A METAR is a format for reporting weather information, predominantly used by aircraft pilots and meteorologists to assist in weather forecasting. It stands for Meteorological Aerodrome Report and is highly standardized through the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), which allows it to be understood throughout most of the world. A typical METAR contains data for the temperature, dew point, wind direction and speed, precipitation, cloud cover and heights, visibility, and barometric pressure. It may also contain information on precipitation amounts, lightning, and other information that would be of interest to pilots or meteorologists such as a pilot report or PIREP, color states, and runway visual range (RVR). METARs are issued hourly unless significant weather changes have occurred, and a special METAR (SPECI) can be issued at any interval between routine METAR reports. The FAA has established a minimum weather visibility of three miles from the control station, and a METAR report can provide up-to-date weather information including overcast, misty, and rainy conditions.