Aviation Weather Handbook (AWH)
The Aviation Weather Handbook (FAA-H-8083-28B) is a free FAA publication that replaced the older Aviation Weather (AC 00-6) and Aviation Weather Services (AC 00-45) advisories. It is the definitive guide to aviation weather, covering the atmosphere, weather systems, hazards like thunderstorms and icing, and how to interpret METARs, TAFs, and other weather products. Download it at no cost from FAA.gov.
Why This Document Matters
Weather is the leading cause of general aviation accidents, and understanding it is critical for safe flight. The Aviation Weather Handbook consolidates everything a pilot needs to know about weather into a single reference. It covers atmospheric theory, cloud formation, frontal systems, thunderstorms, icing, fog, turbulence, and weather services. The handbook is particularly important for instrument pilots who must make go/no-go decisions based on weather products. Knowledge test questions on weather are drawn directly from this handbook, making it essential study material for every certificate level.
Study This Document in One Loop
What is the Study Loop?A 30-60 minute scenario-first session that replaces hours of passive reading.
Scenario
Decision
Targeted Learning
Open only these sections of the AWH:
- Chapter 11: Air Masses, Fronts, and the Wave Cyclone Model (cold front timing, wind shift, weather before and after passage)
- Chapters 19 and 22: Turbulence and Thunderstorms (hazards associated with fast-moving cold fronts)
- Chapters 6, 13, and 18: Water Vapor, Stability, and Obstructions to Visibility (why a small T/Td spread plus cooling means fog or low stratus)
- Chapters 24-27: Observations, Advisories, and Forecasts (TAF amendments, AIRMETs, PIREPs, convective SIGMETs)
Debrief
Compare your Decision to what the handbook says:
- ?Did you check the TAF amendment history, or just the current one? Fronts get amended.
- ?A 3°C spread with cooling overnight. What happens to the ceiling? Is fog on your radar?
- ?Cold front passage: wind shift which direction? What visibility/ceiling change do you expect?
- ?What single weather product would turn your "go" into a "no-go"? If you cannot name one, you do not have a go/no-go criterion.
Reinforcement
Turn your biggest miss into fast-recall rules:
- Cold front = fast-moving, unstable, narrow band of thunderstorms, abrupt wind shift (usually to the northwest in the US), rapid clearing behind.
- Temperature/dewpoint convergence = fog or low stratus risk. Spread closes ~4°F per hour of cooling.
- If the TAF has TEMPO or PROB30 for thunderstorms in your window, that is the forecaster telling you "I am not sure when, but expect it."
What Order to Read the AWH
Don't read by chapter number. Work the four phases. Start with whichever you're weakest in.
Survival Thinking
“What can hurt me?”
- •Chapter 22: Thunderstorms (avoid by 20 NM, never try to climb over, escape downwind)
- •Chapter 20: Icing (structural, induction, and carburetor icing. Know where it forms and what to do)
- •Chapter 19: Turbulence (mountain wave, low-level wind shear)
Interpretation
“What am I looking at?”
- •Chapter 24: Observations (read a METAR fluently, not painfully)
- •Chapter 27: Forecasts (TAF change groups FM, BECMG, TEMPO, PROB30 and what each means for your planning)
- •Chapter 26: Advisories (AIRMETs and SIGMETs) alongside PIREPs, which describe actual conditions
Prediction
“What will happen?”
- •Chapters 8-10: Pressure, Global Circulations, and Wind (why the wind is doing what it is doing)
- •Chapters 12-14: Clouds, Stability, and Precipitation (what the sky is about to do)
- •Chapter 11: Air Masses and Fronts (what will arrive in the next 6 hours)
Checkride Mode
“Can I explain it under pressure?”
- •Explain a standard weather briefing vs. abbreviated vs. outlook, and when to request each
- •Decode a METAR and TAF out loud, in one pass, without stopping. Practice on aviationweather.gov
- •Given a weather scenario, make a go/no-go decision and defend it with a specific hazard + a specific product
Chapter-by-Chapter Guide
What each section covers and the key topics to study
1Chapters 1-3: Introduction and the Aviation Weather Service Program
How the U.S. aviation weather service program is organized and an overview of the weather information available to pilots.
