Meteorology

Question 1

ICAO Standard Atmosphere

Answer 1

1. The air is a perfectly dry gas.
2. A mean sea level pressure of 29.92 inches of mercury.
3. A mean sea level temperature of 15 degrees Celsius.
4. The rate of decrease of temperature wit altitude is 1.98 degrees Celsius per 1000 feet.

Question 2

Lapse Rate

Answer 2

Lapse rate is the rate of decrease of temperature with height.

Question 3

Stratus clouds

Answer 3

are uniform grayish clouds that often cover the
entire sky. They resemble fog that does not reach the ground.
Usually no precipitation falls from stratus clouds, but
sometimes they may drizzle. When a thick fog “lifts,” the
resulting clouds are low stratus.

Question 4

Nimbostratus clouds

Answer 4

form a dark gray, “wet” looking cloudy layer associated with continuously falling rain or
snow. They often produce precipitation that is usually light to moderate.

Question 5

“Alto” Clouds

Answer 5

Clouds with the prefix “alto” are middle level clouds that have bases between 2000 and 7000 m (6500 to 23,000
ft.).

Question 6

Altocumulus clouds

Answer 6

are middle level clouds that are made of water droplets and
appear as gray, puffy masses, sometimes rolled out in parallel waves or bands. The appearance of these clouds on a warm, humid summer morning often means thunderstorms may occur by late
afternoon

Question 7

Altostratus clouds

Answer 7

gray or blue-gray middle level clouds composed of ice
crystals and water droplets. These clouds usually cover the entire sky. In the thinner
areas of the cloud, the sun may be dimly visible as a round disk. Altostratus clouds
often form ahead of storms that will produce continuous precipitation

Question 8

Cirrus clouds

Answer 8

Thin, wispy clouds blown by high winds into long streamers. They
are considered “high clouds” forming above 6000 m (20,000 ft). Cirrus clouds usually
move across the sky from west to east. They generally mean fair to pleasant weather

Question 9

Cirrostratus clouds

Answer 9

are thin, sheet-like high clouds that
often cover the entire sky. They are so thin that the sun and
moon can be seen through them.

Question 10

Cirrocumulus clouds

Answer 10

s appear as small, rounded white puffs. The small
ripples in the cirrocumulus sometimes resemble the scales of a fish. A sky
with cirrocumulus clouds is sometimes referred to as a “mackerel sky.”

Question 11

Cumulus clouds

Answer 11

are puffy clouds that sometimes look like pieces of floating cotton. The base of each cloud is
often flat and may be only 1000 m (330 ft) above the ground. The top of the cloud has rounded towers. When the
top of the cumulus resembles the head of a cauliflower, it is called cumulus congestus or towering cumulus. These
clouds grow upward, and they can develop into a giant cumulonimbus, which is a thunderstorm cloud.

Question 12

Cumulonimbus clouds

Answer 12

are thunderstorm clouds that form if cumulus congestus clouds continue to grow vertically.
Their dark bases may be no more than 300 m (1000 ft) above the Earth’s surface. Their tops may extend upward to over 12,000 m (39,000 ft). Tremendous amounts of energy are released by the condensation of water vapour within
a cumulonimbus. Lightning, thunder, and even violent tornadoes are associated with the cumulonimbus.