Term

AIRMET

Daniel MarkFounder & Editor, Aviatopia
Published Mar 1, 2026Updated Mar 1, 20261 min read

Airmen's Meteorological Information — a weather advisory for conditions hazardous primarily to light aircraft, including moderate turbulence, icing, and low visibility.

aviation-glossary

Quick Facts

Type
Aviation Weather Advisory
Also Known As
AIRMET
Used By
Pilots, Dispatchers

Definition#

AIRMET stands for Airmen's Meteorological Information. It is a weather advisory covering moderate icing, moderate turbulence, sustained surface winds of 30 knots or more, widespread IFR conditions, or mountain obscuration.

Why It Matters Operationally#

While SIGMETs address severe conditions for all aircraft, AIRMETs target hazards significant mainly for smaller, lighter aircraft. General aviation pilots rely heavily on AIRMETs for go/no-go decisions.

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