If SPECI criteria are met at the time a METAR observation is due, it is coded as?

When the criteria for a Special Weather Report (SPECI) are met at the time a routine METAR observation is due, the report is coded as a METAR because it is still a routine observation period. METARs are issued at regular intervals, typically every hour, and they provide essential information about the current weather conditions. If the specific conditions that warrant a SPECI occur during the time a METAR is scheduled to be reported, those conditions are included in the METAR.

SPECI reports are normally issued when specific weather phenomena occur or change significantly between regular METAR observations. However, if the time of a scheduled METAR observation coincides with the occurrence of these specific criteria, the report will be formulated as a METAR instead of a SPECI, unless the circumstances distinctly warrant only a SPECI report outside of regular METAR timing.

Coding the report as a METAR allows for the timely dissemination of weather information, ensuring that all relevant details are included for pilots and other users of the weather data while adhering to standard observation protocols.