In which unit is wind speed typically reported in a METAR?

Wind speed in a METAR report is typically expressed in knots. This unit originated from maritime navigation and is still widely used in aviation and meteorology. A knot is defined as one nautical mile per hour, which is equivalent to approximately 1.15 miles per hour or 1.85 kilometers per hour. Since the primary audience for METAR reports includes pilots and air traffic controllers, using knots provides consistency and aligns with international standards in aviation.

This choice is favored because it simplifies communication across different regions and countries, where varying land measurements could introduce confusion. Other units, like miles per hour, kilometers per hour, or feet per second, are less common in aviation reports and can create ambiguity, especially in an international context where knots provide a universally understood measure.