Weather Flashcards

1
Q

Define: Trough

A

An area of low pressure.

Area of rising air. Rising air is conducive to cloudiness and precipitation. (bad weather with low pressure)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Define: Ridge

A

An area of high pressure.

Area of descending air. This favors dissipation of clouds. (good weather with high pressure)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Define: Isobars

A

Connects areas of equal pressure

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What does it mean when isobars are close together?

A

There is a steep pressure gradient and higher wind speeds exist.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What causes the winds aloft to flow parallel to the isobars?

A

The Coriolis Force

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Why do surface winds generally flow across the isobars at an angle?

A

Surface friction

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Define: Dew Point

A

The temperature at which the air must be cooled to become saturated

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Dew point and temperature close together means what?

A

Clouds, fog, dew

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

How do you determine stability of the atmosphere?

A

Unstable: temperature decreases uniformy and rapidly 3 degrees celcius every 1000ft
Stable: temperature remains unchanged or decreases slightly with altitude

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

During pre-flight, what type of meteorological information should you be aware of with respect to icing?

A

Location of fronts
Cloud layers
Freezing levels
Air temperature and pressure

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Define: Freezing Level

A

Lowest altitude in the atmosphere at which the air temperature is 0 degrees celcius.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Where can you get icing information?

A

PIREPs
AIRMETs
SIGMETs
Area Forecasts

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What conditions are necessary for structural icing?

A

Visible moisture

Below freezing temperatures at the point moisture strikes the aircraft

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What are the main types of icing an aircraft may encounter?

A

Structural icing
Induction system icing
Instrument icing

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What are the 3 types of structural icing?

A

Clear ice
Rime ice
Mixed ice

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What action should you take if you encounter icing conditions?

A

Leave the area of visible moisture

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

What factors must be present for a thunderstorm?

A

Sufficient water vapor
Unstable lapse rate
Lifting force

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

What are the 2 ways fog can form?

A

Cooling air to the dewpoint

Adding moisture to the air near the ground

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

5 types of fog

A
Radiation fog
Advection fog
Upslope fog
Precipitation induced fog
Ice fog
20
Q

Define: Wind Shear

A
Big change in wind velocity and direction
Can occur:
 -low level temperature inversion
 -frontal zone / thunderstorm
 -clear air turbulence
21
Q

What types of weather reports will you use to determine if wind shear might exist?

A
Terminal forecasts
METARs
SIGMETs
LLWAS (low level wind shear alert system)
PIREPs
22
Q

What is the primary means of obtaining a weather report?

A

FSS

1-800-WX-BRIEF

23
Q

What types of weather briefings are available from FSS?

A

Standard briefing
Abbreviated briefing
Outlook briefing
In-flight briefing

24
Q

Define: EFAS

A

En Route Flight Advisory Service

  • weather advisories in flight
  • PIREPs
  • 122.0 “flight watch”
25
Q

Define: HIWAS

A

Hazardous In flight Weather Advisory Service

26
Q

Define: PIREPs

A

Pilot weather reports.
UA - Standard Pilot Report
UUA - Urgent Pilot Report

27
Q

Define: Radar Weather Report (SD)

A

Contains information on precipitation observed by weather radar

28
Q

Define: Aviation Area Forecast (FA)

A

Used to determine en-route weather and to interpolate weather conditions at airports with not TAFs

29
Q

What is the use of In-flight aviation weather advisories (WST, WS, WA)?

A

Warn of potentially hazardous weather

  • SIGMET
  • Convective SIGMET
  • AIRMET
30
Q

Define: Convective SIGMET

A
Severe thunderstorm
-50 knot surface winds
-3/4" hail
-tornadoes
Embedded thunderstorms
Line of thunderstorms
31
Q

Define: SIGMET

A

Severe icing not associated with thunderstorms
Severe turbulence or clear air turbulence
Volcanic ash
Dust or sand storms

32
Q

Define: AIRMET Sierra

A

IFR conditions or mountain obstructions

33
Q

Define: AIRMET Tango

A

Moderate turbulence
30 knot surface winds
Wind shear

34
Q

Define: AIRMET Zulu

A

Moderate icing

Freezing level heights

35
Q

Why use Winds and Temperatures aloft?

A

Determine most favorable altitude
Possible icing
Temperature inversions
Turbulence

36
Q

Examples of weather charts available for flight planning?

A
Surface analysis charts
Weather depiction chart
Radar summary chart
Short range surface prog chart
Significant weather prog chart
Convective outlook chart
Constant pressure analysis chart
37
Q

Define: Surface Analysis Chart

A

Pressure systems and fronts
Winds, temperatures, dew point temperatures
- transmitted every 3 hours

38
Q

Define: Low IFR

A

Ceiling less than 500 ft

Visibility less than 1 mile

39
Q

Define: IFR

A

Ceiling 1000-500 ft

Visibility 1-3 miles

40
Q

Define: Marginal VFR (MVFR)

A

Ceiling 1000-3000 ft

Visibility 3-5 miles

41
Q

Define: VFR

A

Ceiling greater than 3000 ft

Visibility 5+ miles

42
Q

Define: Radar Summary Chart

A

Shows areas of precipitation

-general areas of movement of precipitation and storms

43
Q

Define: Short Range Surface Prognostic Chart

A

“progs”
surface up to 24,000 ft
forecast weather conditions (12, 24, 36, 48 hr progs)

44
Q

Define: Low Level Significant Weather Prog Chart

A

Forecast significant weather from surface to FL240

  • 2 lower panels depict 12 & 24 hour surface progs
  • 2 upper panels depict 12 & 24 hour sig weather progs
45
Q

Define: Mid-Level Significant Weather Chart

A

Forecast and overview of significant en-route weather from 10,000 to FL450
-4 times daily

46
Q

Define: Convective Outlook Chart

A

Depicts area forecasts to have the potential for severe and non-severe weather threats (every 3 days)