How To Find Winds Aloft

There are two main elements to a winds and temperatures aloft forecast:
- Header [Figure 3]
- Forecasted data [Figure 5]
- Forecast Levels
- Issued for a variety of altitudes based on location [Figure 4]
- "FT" indicates the levels of the wind and temperatures data
- A four-digit group shows wind direction in tens of degrees, the second two are wind speed in knots
- Altitudes up to 15,000' the levels are true altitude (references to MSL)
- Altitudes at or above 18,000' the levels are pressure altitudes (references to FL)
- The symbolic form of the forecasts is DDff+TT in which:
  - DD is the wind direction
  - ff the wind speed, and
  - TT the temperature
- Forecast Levels
- - Winds and Temperatures Aloft Forecast Data
  - No winds are forecasted within 1,500' of station elevation
  - Winds are forecasted true, indicated in tens of degrees (two digits) with reference to true north and wind speed is given in knots (two digits)
    
    2022: 200@22 knots
  - If forecast speed is less than 5 knots, the coded group is 9900 which means, "light and variable"
    
    990012: winds are light and variable, temperature 12°C
  - If forecast speed is greater than 100 knots, 100 is subtracted from the wind speed and 50 is added to the wind direction
    
    731960:
    
    Step 1: 73-50 = 23 or 230
    
    Step 2: 19 + 100 = 119
    
    Result: 230@119 (temperature -60°C)
  - If the wind speed forecast to be 200 knots or greater, the wind group is coded as 99 knots
    
    189960: 180@200+ (temperature -60°C)
- - No temperatures are forecasted within 2,500' AGL of station elevation
  - No temperatures are forecasted in the 3,000' column
  - A six-digit group includes forecast temperatures in degrees Celsius
    
    192832: the last two digits show 32°C for the temperature but remember above 24,000' the negative sign is excluded
Winds and Temperatures Aloft Forecast Data

For more information, a paper copy of Aviation Weather Services: FAA Advisory Circular 00-45H, Change 1&2 (FAA Handbooks series) [Amazon] is available for purchase
- A digital copy of Advisory Circular (00-45), Aviation Weather Services is available from the FAA's website
Winds and temperatures aloft have log validity times for conditions which can fluctuate often
- Consider cross-checking wind readings with the VAD winds
Winds and temperatures are not forecasted within 1500 and 2500 feet respectively, meaning these blocks will appear blank for some stations in mountainous areas
Still looking for something? Continue searching:

Federal Aviation Administration - Pilot/Controller Glossary
Advisory Circular (00-45), Aviation Weather Services (7.4) Wind and Temperature Aloft Forecast (FB)
CFI Notebook.net - Aircraft Icing
CFI Notebook.net - Atmosphere
National Weather Service (NWS) National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP)
North American Mesoscale (NAM)
Wikipedia - Inversions
World Meteorological Organization (WMO)