METAR weather code reference for BKN (Broken)
Cloud coverage of 5/8 to 7/8 of the sky. A broken layer constitutes a ceiling because more than half the sky is obscured. The reported height becomes the ceiling height. BKN conditions often result in IFR or MVFR flight categories depending on the height of the cloud base.
Here are common ways BKN appears in real METAR observations:
BKN025BKN008BKN120These METAR codes are commonly seen alongside BKN or describe related weather phenomena:
Cloud coverage of 3/8 to 4/8 of the sky. Scattered clouds are not considered a ceiling since more than half the sky is still visible. The three-digit number following indicates cloud base height in hundreds of feet AGL. Scattered layers still permit VFR operations under most circumstances.
Complete cloud coverage of 8/8 of the sky. An overcast layer is always a ceiling. The height reported is the ceiling height in hundreds of feet AGL. Low overcast layers (e.g., OVC005) represent IFR conditions and may require instrument approaches for landing.