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Question 1. Which organization is primarily responsible for issuing METAR reports in the United States? A) Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) B) National Weather Service (NWS) C) National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) D) Department of Transportation (DOT) Answer: B Explanation: The NWS operates the ASOS/AWOS networks that automatically generate METARs for aviation. Question 2. An ICAO identifier “KJFK” refers to which of the following? A) A weather sensor type B) A runway surface condition code C) An airport location code D) A satellite imagery product Answer: C Explanation: ICAO four‑letter codes uniquely identify airports; “KJFK” is John F. Kennedy International Airport. Question 3. In METAR coding, the sky cover “BKN” indicates what fraction of the sky covered by clouds? A) 1/8 to 2/ B) 3/8 to 4/ C) 5/8 to 7/ D) 8/8 (overcast) Answer: C
Explanation: “BKN” (broken) means 5‑7 oktas (5/8 to 7/8) of the sky are cloud‑covered. Question 4. Which unit is used for reporting wind speed in a METAR? A) Meters per second (m/s) B) Kilometers per hour (km/h) C) Knots (kt) D) Miles per hour (mph) Answer: C Explanation: Aviation convention uses knots for wind speed in METARs. Question 5. The term “RVR” stands for: A) Radar Visibility Range B) Runway Visual Range C) Regional Vapor Ratio D) Relative Velocity Reading Answer: B Explanation: RVR is the distance a pilot can see down the runway, measured in feet. Question 6. When converting local time to UTC, which of the following must be considered? A) Latitude of the station B) Daylight Saving Time (DST) offset C) Cloud type present D) Wind direction Answer: B
Answer: A Explanation: Barometers provide the station pressure needed for METARs. Question 10. A METAR reports “VRB03KT”. What does “VRB” indicate? A) Variable wind direction B) Very rapid breezes C) Visibility reduced by fog D) A runway is closed Answer: A Explanation: “VRB” means the wind direction is variable, typically when wind speed is less than 3 kt. Question 11. In METAR coding, the weather code “+RA” describes: A) Light rain B) Moderate rain C) Heavy rain D) Rain with hail Answer: C Explanation: The “+” prefix denotes heavy precipitation; “RA” is rain. Question 12. Which of the following is NOT a standard intensity description for precipitation in METARs? A) - (light) B) + (heavy) C) = (moderate) D) No sign (moderate)
Answer: C Explanation: METARs use “-” for light, “+” for heavy, and no sign for moderate; “=” is not used. Question 13. What is the minimum visibility that triggers a SPECI report in the United States? A) 5 SM B) 3 SM C) 2 SM D) 1 SM Answer: D Explanation: When visibility drops to 1 statute mile or less, a SPECI must be issued. Question 14. Which cloud type is coded as “SG” in METARs? A) Snow grains B) Small hail C) Snow pellets D) Sleet Answer: A Explanation: “SG” stands for snow grains, a type of frozen precipitation. Question 15. When reporting temperature and dew point, the format “15/08” means: A) Temperature 15 °C, dew point 8 °C B) Temperature 15 °F, dew point 8 °F C) Temperature 15 °C, dew point – 8 °C D) Temperature 15 °F, dew point – 8 °F
Answer: A Explanation: Human observers must manually add a tornado report when sensors cannot reliably detect it. Question 19. In a METAR, the code “TSRA” indicates: A) Thunderstorm with rain B) Thunderstorm with snow C) Thunderstorm with drizzle D) Thunderstorm with hail Answer: A Explanation: “TS” = thunderstorm; “RA” = rain; together they describe a thunderstorm producing rain. Question 20. Which of the following is true about sea‑level pressure (SLP) in METARs? A) It is always reported instead of station pressure. B) It is derived from the altimeter setting. C) It is calculated using the station pressure and temperature. D) It is never included in a METAR. Answer: C Explanation: SLP is computed from the observed station pressure and the temperature to standard sea‑level conditions. Question 21. A METAR reports “21012G20KT”. What does the “G20” denote? A) A gust of 20 kt above the mean wind speed B) A wind shift of 20 degrees C) A ground speed of 20 kt