Chapters 1-3: Introduction and the Aviation Weather Service Program
How the U.S. aviation weather service program is organized and an overview of the weather information available to pilots.
Key Topics
2Chapters 4-10: The Atmosphere, Temperature, Pressure, and Wind
The Earth's atmosphere, heat and temperature, water vapor, heat imbalances, atmospheric pressure and altimetry, global circulations and jet streams, and wind.
Chapters 4-10: The Atmosphere, Temperature, Pressure, and Wind
The Earth's atmosphere, heat and temperature, water vapor, heat imbalances, atmospheric pressure and altimetry, global circulations and jet streams, and wind.
Key Topics
3Chapters 11-14: Air Masses, Fronts, Clouds, Stability, and Precipitation
Air masses, fronts, and the wave cyclone model, followed by vertical motion and clouds, atmospheric stability, and precipitation.
Chapters 11-14: Air Masses, Fronts, Clouds, Stability, and Precipitation
Air masses, fronts, and the wave cyclone model, followed by vertical motion and clouds, atmospheric stability, and precipitation.
Key Topics
4Chapters 15-17: Weather Radar, Mountain Weather, and Tropical Weather
Weather radar, weather in mountainous terrain, and tropical weather.
Chapters 15-17: Weather Radar, Mountain Weather, and Tropical Weather
Weather radar, weather in mountainous terrain, and tropical weather.
Key Topics
5Chapters 18-23: Aviation Weather Hazards
Weather and obstructions to visibility, turbulence, icing, arctic weather, thunderstorms, and space weather.
Chapters 18-23: Aviation Weather Hazards
Weather and obstructions to visibility, turbulence, icing, arctic weather, thunderstorms, and space weather.
Key Topics
6Chapters 24-28: Weather Products and Aviation Weather Tools
Technical details of observations, analyses, advisories, forecasts, and aviation weather tools.
Chapters 24-28: Weather Products and Aviation Weather Tools
Technical details of observations, analyses, advisories, forecasts, and aviation weather tools.
Key Topics
Study Tips
- Master METAR and TAF decoding first. These appear on every knowledge test and are used in real-world flying every day.
- Understand the three stages of thunderstorm development (cumulus, mature, dissipating) and the hazards of each stage. This is heavily tested.
- Learn the difference between rime ice, clear ice, and mixed ice. Know which cloud types and temperature ranges produce each type.
- Study fog types (radiation, advection, upslope, precipitation-induced) and the conditions that create them. Fog questions are common on knowledge tests.
- For instrument students, focus on weather minimums, AIRMET/SIGMET interpretation, and making go/no-go decisions based on weather products.
- Practice reading real METARs and TAFs from aviationweather.gov daily. The more you practice, the faster you will decode them on the test.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Aviation Weather Handbook free?
Yes, it is a free PDF published by the FAA. Download it from FAA.gov at no cost.
Did the Aviation Weather Handbook replace AC 00-6 and AC 00-45?
Yes. The Aviation Weather Handbook consolidated the content from the older Aviation Weather (AC 00-6B) and Aviation Weather Services (AC 00-45H) into a single, updated handbook. The current edition is FAA-H-8083-28B, dated April 2, 2026.
What weather topics are most tested on the Private Pilot knowledge test?
The most commonly tested weather topics include METAR and TAF decoding, VFR weather minimums, fog types, thunderstorm hazards, density altitude, and weather briefing types. Focus your study on these areas.
Do I need this if I already have the PHAK weather chapters?
The PHAK covers weather basics in Chapters 12-13, but the Aviation Weather Handbook goes into much greater depth. For the Private Pilot knowledge test, the PHAK weather chapters may be sufficient. For Instrument and Commercial ratings, the full Aviation Weather Handbook is recommended.
Quick Facts
- Document ID
- FAA-H-8083-28B
- Last Updated
- April 2, 2026
- Cost
- Free
- Publisher
- FAA
Applies To
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Aviation Weather Handbook (FAA-H-8083-28B) is an official FAA publication available at FAA.gov
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