Quick Facts
- Type
- Aviation Weather Advisory
- Issued By
- Meteorological Watch Offices
- Used By
- Pilots, Dispatchers, and ATC
- Purpose
- Hazard warnings during flight operations
Definition#
SIGMET stands for Significant Meteorological Information. It is a weather advisory issued by meteorological watch offices to alert pilots and dispatchers of hazardous conditions including severe turbulence, severe icing, thunderstorms, volcanic ash, sandstorms, and tropical cyclones.
Why It Matters Operationally#
SIGMETs cover large areas and affect flight routing decisions. Dispatchers and pilots must review active SIGMETs during planning and may need to reroute to avoid affected areas.
Related Guides#
- Aviation Weather Explained — The Complete Operational Guide
- Clear Air Turbulence Explained
- Aircraft Icing Explained
- Air Masses & Fronts in Aviation