D) A gradient of 20 kt per hour Answer: A Explanation: “G” followed by a number indicates the maximum gust speed (20 kt) observed. Question 22. Which of the following best defines “relative humidity”? A) Ratio of water vapor pressure to saturation vapor pressure at the same temperature B) Difference between dry‑bulb and wet‑bulb temperatures C) Amount of water vapor in grams per cubic meter D) Temperature at which condensation occurs Answer: A Explanation: Relative humidity is a percentage expressing how close the air is to saturation. Question 23. In METAR coding, “+SN” indicates: A) Light snow B) Moderate snow C) Heavy snow D) Snow mixed with rain Answer: C Explanation: The “+” prefix denotes heavy precipitation; “SN” is snow. Question 24. Which condition would most likely cause a “VRB” wind direction to change to a fixed direction in a METAR? A) Wind speed exceeds 3 kt B) Visibility drops below 1 SM C) Temperature rises above 20 °C
D) Replace METARs during night time Answer: B Explanation: SPECI is issued when weather conditions change significantly between scheduled METARs. Question 28. Which of the following is NOT a standard METAR sky cover code? A) SCT B) FEW C) CLR D) HAZ Answer: D Explanation: “HAZ” is not a sky cover code; it is used for haze as an obscuration. Question 29. In a METAR, the code “DZ” represents: A) Drizzle B) Dense fog C) Dust storm D) Freezing rain Answer: A Explanation: “DZ” stands for drizzle, a light liquid precipitation. Question 30. What is the correct way to report a temperature of – 5 °C in a METAR? A) M B) – 5 C) 5M
D) 5–
Answer: A Explanation: “M” before the temperature value indicates a negative (minus) temperature. Question 31. If a METAR reports “BKN020 OVC050”, what are the cloud base heights? A) Broken at 2,000 ft; overcast at 5,000 ft B) Broken at 200 ft; overcast at 500 ft C) Broken at 20,000 ft; overcast at 50,000 ft D) Broken at 2,000 ft; overcast at 500 ft Answer: A Explanation: Cloud heights are given in hundreds of feet; “020” = 2,000 ft, “050” = 5,000 ft. Question 32. Which of the following describes “fog” in METAR coding? A) FG B) FU C) HZ D) DS Answer: A Explanation: “FG” is the code for fog, an obscuration that reduces visibility. Question 33. The term “sector visibility” in METARs is used when: A) Visibility is the same in all directions B) Visibility varies significantly in different directions C) Visibility is measured only at night
C) Moderate thunderstorm with snow D) Heavy thunderstorm with hail Answer: B Explanation: “+” indicates heavy precipitation; combined with “TSRA” it describes a heavy rain thunderstorm. Question 37. In METAR terminology, “wind shift” is defined as a change of direction of at least how many degrees within a 10‑minute period? A) 10° B) 20° C) 30° D) 45° Answer: C Explanation: A wind shift is typically a change of ≥ 30° within 10 minutes. Question 38. Which of the following is true regarding the “wet‑bulb temperature” measurement? A) It is always higher than the dry‑bulb temperature. B) It is used to calculate the dew point. C) It is measured with a standard mercury thermometer. D) It is irrelevant for aviation weather. Answer: B Explanation: Wet‑bulb temperature, measured with a sling psychrometer, is essential for determining dew point and relative humidity. Question 39. A METAR includes “R27/0600V1200”. What does this indicate? A) Runway 27 visual range between 600 ft and 1,200 ft
