View source for Aviation Weather Center

{{Infobox government agency
| name                 = Aviation Weather Center
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| image                = 2016-08-02 07 48 48 Sign at the entrance to the National Weather Service Training Center and the Aviation Weather Center along NW 101 Terrace in Kansas City, Platte County, Missouri.jpg
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| image_caption        = Headquarters of the AWC
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| jurisdiction         = Government of the United States
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| headquarters         = [[Kansas City, Missouri]]
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| parent_agency        = [[National Centers for Environmental Prediction]]
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The '''Aviation Weather Center''' ('''AWC''') provides weather information and forecasts for air flights over United States territory and at certain altitudes for global traffic. It works with customers, such as commercial airlines, and international partners to improve flight safety and efficiency. It is one of the components of the [[National Centers for Environmental Prediction]] of the [[National Weather Service]] (NWS) of the United States.

== Responsibilities and Products ==
[[File:Aviation weather forecast chart.png|thumb|left|Significative [[weather map]] issued by the AWC of the US [[National Weather Service]] for transatlantic flights.]]
Each local NWS office issues [[Terminal aerodrome forecast]]s (TAFs) for airports under its area of responsibility. These forecasts are only valid for 10 nautical miles (18.5&nbsp;km) around the airfield.<ref name=200Y>{{cite web|language=en|url=https://celebrating200years.noaa.gov/foundations/aviation_weather/welcome.html#today |title=Aviation Weather Forecasting: A History of Enhancing Air Flight Safety |work=Celebrating 200 years |date=2021-01-21|publisher=NOAA|access-date=2021-05-09}}</ref>

AWC forecasts, in text and chart, conditions over all of the [[continental United States]] from the surface to over 20&nbsp;km altitude (Aviation [[Area forecast]]).<ref name=200Y/> These include [[freezing level]], icing, wind and turbulence levels, cloudy areas and thunderstorms at various altitudes.<ref name="Guide"/><ref>{{cite web |language=en|url=https://www.aviationweather.gov/gfa/help?page=products|title=Graphical Forecasts for Aviation Products|author=AWC|year=2021|publisher=NWS|access-date=2021-05-09}}</ref> It does the same for high altitudes {{convert|25000|ft|m}} around the world.<ref name=200Y/>

The AWC is also responsible for aviation warnings, such as [[AIRMET]]s and [[SIGMET]]s, for the United States, including its overseas territories, and northern portions of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.<ref name=200Y/><ref name="Guide">{{cite web |language=en |url=https://www.weather.gov/media/aviation/A%20Pilots%20Guide%20to%20Aviation%20Weather%20Services.pdf |title=A Pilot's Guide to Aviation Weather Services |date=2020-10-01|publisher=[[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration|NOAA]]|access-date=2021-05-09}}</ref> It is finally the center that issues forecasts for the displacement of [[volcanic ash]] and forest fire smoke plumes for the same territories.<ref name="Guide"/>

== References ==
<references/>

{{National Centers for Environmental Prediction}}

[[Category:National Centers for Environmental Prediction]]
[[Category:Aviation meteorology]]


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