CTO Weather Observation & Reporting 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A METAR observation reports winds as '27018G32KT'. What does the 'G32' portion indicate?
- Gust speed of 32 knots (Correct answer)
- Ground speed of 32 knots
- Gradient wind of 32 knots
- Gusting to 3.2 mph
Correct answer: Gust speed of 32 knots
The 'G' prefix in a METAR wind group indicates gusts, and '32KT' is the peak gust speed in knots.
Question 2: What ceiling value would be reported in a METAR when the lowest broken or overcast layer is at 2,500 feet AGL?
- BKN025 (Correct answer)
- OVC025
- SCT025
- FEW025
Correct answer: BKN025
The ceiling is the lowest layer reported as broken (BKN) or overcast (OVC); BKN025 indicates broken clouds at 2,500 feet.
Question 3: Which weather phenomenon is encoded as 'FZFG' in a METAR?
- Freezing fog (Correct answer)
- Frozen fog patches
- Funnel cloud fog
- Falling fog
Correct answer: Freezing fog
FZFG stands for freezing fog, a significant hazard as it deposits rime ice on aircraft surfaces.
Question 4: In a METAR, the sky condition group 'SKC' is used at automated stations instead of 'CLR'. What does 'CLR' specifically indicate?
- No clouds below 12,000 feet (Correct answer)
- No clouds below 6,000 feet
- Clear skies below 10,000 feet
- No clouds detected at any altitude
Correct answer: No clouds below 12,000 feet
CLR is reported by automated stations when no clouds are detected below 12,000 feet AGL.
Question 5: A pilot reports an unrestricted visibility of greater than 10 miles. How is this reported in a METAR?
- P6SM (Correct answer)
- 10SM
- P10SM
- UNLIM
Correct answer: P6SM
Visibilities greater than 6 statute miles are reported as 'P6SM' (plus 6 statute miles) in a METAR.
Question 6: What is the correct METAR qualifier for light precipitation intensity?
- A minus (-) sign before the weather code (Correct answer)
- A plus (+) sign before the weather code
- The letter L before the weather code
- No qualifier; light is the default
Correct answer: A minus (-) sign before the weather code
A minus sign (-) preceding a weather descriptor indicates light intensity precipitation in a METAR.
Question 7: Which METAR remark provides information about the peak wind observed since the last METAR was issued?
- PK WND (Correct answer)
- WSHFT
- LWR
- PRESRR
Correct answer: PK WND
The PK WND remark records the peak wind direction, speed, and time of occurrence since the last observation.
CTO Weather Observation & Reporting 2
A METAR observation reports winds as '27018G32KT'.
What does the 'G32' portion indicate?