and High
small rectangles points of the tropopause topography are indicated by the letters L or H respectively
L = inside
centrea of
pentagon with the height in flight levels.
low pressure;
Display explicit FL for JET dephts and tropopause height even if outside forecast
H = centre of high pressure;
bounds.
Scalloped lines = demarcation of area of significant weather
Dashed lines = altitude of 0°C isotherm in feet (hectofeet) or metres
NOTE: 0°C level may also be indicated by; i.e., 0°C level is at an altitude
of 6,000 ft.
Figures on arrows = speed in kt or km/h of movement of frontal systems, depressions or anticyclones
Figure inside the = total wave height in feet or metres
state of the sea
symbol
Figure inside the sea = sea surface temperature in °C
surface temperature
symbol
Figures inside the = wind in kt or km/h
strong surface wind
symbol
4.3 ARROWS, FEATHERS AND PENNANTS
Arrows indicate direction. Number of pennants and/or feathers correspond to speed.
EXAMPLE:
270° / 115 kt (equivalent to 57.5 m/s)
Pennants correspond to 50 kt or 25 m/s;
Feather correspond to 10 kt or 5 m/s;
Half-feather correspond to 5 kt or 2.5 m/s.
A conversion factor of 1 to 2 is used.
