Lightstation Reports – Decode Information

Note: These reports are only available for Pacific coastal waters and originate from observations provided by staffed lightstations, operated by the Canadian Coast Guard in British Columbia.

Lightstation Standard Reports

Example:

Group 1Group 2Group 3Group 4Group 5Group 6Group 7Group 8Group 9
CARMANAHOVC15SWE22G302FT CHPLO-MOD SWOCNL RW-

Translation:

Carmanah, British Columbia is overcast, visibility of 15 miles, light snow shower, easterly wind 22 knots, gusting 30 knots, 2-foot chop, low to moderate southwest swell, occasional light rain shower.

Each report consists of:

Station Name | Sky Conditions | Visibility | Weather Elements | Wind Direction | Wind Speed | Sea State | Swell | Remarks

Group 1

CARMANAH

Station Name:

 

 

Group 2

OVC

Sky Conditions:

CLR (clear); PT CLDY (partly cloudy); CLDY (cloudy);OVC (overcast);- X (partially obscured); and X (obscured).

 

Group 3

15

Visibility:

In miles.

 

Group 4

SW

Weather Elements:

R (rain); RW (rain shower); S (snow); SW (snow shower); L (drizzle); F (fog); T (thunder); and A (hail)
Intensity: + (heavy) and – (light).

 

Group 5

E

Wind Direction:

Eight points of the compass.

 

Group 6

22G30

Wind Speed:

In knots and sometimes accompanied by gust speed (G).

 

Group 7

2FT CHP

Sea State:

SMTH (smooth); RPLD (rippled); CHP, MOD, or RUF (chop, moderate or rough)
Wave height reported in feet.

 

Group 8

LO-MOD SW

Swell:

LO (0 to 2 metres); MOD (2 to 4 metres); and HVY (> 4 metres).
Direction from which the swell is coming.

 

Group 9

OCNL RW-

Remarks:

Various posibilities. In the case of the example above, occasional light rain shower.

 

Supplementary Weather Information

Example:

Group 1Group 2Group 3Group 4Group 5
LANGARA2030CLD EST 15 FEW 25 FEW OVC ABV 2507/02

Translation:

Langara , British Columbia observed at 20:30 UTC, 1st layer of cloud: base estimated at 1500 ft (above ground level) – amount: a few clouds, 2nd layer of cloud: based at 2500 ft – amount: a few clouds, final layer of cloud: overcast above 2500 ft, Temperature: 7, Dew point: 2.

Each report consists of:

Station Name | Time of Observations in UTC | Sky Conditions | Temperature | Dew point

Group 1

LANGARA

Station Name:

 

 

Group 2

2030

Time of Observation:

In UTC time

 

Group 3

CLD EST 15 FEW 25 FEW OVC ABV 25

Sky Conditions:

Consisting of height of the base of cloud layers above ground level (up to 2500 ft) and amount of sky covered for each layer of cloud (note that the height of the base is not mentioned for layers above 2500 ft, but only the amount)

CLR (clear); FEW (few, <1 to 2 eighth’s of the sky covered with cloud); SCT (scattered, 3 to 4 eights of the sky covered with cloud); BKN (broken, 5 to <8 eights of the sky covered with cloud); OVC (overcast, the sky is covered with cloud)

 

Group 4

07/

Temperature:

In whole degrees Celsius.

 

Group 5

02

Dew point:

In whole degrees Celsius.