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VOLMET (French originvol (flight) andmétéo (weather report)), ormeteorological information for aircraft in flight, is a worldwidenetwork of radio stations that broadcastTAF,SIGMET andMETAR reports onshortwave frequencies, and in some countries onVHF too. Reports are sent inupper sideband mode, using automated voice transmissions.
Pilots on international routes, such asNorth Atlantic Tracks, use these transmissions to avoid storms and turbulence, and to determine which procedures to use for descent, approach, and landing.
The VOLMET network divides the world into specific regions, and individual VOLMET stations in each region broadcast weather reports for specific groups of air terminals in their region at specific times, coordinating their transmission schedules so as not to interfere with one another. Schedules are determined in intervals of five minutes, with one VOLMET station in each region broadcasting reports for a fixed list of cities in each interval. These schedules repeat every hour.
An aircraft in flight can obtain by VOLMET the Aviation routine weather reports (METAR) of specific airports.