METARs and Weather Description Charts

Question 1

What is a METAR?

Answer 1

Routine, automated weather reports reported every hour on wind, visibility, precip, cloud cover, temperature, dewpoint, and altimeter setting

Question 2

When is a SPECI METAR issued?

Answer 2

Issued when conditions change significantly before the next report?

Question 3

What are the first three parts of a metar?

Answer 3

Where (airport code) When (Time in Zulu and date) Wind (Direction, Speed, Gust)

Question 4

What follows the wind on a METAR?

Answer 4

Visibility (in statute miles), Precipitation (coded), Obscurations, Cloud cover layers

Question 5

What are the abbreviations and meanings of the cloud layers?

Answer 5

SKC/CLR = Sky Clear, FEW = 1-2 eights, SCT = 3-4 eights, BKN = 5-7 eights, OVC = 8 eights

Question 6

Which layer is considered the ceiling?

Answer 6

The lowest broken or overcast layer

Question 7

What are weather depiction charts?

Answer 7

Displays current areas of VFR, IFR, and current weather

Question 8

When is weather considered IFR?

Answer 8

Ceiling below 1000’ AGL and visibility less than 3 sm

Question 9

When is weather considered MVFR?

Answer 9

Ceiling between 1000’-3000’ AGL, and/or visibility is 3-5 sm