Weather Information

Question 1

What is a good process for gathering weather data before each flight?

Answer 1

aviationweather. gov/briefing> check hazardous conditions (airmets,sigmets,convective sigmets)> check area forcast and winds aloft> check Prog, surface analysis, radar summary and weather depiction charts> look at METARs and TAFs at the airports you will be going to > after get a standard briefing.
* ALWAYS GET A STANDARD BRIEFING*

Question 2

What methods are recorded? and Why is it important to have a briefing recorded?

Answer 2

1-800-WX-BRIEF or DUATs, because if anthing goes wrong, you want the FAA to know that you were aware of the weather conditions and performed the preflight check.

Question 3

What is a Pilot Report (PIREP)?

Answer 3

Pilot reports are weather observations submitted by pilots. They are either listed as routine (UA) or urgent (UUA). Can be filed and obtained through a briefer, ATC, flight service stations…

Question 4

What is a METAR?

Answer 4

An observation of weather conditions at the airport surface. Contains information such as location/time, wind, visibility, precip, sky coverage, temp/dewpoint, altimeter, remarks… It is issued hourly, roughly 50 minutes past the hour and is valid until next METAR is posted. or if a SPECI METAR is posted.

Question 5

What is a FA?

Answer 5

Area Forecast- An FA is a forecast of weather conditions over a large geographical area (several states). Contains a header, precautionary statements, synopsis, VFR clouds weather. Issued 3 times daily, and is valid for 18 hours ( a 12 hour forecast and a 6 hour outlook).

Question 6

What is a Surface Analysis chart?

Answer 6

Displays front and pressure system positions along with detailed weather observations at various locations. It is issued every 3 hours, and is an observation (which means it is valid until the next chart is published).

Question 7

What is a Radar Summary Chart?

Answer 7

Displays precipitation echoes, along with type, trend, movement and intensity. Issued hourly, and is valid 35 minutes past each hour.

Question 8

Where do you find winds and temperatures aloft?

Answer 8

An FB is a forecast of wind speed and direction as well as temperatures over a specific reporting points at various altitudes. Issued 2 times daily.

Question 9

Why are winds and temperatures aloft important?

Answer 9

You can get valuable information from them like most favorable altitude, areas of possible icing, temperature inversions, and turbulence.

Question 10

How are values reported on an FB?

Answer 10

Each altitude is in MSL, winds are in knots, and direction is true. Winds forecasts are not issued for altitudes within 1,500ft of a locations elevation. Temperature is not issued for altitudes within 2,500ft of a locations elevation. If wind speed is above 100kts the message will be encoded (subtract 50 from direction and add 100 to speed). Light and Variable is 9900.

Question 11

How can you determine the Freezing Level?

Answer 11

Freezing Level can be determined by Freezing Level charts, Airmet Zulu, Pireps, Winds/temps aloft, Prognostic chart, standard lapse rate of 2 Degrees per 1000 ft (for a general idea)

Question 12

What is an Airmet (WA)? Issued?

Answer 12

Outlines area of hazardous weather that primarily affects smaller aircraft. Divided into 3 types: Sierra, Tango, Zulu.
Issued every 6 hours and valid for 6 hours

Question 13

What is an Airmet Sierra?

Answer 13

Sierra is for widespread IFR conditions or mountain obscurations.

Question 14

What is an Airmet Tango?

Answer 14

Tango is for moderate turbulence, low level wind shear, and or sustained surface winds greater to or equal to 30kts.

Question 15

What is an Airmet Zulu?

Answer 15

Zulu is for moderate icing or freezing level.

Question 16

What is a Sigmet? Issued?

Answer 16

Outlines areas of hazardous weather (not associated with a thunderstorm) that affects all aircraft. It includes severe icing, severe or greater turbulence, clear air turbulence, sand dust storms that lower visibility less than 3 miles, volcanic ash. Issued as required and is valid for 4 hours.

Question 17

What is a Convective Sigmet? Issued?

Answer 17

Outlines areas of hazardous weather associated with a thunderstorm that affects all aircraft. Issued for severe thunderstorms with surface wind greater that 50kts, hail at the surface greater than 3/4 inch or tornadoes. Also issued for embedded Thunderstorms, line of thunderstorms, thunderstorms with heavy precipitation that affect 40% of a 3000ft square mile area. They are issued hourly 55 minutes past the hour and can be an observation and a forecast, or just a forecast. Forecast is valid for 2 hours.