B) Runway 27 RVR varies from 600 ft to 1,200 ft C) Runway 27 temperature range 60 °C to 120 °C D) Runway 27 wind gusts between 60 kt and 120 kt Answer: B Explanation: “R27/0600V1200” reports variable RVR for runway 27, ranging from 600 ft to 1,200 ft. Question 40. Which of the following codes would be used for “dust storm” in a METAR? A) DS B) DU C) DZ D) DF Answer: B Explanation: “DU” denotes dust, often reported when a dust storm reduces visibility. Question 41. The “pressure tendency” group “50412” in a METAR means: A) Pressure rising 5 hPa over the past 3 hours B) Pressure falling 5 hPa over the past 12 hours C) Pressure steady, no change D) Pressure rising 12 hPa over the past 5 hours Answer: A Explanation: The first two digits (50) represent a 5 hPa rise; the last three (412) indicate a 12‑hour period. Question 42. Which of the following best describes an “ASOS” station? A) Automated Surface Observing System that provides continuous observations
B) Measure the angle to the cloud base with a clinometer and apply trigonometry C) Count the number of cloud layers present D) Assume a standard height of 5,000 ft for all clouds Answer: B Explanation: Visual estimation of cloud base using angle measurement and known distance allows calculation of height. Question 46. A METAR reports “WSHFT”. What does this abbreviation indicate? A) Wind shift B) Weather shift C) Warm surface heat D) Water‑surface humidity Answer: A Explanation: “WSHFT” is a remark indicating a wind shift was observed. Question 47. Which of the following is NOT a standard precipitation intensity indicator in METARs? A) - (light) B) + (heavy) C) = (moderate) D) No sign (moderate) Answer: C Explanation: METARs do not use “=” for intensity; moderate intensity is shown with no sign. Question 48. The abbreviation “TS” in a METAR weather group stands for: A) Turbulent shear
B) Thunderstorm C) Temperature spike D) Trailing smoke Answer: B Explanation: “TS” denotes a thunderstorm. Question 49. Which of the following is a correct way to report a wind from 270° at 15 kt with gusts to 25 kt? A) 2715G25KT B) 27015G25KT C) 27015KT G D) 2715KT/25G Answer: B Explanation: The correct format is “DDDSSGggKT” where DDD = direction, SS = speed, gg = gust. Question 50. In the METAR “METAR KDEN 121755Z 08012KT 10SM SCT025 BKN080 02/01 A RMK AO2 SLP206”, the “SLP206” indicates: A) Sea‑level pressure of 1020.6 hPa B) Sea‑level pressure of 1012.6 hPa C) Station pressure of 1020.6 hPa D) Station pressure of 1012.6 hPa Answer: A Explanation: “SLP206” means 1020.6 hPa (the first digit is omitted; 206 → 1020.6 hPa). Question 51. Which of the following is the correct code for “freezing rain” in a METAR?
A) Variable wind direction, speed 2 kt B) Variable wind direction, speed 20 kt C) Very rapid breezes at 2 kt D) Visual range below 2 SM Answer: A Explanation: “VRB” indicates variable direction; “02KT” is a wind speed of 2 knots. Question 55. In METAR coding, the abbreviation “BR” signifies: A) Brisk rain B) Mist (light obscuration) C) Broken clouds D) Bright sunshine Answer: B Explanation: “BR” stands for mist, a light obscuring phenomenon. Question 56. Which of the following would trigger a “SPECI” due to a ceiling change? A) Ceiling dropping from 2,500 ft to 900 ft B) Ceiling rising from 1,000 ft to 1,200 ft C) Ceiling remaining constant at 3,000 ft D) Ceiling rising above 10,000 ft Answer: A Explanation: A drop below 1,000 ft (or a significant change) mandates a SPECI. Question 57. The abbreviation “TSNO” in a METAR would indicate:
A) Thunderstorm with no precipitation B) Thunderstorm with snow C) Thunderstorm with no cloud cover D) Thunderstorm with normal visibility Answer: A Explanation: “NO” means “none”; therefore, “TSNO” signals a thunderstorm without observable precipitation. Question 58. Which of the following is the correct way to report a temperature of 25 °C and a dew point of 18 °C? A) 25/ B) 25/– 18 C) M25/M D) 25/18C Answer: A Explanation: METARs list temperature and dew point in Celsius without a unit suffix. Question 59. When a METAR includes “R09/1200V1800”, what does the “V” indicate? A) Variable RVR between 1,200 ft and 1,800 ft B) Visibility measured vertically C) Wind direction varies between 090° and 180° D) Temperature variation between 12 °C and 18 °C Answer: A Explanation: “V” denotes a variable runway visual range.
