Time ascribed reflects the time, to the nearest minute, that the criteria is first met or observed?

• A. METAR
• B. Aviation Selected Special Weather Report (SPECI)
• C. Aviation Routine Weather Report (METAR)
• D. TAF

Answer: (B)

In aviation weather reporting, the time stamp on a report reflects when a weather change meets the defined criteria. A Special Weather Report (SPECI) is issued specifically for significant weather changes, and its time is the moment that change is first observed, rounded to the nearest minute. This differs from a routine METAR, where the timestamp marks the actual observation moment of the weather, not when a change first began. A TAF, on the other hand, is a forecast for future conditions with validity periods, not an observation of a current change. So the described timing—time to the nearest minute when the criteria are first met or observed—maps to a SPECI.