Question 18

Do weather charts report wind direction in True or Magnetic?

Answer 18

The General rule of thumb is: If you read it, it’s true. If you hear it, it’s magnetic.

METAR,TAF, Winds aloft, use true
ATIS/AWOS broadcast and any controller uses magnetic.

one exception is a briefer because they are reading it off of published charts for you

Question 19

How do you convert between True and Magnetic?

Answer 19

You convert between the two by using the isogonic lines on charts.

Question 20

What are some characteristics of a stable atmosphere?

Answer 20

Smooth air, Poor visibility, stratus clouds and steady precipitation.

Question 21

What are some characteristics of an unstable atmosphere?

Answer 21

Turbulent air, Good visibility, cumulous clouds, showery precipitation.

Question 22

What sources would you use to find stable/ unstable air masses?

Answer 22

FA, METARs, TAFs, to figure out cloud type, precipitation, and visibility. Use Airmets/Sigmets and PIREPs for turbulence. Fronts generally provide lifting forces which could create an unstable airmass, and look for low pressure systems which can cause lifting as well.

Question 23

What sources would you use to find moisture in the atmosphere?

Answer 23

Temperature/Dewpoint spread, look for FG or BR in METARs/TAFs, clouds are a form of moisture.

Question 24

What sources would you use to find frontal activity?

Answer 24

Surface Analysis Chart, Weather depiction, falling altimeter, trend in temp/dewpoint shifting winds

Question 25

What are the characteristics of a Cold Front?

Answer 25

a mass of cold dense air, replaces warmer air, it acts as a snow plow and stay close to the ground sliding under the warmer less dense air.

sudden storms, gusty winds, and sometimes even hail

Question 26

What are the characteristics of a Warm Front?

Answer 26

a mass of warmer air replacing cooler air , they move slowly, slides over the colder air and gradually pushes it out

Low ceilings, poor visibility, rain

Question 27

What is an occluded front?

Answer 27

An occlusion occurs when a fast moving cold front catches up with a slow moving warm front.

Question 28

Describe a Cold Front Occlusion.

Answer 28

Fast moving cold front is COLDER than the air ahead of the warm front. A mixture of both warm and cold front weather is observed.

Question 29

Describe a Warm Front Occlusion.

Answer 29

Fast moving cold front is WARMER than the air ahead of the warm front. Embedded thunderstorms, rain, and fog are likely.

Question 30

What is a Stationary Front?

Answer 30

When the force of two air masses are relatively equal, the boundary between them remains stationary. Weather is typically a mixture of both cold and warm fronts. Can last for days.

Question 31

What are some characteristics of a High Pressure system?

Answer 31

REMEMBER: “High OCD”
which means High pressure system goes Outward, Clockwise, and Downward.

Anticyclonic
Represented as an “H” on charts.

Question 32

What are some characteristics of a Low Pressure system?

Answer 32

Opposite of “High OCD”
Low; Inward, Counterclockwise, and upward.

Cyclonic

Represented by a “L” on charts.

Question 33

What is a definition of a Ceiling?

Answer 33

A ceiling is the altitude of the lowest obstruction to vertical visibility. More specifically, it is the lowest layer of broken or overcast. Weather reports like METARs, TAFs, FAs. will report ceilings.

Question 34

How are Thunderstorms formed?

Answer 34

For a thunderstorm to form there must be sufficient moisture, unstable air, and a lifting force.

Question 35

What are the 3 stages of a thunderstorm?

Answer 35

Cumulus- characterized by strong updrafts
Mature- precipitation beginning to fall from the cloud base signals that a downdraft has developed and a cell has entered the mature stage
Dissipating- downdrafts characterize the dissipating stage and the storm dies rapidly.

Question 36

What are some possible hazards of a thunderstorm?

Answer 36

Squall lines, a narrow band of active thunderstorms typically forming ahead of a cold front, tornadoes, turbulence, wind shear, microbursts, icing, hail, low visibility, low ceilings, lightning.