Quick Facts
- Type
- Cloud Cover Descriptor
- Also Known As
- BKN
- Used By
- Pilots, Dispatchers
Definition#
BKN (Broken) is a sky condition reported in METARs and TAFs indicating that 5/8 to 7/8 of the sky is obscured by cloud. A BKN layer is the minimum coverage that constitutes a ceiling.
Why It Matters Operationally#
BKN at low altitudes determines IFR conditions and which approaches are available. The number following BKN indicates the height in hundreds of feet AGL (e.g., BKN010 = broken at 1,000 ft).