Weather Reports and Observations Flashcards
What is the meaning of a bracket (]) ploted to the right of a station circle on a weather depiction chart?
The station is an automated observation location
Observations reported by both manual and automatic observation locations provide the data for the chart. The right bracket indicates the present weather information was obtained by an automated system only.
The station originating the following
Weather report has a field elevation of 1300 feet MSL. From the bottom of the overcast cloud layer what is it’s thickness? (tops of OVC are reported at 3800 feet) SPECI KOKC 2228Z 28024G36KT 3/4SM BKN008 OVC020 28/23 A3000.
500 feet
The phrase OVC020 signifies an overcast ceiling of 2,000’. Field elevation is 1,300’. Add 1,300 to 2,000 to determine the MSL bottom of the overcast or 3,300’. The tops are reported at 3,800’
3,800-3,300= 500’, the thickness of the layer
When are ATIS broadcasts updated?
Upon receipt of any official weather, regardless of content change or reported values.
ATIS broadcasts are updated upon the recipt of any official hourly and special weather, or a change in other pertinent data.
Absence of the sky condition and visibility on an ATIS broadcast specifically implies that
the ceiling is more than 5000 feet and visibility is 5 miles or more
A pilot planning to depart at 1100Z on an IFR flight is particularly concerned about the hazard of icing. What sources reflect the most accurate information on icing conditions (current and forecast) at the time of departure?
Area forecast? Low level significant weather prog chart?
Pilot weather reports (PIREPS), AIRMETs and SIGMETs
Both AIRMETs and SIGMETs predict icing conditions. A PIREP may contain icing information if a pilot is experiencing such and has made a report
A pilot reporting turbulence that momentarily causes slight, erratic changes in altitude and or attitude should report it as
light turbulence
Light turb. is defined as that which momentarily causes slight, erratic changes in attitude, and altitude. The aircraft remains in positive control.
Light chop are slight bumps to the aircraft
A ceiling is defined as the height of the
lowest layer of clouds or obscuring phenomena aloftthat is reported as broken or overcast
Ceiling is definedas the height of the lowest broken or overcast layer aloft or vertical visibility into an obstruction
An overall overcast is not requiredto constitute a ceiling. the ceiing would be at the layer where the clouds, along with the accumulation of lower cloud layers, would be consiered broken or overcase.
What important information is provided by the Radar Summary Chart that is not shown on other weather charts?
Lines and cells of hazardous thunderstorms
A radar summary chart is a computer generated graphical display of a collection of radar weather reports. This chart displays areas of precipitation as well as information about type, intensity, configuration, coverage, echo top, and cell movement.
The Surface Analysis Chart depicts
actual frontal positions, pressure patterns, temp, dew point, wind, weather, and obstructions to vision at the valid time of the chart
The surface analysis chart provides a ready means of locating pressure systems and fronts. It also gives an overview of winds, temps, and dew point tempuratres at chart time.
What do Radar Summary Chart symbols indicate within a “third ring”?
The number with a line under it?
The arrow pointing with a number?
Precipitation within the third ring is considered intense or extreme. The 290 with a line under it represents tops at 29000, the arrow pointing to 50 indicates the cell is moving to the northeast at 50knots
The reporting station originating this Aviation Routine Weather Report has a field elevation of 620 feet. If the reported sky cover is one continuous layer, what is its thickness? (tops of OVC are reported at 6500 feet) METAR KMDW 121856Z AUTO 32005KT 1 1/2SM +RABR OVC007 17/16 A2980
5180 feet
The phrase OVC007 = overcase ceiling of 700’. Field elevation is 620’. Add 620 to 700 to determine the bottom of the overcast = 1,320. The tops are reported at 6,500. 6,500 - 1,320 = 5,180’, the thickness of the layer.
On a Radar Summary Chart, what does a dark line and TRW mean?
A dark line represents a line of echos. the “TRW” indicates thunderstorms and rain shows.
What conclusions can be drawn from a 500 milli-bar Constant Pressure Chart for a planned flight at FL180?
Observed tempurature, wind and temp/dew point spread along the proposed route can be approximated
Constant pressure charts provide an overview of selected flying conditions. Data is plotted around a station circle whcih indentifies the stations position. Data includes temperature, temp dew pt, and wind.
What is meant by the entry in the remarks section? RMK RAE42SNB42
Rain ended 42 past the hour, snow began 42 past the hour
Interpret this PIREP. MRB UA/OV MRB/TM 1430/FL060/TP C182/SK BKN BL/WX RA/TB MDT
At 6,000 feet; between layers, moderate turbulence, moderate rain
/SK BKN - indicates sky broken
BL- indicates between layers
/WX RA - moderate rain
/TB MDT - moderate turb
