Pilot Weather Reports (PIREPs)
So, what is a PIREP anyway, I mean really? A pilot report or PIREP is a pilot’s report of actual weather conditions encountered while airborne. Typically, pilots file a report to ATC or Flight Service when the weather conditions are not the same as the forecast, or when the conditions are actually worse than the forecast. Low visibility, turbulence, icing, and thunderstorms are good examples of actual weather conditions that may not be in the forecast but may be conditions a pilot experiences during flight. What pilots don’t often realize is that a PIREP should also be filed when the