Weather Reporting

Question 1

What are the different types of analysis?

Answer 1

Surface Analysis Chart
Radar Summary Chart
Weather Depiction Chart

Question 2

What are the different types of forecasts?

Answer 2

Area Forecast
Terminal Aerodrome Forecast
Winds Aloft Forecast (FB)
Significant Weather Forecast

Question 3

What are the different types of observations?

Answer 3

METAR
ATIS
AWOS/ASOS
PIREP
SD - Radar Report

Question 4

What are the significant weather reports?

Answer 4

AIRMET
-Sierra
-Tango
-Zulu
SIGMET
Convective SIGMET

Question 5

Surface Analysis Chart

Answer 5

Issued 8 times a day
Valid for 3 hours

Pacific issued 4 times a day, valid for 6 hours

Fronts and atmospheric pressure systems

Question 6

Weather Depiction Chart

Answer 6

Issued 8 times a day
Valid for 3 hours

METAR reports from a large area
Depicts VFR, MVFR, IFR areas

Question 7

Area Forecast

Answer 7

Issued 3 times a day on mainland
4 times a day in Hawaii
Valid for 12 hours with a 6 hour outlook

Header
Precautionary Statement
Synopsis
VFR Clouds and Weather
Outlook

Question 8

TAF

Answer 8

Issued 4 times a day

Valid for 24 hours

Question 9

Winds Aloft Forecast (FB)

Answer 9

Issued 4 times a day

Forecast 6, 12, and 24 hours

Question 10

Significant Weather Prognostic

Answer 10

Issued 4 times a day
12 and 24 hour forecast

Significant turbulence
Conducive to icing
Poor visibility
Low ceilings

Question 11

METAR

Answer 11

Issued every hour

Valid one hour

Question 12

AWOS/ASOS

Answer 12

Every minute

Valid one minute

Question 13

PIREPS

Answer 13

Issued as received

Question 14

AIRMET Sierra

Answer 14

Issued 4 times a day
Valid for 6 hours

Over 50% of an area with

• Ceilings less than 1000’
• Visibility less than 3 miles

Question 15

AIRMET Tango

Answer 15

Issued 4 times a day
Valid for 6 hours

Turbulence, strong surface winds, and low level wind shear

• Moderate turbulence
• Sustained surface winds 30kts or more

Question 16

AIRMET Zulu

Answer 16

Issued 4 times a day
Valid for 6 hours

Moderate icing

Question 17

SIGMET

Answer 17

Issued as needed
Valid for 4 hours

Severe icing
Severe turbulence
Dust storms and sandstorms with visibility 
< 3SM
Volcanic ash

Question 18

Convective SIGMET

Answer 18

Issued as needed
Valid for 2 hours

Severe or greater

• Turbulence
• Icing
• Low level wind shear

Thunderstorms
 - Lines
 - Embedded
 - Over a large area
Hail > ¾”
Wind gusts 50kts or greater
Tornadoes