MIFG in METAR

[Bill Bridges]

Last night I pulled up the following METAR for LSZH -

METAR LSZH 302250Z VRB01KT 9999 MIFG NSC 01/00 Q1013 TEMPO 4000 BCFG=

I've pulled up hundreds if not thousands of METARs and this is the first time I had ever seen "MIFG",

MIFG - More or less continuous shallow fog.

I am guessing that this is that shallow fog layer that sets just above the runway that always makes me nervous when the temperature/dew point are very close with no wind.

Grace and Peace,

[Scott Dyer HPN/NY]

Last night I pulled up the following METAR for LSZH -

METAR LSZH 302250Z VRB01KT 9999 MIFG NSC 01/00 Q1013 TEMPO 4000 BCFG=

I've pulled up hundreds if not thousands of METARs and this is the first time I had ever seen "MIFG",

MIFG - More or less continuous shallow fog.

I am guessing that this is that shallow fog layer that sets just above the runway that always makes me nervous when the temperature/dew point are very close with no wind.

Grace and Peace,

You need to get out more, Bill! One January night 4-5 years ago I was coming home from Fort Myers and intended to refuel at MYR. Shortly before I arrived they reported an RVR of something like 800, 1/4 mi vis in MIFG. It was time for Plan B. As I flew over at 15,000' I could see the runway clearly outlined by the lights.....and just the gauziest little haze around each light. Having landed into accumulating ground fog before, I had a good picture in my mind of what a landing aircraft would face in the last 100' before touchdown.

[Larry sreyoB]

You see it occasionally. The code for "shallow" is definitely not intuitive to an English speaker.

The interesting thing about MIFG is that it is often invisible on final. You see the runway lights just fine until everything disappears in the flare.

Did I say "interesting"? I could have chosen other adjectives.

I remember holding over the OM one night waiting to shoot an ILS. The runway was in clear view with no visual signs of fog but the RVR was below CAT II minimums (our lowest mins in the DC9) due to MIFG.

[Terry Carraway]

You need to get out more, Bill! One January night 4-5 years ago I was coming home from Fort Myers and intended to refuel at MYR. Shortly before I arrived they reported an RVR of something like 800, 1/4 mi vis in MIFG. It was time for Plan B. As I flew over at 15,000' I could see the runway clearly outlined by the lights.....and just the gauziest little haze around each light. Having landed into accumulating ground fog before, I had a good picture in my mind of what a landing aircraft would face in the last 100' before touchdown.

My Dad tells of a similar situation at North Island.

They were reporting viz so low that people were having a hard time seeing to walk. He was overhead and the field looked like normal.

Vertical visibility was superb, horizontal was measured in feet.

[Scott Dyer HPN/NY]

My Dad tells of a similar situation at North Island.

They were reporting viz so low that people were having a hard time seeing to walk. He was overhead and the field looked like normal.

Vertical visibility was superb, horizontal was measured in feet.

It's really dangerous si&T at places without wx reporting....

[B.Butler]

Did I say "interesting"? I could have chosen other adjectives.

I remember holding over the OM one night waiting to shoot an ILS. The runway was in clear view with no visual signs of fog but the RVR was below CAT II minimums (our lowest mins in the DC9) due to MIFG.

It's possible aircrews have gotten more sophisticated, but in "my time" it was not unusual for tower controllers to be taken to task by pilots who "can clearly see the entire runway". Happened to me once as tower supervisor at SLC; Very unpleasant American captain "taking names."

[Randy Sohn]

SLC; Very unpleasant American captain "taking names."

Yup, had noted that also, rather rare but yours made me think back - "Well, it wasn't only American that had a few of those crusty olde "five stripers".

best, randy

[Randy Sohn]

of what a landing aircraft would face in the last 100' before touchdown.

Yup, concur - and sometimes it isn't even 100 feet. BT&DT - shudder!

best, randy

[Dave Siciliano]

It was couple years ago I made an ILS approach into Greenville, SC Donaldson. Tower reported 1/4 mile vis and ceiling below mins. At DA I had a clear view of runway more than half way down the length and landed with no issues. Tower never saw me. One of those times being able to try the approach made the difference. Tower is not on the runway there and a bit higher.

[B.Butler]

<<being able to try the approach...>>

Remember, the Part 121 guy can't pass the FAF unless he has minma.

[Jeff Hartmann]

On the fifth day of the controllers strike I had a charter in a 310 to take a boat "wheel" and shaft from Palm Beach to Lawrence , MA. After enduring several tower enroute legs, and getting stuck in TEB for 2 hours waiting for a clearance to get past LGA... I was on the approach at Lawrence, with fog.... but, there it was, 2am, and runway lights in sight. Until the flare... it was so thin that I touched down as I lost the lights, and when I lowered the nose I could see them again. Just that wispy fog (fortunately). Try getting a cab to the hotel in Lawrence Ma, at 2am in 1981.... where is that pay phone...

[B.Butler]

Yup, ... "Well, it wasn't only American that had a few of those crusty olde "five stripers".

best, randy

Yeah, I was young... Only later understood the utility of a call to the Chief Pilot.