Preflight - Aviation Weather Forecast

Question 1

What is the terminal aerodrome forecast?

Answer 1

TAFs:Concise format for a 5SM area around an airport
Type of reports: TAF AMD (amended)/COR (corrected)
Station identifier: ICAO four letter identifier
Date and time: When TAF was issued 6-digit (DAY)(TIME)
Valid period: Issued 4 times a day for 24/30 hours (DAY)(BEGIN-TIME)/(DAY)(END-TIME)
Forecasts: Weather report

Question 2

What is an aviation area forecast?

Answer 2

FA Regional weather reports for the 6 areas of U.S. issued 3 times a day

 - Show AIRMET, SIGMET, and Convective SIGMET
 - Useful for airports with no TAG

Question 3

What information is provided by an aviation area forecast?

Answer 3

Issued to cover surface to 45,000 AMSL
Synopsis: Discussion of weather in the area
Clouds and weather: Cloud and weather for first 12 hour period
-Cloud amount (SCT,BKN, or OVC)
-Cloud bases/tops AMSL
-Precipitation
-Visibility
-Surface winds 20 knot+
12-to-18 categorical outlook: IFR/MVFR/VFR

Question 4

What is a graphical forecast for aviation?

Answer 4

GFA

Intended to show a complete picture of weather from 14 hours past to 15 hours future

Question 5

What are the four types of Inflight Aviation Weather Advisories?

Answer 5

SIGMET (WS)/convective SIGMET(WST)/AIRMET(WA)/Center Wx advisory (CWA)

Question 6

What is a convective SIGMET?

Answer 6

WST: implies severe turbulence, sever icing, and low-level wind shear. Issued at H+55 and updated as required and valid for 2 hours
Surface Thunderstorm:
     -Winds 50knot+
     -Hail 3/4 inch+
     -Tornadoes
     -Embedded TS
     -Line of TS
     -Effects 40% or 3000sqmi

Question 7

What is a SIGMET?

Answer 7

WS: Weather hazardous to all aircraft, issued for a maximum of 4 hours including:

 - Sever Wx not associated with TS
 - Severe or CAT no associated with TS
 - Dust/sand storm lowering visibility to 3SM-
 - Volcanic ash

Question 8

What is an AIRMET?

Answer 8

WA: Weather with lower intensities than WS/WST

Issued every 6 hours beginning at 0245 UTC.

Question 9

What are the different types of AIRMETs?

Answer 9

Sierra: IFR conditions or extensive mountain obscuration
Tango: Turbulence, winds 30knot+, low-level wind shear
Zulu: Icing

Question 10

What is a winds and temperature aloft forecast (FB)?

Answer 10

Computer generated wind direction/speed and temperates issued 4 times a day

 - date/time of collection
 - 15,000' in MSL 18,000'+ in FL
 - up to FL240 temperature issued with minus sign after FL240 minus is omitted
 - Direction indicated as true  
 - Light and variable indicated by 9900
 - Winds over 100 knots 50 is added to the direction  * not issued within 1,500' of field elevation

Question 11

What valuable information can be determined from a winds and temperature aloft forecast?

Answer 11

Most favorable altitude
Areas of possible icing (-20°C-2°C)
Temperature inversions
Turbulence

Question 12

What is a Center Weather Advisory?

Answer 12

CWA: Aviation warning used by aircrews to anticipate and avoid adverse weather
Issued for a maximum of 2 hours