Aviation Weather Charts

Question 0

What is a surface analysis chart?

Answer 0

Provides ready means of locating Pressure Systems and Fronts.
Also overviews Winds, Temps, Dew point at chart time.

Transmitted every 3 hours.

Computer generated, covers 48 states.

Question 1

What various weather charts are used in flight planning?

Answer 1

Weather depiction chart
Radar summary chart
Convective outlook chart 
Constant pressure analysis chart 
Significant weather prognostic chart
Short range surface prognostic chart 
Surface analysis chart

Question 2

What is a weather depiction chart?

Answer 2

“Birds eye view”

Transmitted at 3 hours intervals.

Computer generated, broad overview.

Question 3

Define LIFR:

Answer 3

Low IFR:
Ceiling less than 500 ft
Visibility less than 1 mi

Question 4

Define IFR:

Answer 4

Instrument Flight Rules
Ceiling 500 - 1000 ft
Visibility 1 - 3 mi

Question 5

Define MVFR:

Answer 5

Marginal VFR:
Ceiling 1,000 - 3,000 ft
Visibility 3 - 5 mi

Question 6

Define VFR:

Answer 6

Visual Flight Rules
Ceiling greater than 3,000 ft
Visibility greater than 5 mi

Sky clear

Question 7

What are radar summary charts?

Answer 7

Displays: 
Area of Precipitation, 
Type, 
Intensity, 
Configuration, 
Coverage, 
Cell movement of precipitation,
Echo top

Computer generated, graphical display.

Question 8

What are short range surface prognostic charts?

Answer 8

Provides a
Forecast of surface pressure system,
Fronts,
Precipitation for a 2 day period.

Computer generated, Covers 48 states.

Question 9

Describe a US low level significant weather prog chart.

Answer 9

Covered are: 
Forecast positions, 
Characteristics of pressure systems, 
Fronts, 
Precipitation

Surface to FL240.
4 panels a day; 00Z, 06Z, 12Z, 18Z.

Question 10

Describe mid level significant weather chart.

Answer 10

Provides:
Forecast & overview of significant enroute weather.

10,000 ft MSL to FL450

Question 11

What information does a high level significant weather prog charts?

Answer 11

Routinely appearing: jet streams, cumulonimbus, turbulence, tropopause heights, surface fronts, surface fronts, squall lines, significant tropical storm, volcanic eruption, sand/dust storms.

Above 24,000 ft

Question 12

What is a convective outlook chart?

Answer 12

Depicts:
Areas to have potential for severe & non-severe weather threats

following the 3 days

Question 13

What are constant pressure analysis charts?

Answer 13

Displays:
Air temperature, wind, temp/dew point spread along planned route, high/low troughs & ridges aloft.

Twice daily, 5 computer prepared charts for milabar data

Question 14

What significance do height contour lines have on constant pressure chart?

Answer 14

To give height pattern.

Closely spaced contours mean strong winds.

Contours depict high, lows, troughs, ridges aloft.

Question 15

What significance do isotherms have on constant pressure chart?

Answer 15

You can determine if your flight will be toward colder or warmer air

Question 16

What is the significance of the isotach lines in a constant pressure chart?

Answer 16

Lines of constant wind speed analyzed on 300 & 200mb charts.

They separate higher & lower wind speed.

Used to map wind speed variations over a surface.