Weather Info Flashcards
What is a METAR?
Weather report that usually tells weather at an airport
What does a TAF stand for? What does it provide?
Terminal Aerodrome Forecast – provide weather report within 5 SM around airport
How often are TAFs updated?
4 times a day – every 6 hours
What are the four TAF symbols and what do they mean?
FM: from; indidcates rapid change – BECMG: becoming; gradual change for <2 hours – TEMPO: temporary; indicates change for <1 hour – PROB: probability; will have a # for probability
What does SKC mean?
clear skies
What does BC, BL, DR, FZ, MI, PR, SH, TS mean in terms of weather descriptions?
Patches, blowing, low drifting, freezing, shallow, partial, showers, thunderstorms
What does a minus sign, no sign, and a plus sign indicate?
the intensity — light, moderate, and heavy respectively
What does CB, CIR, TCU mean for cloud types?
Cumulonimbus, Cirrus, Towering cumulonimbus
What does BR, DS, DU, DZ, FC, +FC, FG, FU, GR, and GS mean for visibility obstructions?
Mist, dust storm, widespread dsut, drizzle, funnel cloud, tornado, fog, smoke, hail, small hail
What does HZ, IC, PE, PO, PY, RA, SA, SG, SN, SQ, SS, UP, and VA mean for visibility obstructions?
Haze, ice crystals, ice pellets, dust, spray, rain, sand, snow grains, snow, squall, sand storm, unknown precipitaiton, volcanic ash
What does BKN, CLR, FEW, OVC, SCT, SKC, W mean for cloud cover?
broken, clear, few, overcast, scattered, sky clear, vertical visiblity
What is a SIGMET? What are the two types?
Significant Meteorological Info – convective and non convective
What are Convective sigmets?
issued for severe thunderstorms, hail, tornadoes – to advise pilots of surface winds of 50 or more knots that effect 40% or more of a 3k square mile area
