The term VOLMET comes from the French words “vol” meaning flight and “météo” meaning weather. A VOLMET broadcast serves a crucial role by providing weather updates to aircraft while they are in the air. These reports are primarily transmitted via high frequency (HF) radio from various civil and military stations worldwide. The global VOLMET network is organized into regions, each hosting multiple stations that share the same frequency.
In certain areas, like Europe, additional stations also offer VOLMET broadcasts over very high frequency (VHF) radio. Regardless of the frequency used, these stations rely on automated voice transmissions to relay important weather information, including TAF, SIGMET, and Meteorological Terminal Air Report (METAR) details for specified airports. VHF broadcasts typically run in a continuous loop, updating as new information arises, while HF VOLMET stations follow a scheduled format, broadcasting every five minutes to avoid overlapping signals.
For those interested, a sample HF VOLMET broadcast can provide insight into what pilots receive. Detailed lists of VOLMET broadcasts, including providers, times, frequencies, and the airports covered, can be found in the relevant enroute supplements for each region. As satellite communication (SATCOM) and data link technologies like ACARS become more prevalent, the dependence on VOLMET may decrease. However, it is expected that VOLMET stations will still provide vital inflight weather information for years to come.