Weather & Weather Reports Flashcards
What is a METAR
Hourly weather observations for pilots
What is a TAF
Forecast of weather to come, valid for 24 or 30 hours (bigger airports)
VFR, MVFR, IFR (cloud layers & visibility)
VFR
3sm visibility, 1,000 ft ceilings
MVFR
3-5sm of visibility, 1,000ft-3,000ft ceilings
IFR
1sm-3sm, 500-1000ft ceilings
LIFR
<1sm, <500ft ceilings
What is an AIRMET and what types
-Generally for small aircraft
-Issued 4x a day, valid for 6 hours
Zulu:
Icing Conditions
Tango:
Turbulence
Serria:
IFR Conditions/Mountian obstructions
What is a SIGMET
-For all aircraft, Severe weather that is non-convective
-Issued as needed, valid for 4 hours
-Severe turbulence, severe icing, dust storm, volcanic ash, surface winds of 30+kt
What is a Convective SIGMET
-Issued every 55min past the hour, every hour, valid for 2 hours
Contains:
Thunderstorms, Embedded Thunderstorms, Squall lines, Tornados, Hail (>3/4in), sustained surface windows of 50+kt
Winds Aloft Chart
-Within 1,500 no wind or temp data
-Within 2,500 just wind data
-subtract 50 from direction add 100 to wind speed
Fog Types
When air mass is fully saturated (dew point) and condenses
Radiation Fog
sun heats the surface, will eventually rise and cause fog
Advection Fog
in the summer, air over the water is warmer and gets pushed onto cool land
Steam Fog
water temperature is warmer than air, just above the water is cooled
Upslope fog
warmer air mass moved upslope and cools
Valley Fog
warm air gets trapped in valleys and cools.
Cloud Types
-Low Clouds (Stratus)
-Middle Clouds (Alto)
-High Clouds (Cirrus)
-Thunderstorm (Cumulonimbus)
-Heavy precipitation (Nimbus)
Ice Types & Temps
-Visible moisture, temps at or below freezing
Clear
-0c to -10c
-Forms from super-cooled water droplets
-Harder to detect
Mixed
-10c to -15c
-Mixture of both Clear and Rime
Rime
-15c to colder
-Ice crystals (frost)
How do thunderstorms form
Uplifting motion, unstable atmosphere, visible moisture
