Wx - Clouds

Question 1

Sky coverage

Answer 1

SKC “sky clear” no cloud present

FEW “few” less than 1/8 to 2/8 (less than 1/4)

SCT “scattered” 3/8 to 4/8 (1/4 to less than 1/2)

BKN “broken” 5/8 to less than 8/8 (I.e., more than half)

OVC “overcast” 8/8

CLR “clear” clear below 25 000 ft as interpreted by an AWOS

Question 2

1/8 of the sky is called an:

Answer 2

Oktas

Question 3

For clouds to form, the air must become

Answer 3

Saturated

Question 4

What is a cloud

Answer 4

A visible aggregate of tiny water droplets and or ice crystals that are suspended in the atmosphere.

Question 5

List three ways that clouds and fog can form

Answer 5

By lowering the air temperature to the dewpoint temperature (most common is by rising air or the lifting process)

By adding water vapour into the air

By mixing warm moist air with cold air

Question 6

A ceiling exist whenever the sky is either

Answer 6

Broken (BRK) or overcast (OVC)

Question 7

VV

Answer 7

Vertical Visability on a METAR or TAF

Question 8

VV001 means

Answer 8

Ceiling obscured at 100 ft

Question 9

How are ceilings depicted on the GFA?

Answer 9

With a scalloped border

Question 10

How are clouds classified into the four families?

Answer 10

Based on their height and vertical development. That is, Strati form or cumulative form.

Question 11

Stratiform clouds develop

Answer 11

Horizontally

Question 12

Cumuliform clouds develop

Answer 12

Vertically

Question 13

List the four cloud classifications

Answer 13

High clouds

Middle clouds

Low clouds

Clouds with vertical development

Question 14

Nimbus indicates

Answer 14

Precipitation

Question 15

SKC

Answer 15

Sky Clear

Question 16

FEW

Answer 16

<1 - 2 Octas

Question 17

SCT

Answer 17

Scattered

3-4 Oktas

Question 18

BKN

Answer 18

Broken

5-8 oktas

Question 19

V V

what does VV008 mean?

Answer 19

Sky obscured
So VV is vertical visibility

VV008 Means an 800 foot vertical Visibility end it is considered an obscured ceiling

Question 20

CLR

Answer 20

Clear

no clouds below 10,000 as reported from AWOS

Question 21

Ceiling

Answer 21

Ceiling is defined as a level of the first cloudbase that has a coverage amount of 5-8 Oktas.
Either Broken or Overcast

Question 22

SLP

Answer 22

sea level pressure
Mesures in Hectopascals (hPa)
Put a 9 or 10 in front. Whichever is closest to 1000 is correct

Question 23

AWOS

Answer 23

Automated Weather Observation Station

Question 24

LWIS

Answer 24

Limited Weather Information System

Question 25

PIREP

Answer 25

``` Location and time Altitude Aircraft tape Cloud base amount and top Turbulence Temperature Wind direction and speed Icing Remarks ```

Question 26

U/A and UUA

Answer 26

U/A - PIREP | UUA - Urgent PIREP

Question 27

PIREP OV

Answer 27

Over listed with an identifier

Question 28

PIREP TM

Answer 28

Time

Question 29

PIREP FL

Answer 29

Flight Level

Question 30

PIREP TA

Answer 30

Temperature

Question 31

PIREP IC

Answer 31

Ice

Question 32

PIREP SK

Answer 32

Sky Conditions

Question 33

RVR

Answer 33

Runway visibility

Question 34

PIREP Cloud layer heights are reported in

Answer 34

Feet ASL

Question 35

NOTAM N, R, C

Answer 35

N - New R - Replace C - Cancel

Question 36

NOTAM Q Line

Answer 36

Codes and geographic region : Coordinates and radius of area

Question 37

NOTAM traffic codes

Answer 37

I - IFR V - VFR IV - both

Question 38

Marginal VFR is determined by ____ to ____ feet AGL and __ to __ SM visibility

Answer 38

1000 - 3000 | 3-5 SM

Question 39

What causes wind?

Answer 39

Horizontal pressure differences.

Question 40

Isobars

Answer 40

Join points of equal MSL pressure at 4 millibar intervals

Question 41

If there is lots of space between isobars, there will be a _____ pressure gradient and relatively ____ winds

Answer 41

Shallow, light

Question 42

Standard sea level pressure is

Answer 42

1013 mb

Question 43

If you stand with your back to the wind (in the Northern hemisphere), the high pressure and low pressure are always on your

Answer 43

Low pressure - left | High pressure - right

Question 44

Veering

Answer 44

Wind direction changing clockwise

Question 45

Backing

Answer 45

Wind direction changing counter clockwise

Question 46

Gust

Answer 46

A brief change in wind dorection

Question 47

Squall

Answer 47

A prolonged change of wind direction and/or speed (more then 1 minute)

Question 48

At night, surface winds tend to

Answer 48

back and decrease

Question 49

Sea breeze

Answer 49

An onshore breeze from the sea

Question 50

Katabatic winds

Answer 50

Winds down a mountain from either snow cover or night time radiation cooling

Question 51

Anabatc winds

Answer 51

Blow up a slope

Question 52

Jet stream must be a minimum of ___ kts

Answer 52

60

Question 53

Describe Cirrus clouds

Answer 53

- Wispy, hair-like - High level clouds (16,000’ - 50,000’) - Made of tiny ice crystals in upper part of troposphere - Can accompany a strong jet stream, - can also precede a warm front by several days.

Question 54

Describe Cumulus clouds

Answer 54

- Latin for heap or pile - Can look detached from other clouds nearby - Low level, few hundred feet to few thousand AGL

Question 55

Describe Stratus Clouds

Answer 55

- Latin for “layer or sheet” - often appear as a sheet or layer of little definition/features - hazy white or Grey mass - usually low, but can be mid to upper also - Low: stratus - Mid: alto stratus - High: cirrostratus

Question 56

Describe “nimbo” clouds

Answer 56

- nimbo is Latin for rain - two common types: - Nimbostrtus - Cumulonimbus

Question 57

Describe cirrocumulus and altocumulus

Answer 57

Cirrocumulus are high level (16,000’ to 45,000’) and Altocumulus are mid-level (12,000’ to 18,000’)