Lesson 1: Surface Weather Record

Question 1

What are the two main types of weather obs?

Answer 1

Hourly and synoptic

Question 2

MANOBS

Answer 2

Manual prescribing the standard procedures of the Meteorological Service of Canada for observing, recording, and reporting weather conditions.

Question 3

List the five parts of the MANOBS

Answer 3

• Part A: Observing procedures
• Part B: Hourly Observation recording procedures
• Part C: Synoptic Observation recording procedures
• Part D: Pilot Reports
• Part E: Climatological Summary, METAR code, etc.

Question 4

Hourly observation

Answer 4

Observation scheduled on the hour

Question 5

Speci observation

Answer 5

An observation due to a significant change

Question 6

Check observation

Answer 6

An observation confirming that no significant change has occured.

Question 7

Synoptic report

Answer 7

A weather observation taken four times a day that is coded and transmitted in international code.

Question 8

What information is included in an hourly report?

Answer 8

Sky condition, visibility, weather and obstruction to vision, sea level pressure data, temperature data, dew point, wind, altimeter setting, clouds, RVR, remarks, tendency* (every three hours)

Question 9

What information is included in a SPECI ob?

Answer 9

Sky condition, visibility, weather, temperature(at selected sites), wind, clouds, RVR, remarks

Question 10

What is the time schedule for an hourly observation?

Answer 10

Hour-6mins until the hour:observing weather
Hour until Hour+1min:reading the barometer and barograph
Hour+1min until Hour+7mins:Input observation for transmission and onto 2322

Question 11

Observer’s Notebook

Answer 11

A pad of worksheets to be used by the observer in making calculations and recording data during the observation. Should be retained at the station for at least two months.

Question 12

What are the four sections of the Surface Weather Record (2322)?

Answer 12

• Observed data and computations
• Hourly observations
• Coded synoptic reports
• Summary for the climatological day ending at 0600 UTC

Question 13

What information is included in section I of 2322?

Answer 13

• Notes and instrument defects and changes
• Duration of weather and/or obstruction to vision
• Precipitation amounts
• Temperature extremes
• Barometer readings

Question 14

METSTAT

Answer 14

A catalogue of weather observing stations in Canada that provides information on their program and hours of operation.

Question 15

How many time zones are there in Canada and what are they?

Answer 15

Six: PST, MST, CST, EST, AST, NST.

Question 16

What kind of time is always used on the 2322?

Answer 16

UTC based on Local Standard Time; it does not change to Daylight Savings Time.

Question 17

What are the types of reports and their abbreviations that you would enter in column 27?

Answer 17

Column 27-Type of report
SA: Hourly
SP: SPECI
C: check

Question 18

What is column 28?

Answer 18

Date

Question 19

What is column 29?

Answer 19

Hour

Question 20

What is column 43?

Answer 20

Observer (initials)

Question 21

How many copies of 2322 are required?

Answer 21

Two; The official copy and the carbon copy

Question 22

How is missing data indicated in an hourly report?

Answer 22

With an M or ‘OBSERVATION MISSING’

Question 23

How is missing data indicated in a synoptic report?

Answer 23

‘X’ is entered for every missing digit, for transmissions, the X is replaced with ‘/’ because letters are not recognized in synoptic messages.

Question 24

What is Form 2325 called?

Answer 24

The Monthly Summary of Instrument Malfunctions, Changes, and New Installations

Question 25

What is Form 2325 used for?

Answer 25

It provides a monthly summary of the station observing program regarding:

• Number of daily scheduled obs
• Type of equipment used to measure wind, humidity, snowfall, and rainfall
• Instrument changes, installations, relocations, and defects
• Changes or other details regarding the scheduled observing program