LHMS - METAR in IWXXM 1.0
Current JSON Original JSON

Abstract

The service provides the latest METAR reports in IWXXM for Lithuanian aerodromes in compliance with ICAO Annex 3, PANS-MET and EU Implementing Regulations. Retrieval is available via (1) an OGC API - Environmental Data Retrieval (EDR) endpoint and (2) subscription over AMQP 1.0 where the IWXXM payload and message headers conform to the EUROCONTROL SWIM Technical Infrastructure Yellow Profile (Messaging).

Service Type
SWIM_COMPLIANT
Life Cycle
OPERATIONAL
Business Activity Type
AERODROME_OPERATION
AIRSPACE_ORGANISATION_AND_MANAGEMENT
INFORMATION_MANAGEMENT
SERVICE_DELIVERY_MANAGEMENT
Intended Consumer
AIR_TRAFFIC_SERVICE_PROVIDER
AIRPORT_OPERATOR
AIRSIDE_GROUND_HANDLER
CIVIL_AIR_NAVIGATION_SERVICE_PROVIDER
CIVIL_AIRSPACE_USER
COMMUNICATION_NAVIGATION_AND_SURVEILLANCE_SERVICE_PROVIDER
MILITARY_AIR_NAVIGATION_SERVICE_PROVIDER
MILITARY_AIRSPACE_USER
PROVIDER_OF_DATA_SERVICES
REGULATED_METEOROLOGICAL_SERVICE_PROVIDER
Information Exchange Category
METEOROLOGICAL_INFORMATION_EXCHANGE
Application Message Exchange Pattern Entity
Request/Reply
FIR ICAO Location Indicator
EYVI
State ICAO Nationality Letters
LT
Geospatial Categorisation Description
The dataset is valid for Lithuania (Vilnius FIR/EYVI).
Other
Service Type: METEOROLOGICAL_FEATURE_ACCESS_SERVICE
In-Operation Date
29-Dec-2025
Provider
LHMS

Lithuanian hydrometeorological service under the Ministry of Environment (LHMS) is designated meteorological service provider for International Air Navigation within the Vilniaus Flight Information Region in accordance with ICAO Annex 3 and Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No. 2017/373.

 

LHMS is responsible for:

    provision of aerodrome forecasts and warnings

    provision of SIGMET, AIRMET, special air-reports, area forecasts

    provision of meteorological information to ATS and search and rescue units

    provision of consultations to flight crew members and other flight operations personnel

    provision and distribution of pre-flight meteorological information and flight documents

    weather observing and reporting service at Vilnius, Kaunas, Palanga aerodromes

    provision of aerodrome climatological information.  

Provider Type
REGULATED_METEOROLOGICAL_SERVICE_PROVIDER
Point of Contact
Operational Needs

This service contributes to fulfilling operational needs as defined in Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/373 and ICAO Annex 3. It supports the EU Implementing Regulation 2021/116 - Common Project One.

Information Exchange Requirements

IER 1 - The information currently included in the METAR as defined in Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/373, ICAO Annex 3 Amendment 82, and PANS-MET.

Capabilities

The service provides high quality, up-to-date, trusted, regulated meteorological information in digital form for use by service consumers within the aviation domain.

Distribute Data

The service distributes the data according to the stored subscriptions and topics.

Request Data

The consumer can request data from the service using an OGC API - EDR endpoint.

Subscribe to Data

The user can receive data via AMQP 1.0. Messages follow the SWIM TI Yellow Profile (Messaging).

Customization

Within the given constraints, the user can customize the service to individual needs if applicable. LHMS provides the service delivery from beginning to end of the subscription. If no start time is given, the subscription starts immediately. If no end time is given, the subscription continues until the service is retired.

Information Retainment

According to ICAO Annex 3, meteorological information is retained for a period of at least 30 days from the date of issue.

Subscription

Consumers begin receiving data by connecting to the published endpoints with appropriate credentials; no explicit subscribe/unsubscribe API is provided.

Encryption

Communication is encrypted per SWIM TI Yellow Profile.

Signature

The requested information may contain a digital signature using SHA-256 or stronger.

