What does "261955Z" indicate in a METAR report?

The portion "261955Z" in a METAR report indicates the date and time when the report was generated, expressed in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). The first two digits "26" represent the day of the month, which is the 26th. The next four digits "1955" signify the time, formatted as hours and minutes (19:55), also in UTC. The "Z" at the end confirms that the time is in Zulu time, which is another term for UTC. This combination effectively communicates the specific date and time of the METAR report, making it crucial for pilots and aviation professionals to accurately interpret the conditions reported.

This understanding is essential for safely navigating or planning flights based on real-time weather conditions. The other options do not accurately capture the meaning of the time and date structure in METAR reporting, lacking the specific clarity needed for aviation contexts.