SIGMET

SIGMET is an abbreviation for the term ‘significant meteorological information.’ In aviation, it is an advisory issued in times of severe weather that poses a significant risk to the safety of ALL aircraft, including private air charters. There are two different types of SIGMET:

• Non-convective
• Convective

Non-convective vs Convective SIGMETs

Non-convective SIGMETs are the less dangerous of the two. However, they can still pose a risk to smaller aircraft, such as a Citation Mustang charter, or other light jets used for private air charters. A weather forecaster will issue a SIGMET if the weather event is significant and affects an area of at least 3,000 square miles. This could include:

• Severe non-convective turbulence
• Severe icing
• Widespread dust or sandstorms
• Volcanic eruption and ash clouds

In most cases, if the weather event is significant enough to trigger instrument meteorological conditions over a widespread area, the forecaster will issue a non-convective SIGMET for safety reasons. However, if any of these conditions are result of adverse convectional weather, such as a severe thunderstorm, the warning will be designated as a convectional SIGMET. Other weather events that can result in a convectional SIGMET include:

• Severe hail (3/4 inch in diameter, or greater)
• Heavy winds (50 knots or greater)
• Tornados

SIGMETs are typically issued for a period of three hours. However, forecasters can update, upgrade and extend weather warnings, as needed.

SIGMET is an abbreviation for the term ‘significant meteorological information.’ In aviation, it is an advisory issued in times of severe weather that poses a significant risk to the safety of ALL aircraft, including private air charters.

There are two different types of SIGMET:

• Non-convective
• Convective

Non-convective vs Convective SIGMETs

Non-convective SIGMETs are the less dangerous of the two. However, they can still pose a risk to smaller aircraft, such as a Citation Mustang charter, or other light jets used for private air charters. A weather forecaster will issue a SIGMET if the weather event is significant and affects an area of at least 3,000 square miles. This could include:

• Severe non-convective turbulence
• Severe icing
• Widespread dust or sandstorms
• Volcanic eruption and ash clouds

In most cases, if the weather event is significant enough to trigger instrument meteorological conditions over a widespread area, the forecaster will issue a non-convective SIGMET for safety reasons.

However, if any of these conditions are result of adverse convectional weather, such as a severe thunderstorm, the warning will be designated as a convectional SIGMET. Other weather events that can result in a convectional SIGMET include:

• Severe hail (3/4 inch in diameter, or greater)
• Heavy winds (50 knots or greater)
• Tornados

SIGMETs are typically issued for a period of three hours. However, forecasters can update, upgrade and extend weather warnings, as needed.