Security

SWIM TI Yellow Profile-compliant security controls (confidentiality, integrity, authentication).

AIRM

ATM Information Reference Model

AMQP

Advanced Queueing Message Protocol (1.0) – per SWIM TI Yellow Profile Messaging

ATC

Air Traffic Control

ATM

Air Traffic Management

LHMS

Lithuanian hydrometeorological service under the Ministry of Environment

HTTP

Hypertext Transfer Protocol

ICAO

International Civil Aviation Organization

IER

Information Exchange Requirement

IR

Implementation Rules

ISRM

Information Service Reference Model

IWXXM

ICAO Meteorological Information Exchange Model

METAR

Meteorological Aerodrome Report

NWS

National Weather Service

OGC

Open Geospatial Consortium

PCP

Pilot Common Project

WMO

World Meteorological Organization

SIGMET

Significant meteorological phenomena

TAF

Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Information
Filtering Capabilities (EDR)

Filtering is exposed through OGC API - EDR query parameters and collections, including spatial, temporal, and parameter subsetting of IWXXM-derived attributes (e.g., aerodrome ICAO designator, observation/issue times).

Filtering Capabilities (AMQP)

Topic-based filtering is available through the broker’s topic hierarchy. Private queues with provider-defined selectors consistent with SWIM TI Yellow Profile may be provisioned.

The service provider ensures that the data offered within this service is created by LHMS, a REGULATED_METEOROLOGICAL_SERVICE_PROVIDER.
Topic Structure

Messages are published under weather.aviation.{taf,metar,sigmet}. This covers all messages in the Lithuania FIR. AMQP 1.0 filters (e.g., ICAO location identifier) can be applied via message headers as defined by the message schema.

Flow Control and Limits

Default link credit and connection limits are to be confirmed; values will be documented in narrative connection documentation when available.

Typical Request/Reply Behaviour

The request is sent from the consumer to the EDR service, which processes the request and returns the METAR IWXXM payload. The service follows OGC API - EDR behaviour.

Typical Data Distribution Behaviour

The service sends data to consumers when available and matching their connection parameters using AMQP 1.0 per SWIM TI Yellow Profile Messaging.

EDR Request

The interface is used to receive the data via OGC API - EDR.

PROVIDER_SIDE
SYNCHRONOUS_REQUEST_RESPONSE
Operations
EDR operations

Standard EDR retrieval operations (collection discovery, position/area/trajectory queries, temporal subsetting).

Idempotent
IDEMPOTENT
Operation Message
EDR Request
IPV4_SECURE_UNICAST

Service supports IPv4 secure unicast and IPv6 secure unicast over TLS (mTLS per policy).

EDR Response
AMQP Push Service

The interface is used to receive published data via AMQP 1.0 per SWIM TI Yellow Profile Messaging.

PROVIDER_SIDE
Operations
dataDelivery

The IWXXM payload is delivered directly in the AMQP message or via reference to an EDR resource.

Idempotent
NON_IDEMPOTENT
Operation Message
dataDelivery
AMQPBrokerLHMS

Connection for AMQP 1.0 notifications and payload delivery according to the consumer’s connection.

Url

amqps://swim.meteo.lt:5671

AMQP_MESSAGING

Binding aligned with EUROCONTROL SWIM Technical Infrastructure Yellow Profile (Messaging).

IPV4_SECURE_UNICAST

Service supports IPv4 secure unicast and IPv6 secure unicast over TLS (mTLS per policy).

dataDelivery
References
Appendix A: References

Reference list for the service.

Reference
https://swim-eurocontrol.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/MSS/pages/60162182/IWXXM+METAR-SPECI+Subscription+and+Request+Service+-+Service+Definition#IWXXMMETAR-SPECISubscriptionandRequestService-ServiceDefinition-AppendixA
Appendix B: Operational Needs

Operational needs supported by the service.

Reference
https://swim-eurocontrol.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/MSS/pages/60162182/IWXXM+METAR-SPECI+Subscription+and+Request+Service+-+Service+Definition#IWXXMMETAR-SPECISubscriptionandRequestService-ServiceDefinition-AppendixB
Revision Save Date
Wed, 12/31/2025 - 09:48
Schema version
v2