Reporting Flashcards
What is the world area forecast centre (WAFC)
Based in London and Washington
Issue significant weather charts
What does the world area forecast centres (WAFC) report on
Upper winds / temps / humidity
Tropopause height / temp
Significant weather
What are the meteorological offices
Located all over the world
Exeter
What does the meteorological offices report
TAF
What does the meteorological watch offices do (MWO)
Weather warnings
SIGMET,
AIRMET (for low level)
What are meteorological stations
Aerodrome based
What do meteorological stations report on
METAR
SPECI
TREND
What is a volcanic ash advisory centre (VAAC)
Minister then report to meteorological organisation the info generated
They don’t issue warnings / forecasts only advise meteorological watch offices
What is tropical cyclone advisory centre (TCAC)
Ministers activity then reports info to meteorological watch offices
Don’t issue warnings / forecast only advice meteorological watch offices
What is aircraft meteorological data relay (AMDAR)
Info sensed from aircraft sensors transmitted via ACARS datalink and passed to meteorological office if required
How can you get meteorological information en-route
ATIS -radio
D-ATIS = datalink atis
What is a VOLMET
Includes info from METAR, SPECI, TREND
includes info for up to 10 airfields in a area
What is the North used for wind on a VOLMET
True north because it’s created by a meteorological person
What’s the different between HF and VHF VOLMET
HF= scheduled forecast
VHF = continuous
Where can you see TREND info in s VOLMET? VHF/HF?
Both
What is a METAR
Every 30-60 mins
Landing forecast or trend (as required only for next 2 hours)
SPECI (change or operational significance)
TAF
Terminal area forecast
Issued every 3 or 6 hours
Valid for 9 - 36 hours
SIGWX
Significant weather
Charts for high, medium, low level
Issued every 6-9 hours
GAMET
Issued every 6 hours
Low level text
What is a sigmet warning
Upper level
Valid for 4-6 hours
What is a AIRMET warning
Low level
Valid for 4 hours
What is a SNOWTAM
Airfield condition due to snow: slush / ice
Valid up to 24 hours
What is a ASHTAM
Volcanic activity and ash clouds - valid up to 24 hours
What is a aerodrome warning (ADW)
Conditions affecting aircraft and facilities on the ground
What does a METAR tell you
Routine report content SPECI TREND / landing forecast runway state Windshear warning
Only a METAR has temp/dew QNH
What is CAVOK
Vis 10km>
No CB/TC
No cloud 5000ft or highest min safe alt (sector alt)
Whatever is greater
No significant weather
How do you round temperature and QNH
Temperature rounded up
QNH rounded down
(To create the worst condition)
What is M01
-1°c
What do you need if a pressure is less than 1000hpa
A 0 at the beginning
Eg Q0998hpa
What does the prefix RE mean
Recent weather
REGR = recent hail
What is the format of s runway decoder
RR T E DD BB
RR = runway designator T = type of deposit E = extent of contamination DD = depth of deposit BB = breaking condition
How long does a windshear warning last
Updated every minute
WS21 = windshear runway 21
What does WS TKOF 25 mean
Windshear present on takeoff from runway 25
What does WS LND 06 mean
Windshear present in landing on runway 06
What does WA ALL RWY mean
Windshear present in all runways
What will TAF not include
Temp/dew QNH, recent weather, windshear, runway state
What does TEMPO mean
Temporary
May occur within given period, condition will last up to 1 hour
What does PROB mean
Probably
Likely change (max 40%)
What does BCMG mean
Permanent change (gradual)
What are the requirements for wind to be “variable” (VRB)
Below 3 knots
What does a wind need to be for it to have the variation presented as 270V210
Wind variation of more than 3 knots and more than 60°of variation
What does TEMPO mean
Can happen more than once for less than 1 hour each shower
But only for more than half the time of the tempo
What do SIGWX charts include
Jet streams Clear air turbulence Significant cloud Icing Turbulence Height of tropopause
For CBs what’s is ISOL
Isolated - individual
For CBs what’s is OCNL
Occasional (well separated)
For CBs what’s is FRQ
Frequent (little / no separation)
For CBs what’s is EMBD
Embedded
For CBs what’s is WDSPD
Widespread
What is GAMET
Less than 10,000ft
Mountain areas less than 15,000ft
Issued whenever seen fit
What is a routine air report (AIRREP)
Meteorological information from aircraft
Air temp Wind direction Wind speed Turbulence (if any) Icing (if any) Humidity (if available)
What is a severe weather warning issued by the MWO
SEVERE turbulence / icing Ts (OBSC / EMBD / FRQ) SEVERE squall lines Tropical cyclone (windspeed over 34knots) SEVERE mountain wave HEAVY sand or dust storm Volcanic ash clouds
Usually valid for 4 hours
6 if volcanic ash
How long does a sigmet weather warning last
4 hours
6 if volcanic ash
How bad does icing need to be for s SIGMET weather warning
Severe
How bad does squall lines need to be for s SIGMET weather warning
Severe
How bad does mountain waves need to be for s SIGMET weather warning
Severe
How bad does sand or dust storm need to be for s SIGMET weather warning
Heavy
How bad does icing need to be for s AIRMET weather warning
Moderate
How bad does mountain waves need to be for s AIRMET weather warning
Moderate
What is include in a AIRMET weather warning report
Moderate turbulence/ icing Ts (ISOL/OCNL) CB / TC (ISOL / OCNL FRQ) Cloud ceiling (if below 1000ft) Mountains obscured Moderate mountain waves Surface vis <500m Surface wind > 30 kt
What does a special air report from a aircraft contain
Mod / severe turbulence
Mod / severe icing
Severe mountain wave
Thunderstorms (if OBSC/ EMB/ widespread / squall lines / with or without hail)
Heavy dust storm / sandstorm
Volcanic ash cloud
Volcanic activity
What is ground based weather radar (WSR)
Doppler detection of location and movement of water droplets
Returns:
Weak = blue /green
Strong = red/magenta
What gives the greatest weather radar return
1) we hail
2) rain
3) hail
4) wet snow
5) dry hail
6! Dry snow
What are the limitations of weather radar
Black areas don’t mean no weather threats
Strong returns (heavy precipitation) can mask other areas of significant weather
What does a lightning detector do
Some modern radar systems superimpose lightning symbols to warm of high risk areas
What is a stormscope / strikefinder
Points out areas of likely lightning
Simple lightning detector
Inexpensive /light = good for light aircraft
What does a geostationary satellite do
Photographs 1/3rd is earths surface
35,786km above surface
What is a polar orbiting satellite
Passes over the same point of earth 2 times a day
850 km above surface
Closer than geostationary
Better pictures
Able to see clouds better
In what ways can a satellite observe the earth
Visual:
- reflect light
- useful for seeing cloud patterns and weather fronts
- only during daylight hours
Infrared
- shading shows cloud intensity
- grey = low level cloud (warmer)
White = high level cloud (colder)
Don’t know the different between no cloud and low cloud
What would volcanic ash look like on a satellite
Grey streak
Warm (might not appear in infrared)
