FAA Private Pilot Weather Test 2

Question 1

An almond or lens-shaped cloud which appears stationary, but which may contain winds of 50 knots or more, is referred to as

Accepted Answer

a lenticular cloud.

Answer

An almond or lens-shaped cloud that appears stationary, often found near mountainous terrain, is characteristic of a lenticular cloud. These clouds form in stable air when strong winds blow across a mountain barrier, creating standing waves in the atmosphere. Despite their stationary appearance, the air within them can be moving at high speeds, posing a potential hazard to aircraft due to associated turbulence.

Question 2

What is indicated when a current CONVECTIVE SIGMET forecasts thunderstorms?

Accepted Answer

Thunderstorms obscured by massive cloud layers.

Answer

A CONVECTIVE SIGMET is issued for significant weather phenomena associated with thunderstorms that are hazardous to all aircraft. One of the criteria for issuing a CONVECTIVE SIGMET is the presence of embedded thunderstorms. These are thunderstorms that are obscured by massive cloud layers, making them particularly dangerous as they are difficult for pilots to visually identify and avoid.

Question 3

Crests of standing mountain waves may be marked by stationary, lens-shaped clouds known as

Accepted Answer

standing lenticular clouds.

Answer

When stable air flows over mountains, it can create standing waves in the atmosphere. The crests of these waves, where the air rises and cools, can lead to the formation of characteristic stationary, lens-shaped clouds. These are known as standing lenticular clouds, and they are a visual indicator of potential severe turbulence and strong winds associated with mountain wave activity.

Question 4

The suffix "nimbus," used in naming clouds, means

Accepted Answer

a rain cloud.

Answer

In meteorology, the suffix "nimbus" (or prefix "nimbo-") is used in cloud names to indicate that the cloud is a rain-producing cloud. For example, nimbostratus clouds are layered rain clouds, and cumulonimbus clouds are towering thunderstorm clouds that produce heavy rain, lightning, and sometimes hail.

Question 5

When may hazardous wind shear be expected?

Accepted Answer

In areas of low-level temperature inversion, frontal zones, and clear air turbulence.

Answer

Hazardous wind shear is a sudden change in wind speed or direction over a short distance, which can be extremely dangerous for aircraft, especially during takeoff and landing. It is commonly associated with several atmospheric conditions, including low-level temperature inversions, where a layer of warm air sits above colder air, frontal zones where two air masses meet, and clear air turbulence (CAT) often found near jet streams.

FAA Practice Test

FAA Practice Test

FAA Private Pilot Weather Test 2