3 METEOROLOGY.pdf

METEOROLOGY FRONTAL SYSTEM - The boundary between two air masses with different characteristics *Air Mass – Large body of air with relatively the same characteristic Formation of Fronts • Frontogenesis – Birth of a front – When 2 airmasses meet • Frontolysis – Death of a front – Differing characteri...

METEOROLOGY FRONTAL SYSTEM - The boundary between two air masses with different characteristics *Air Mass – Large body of air with relatively the same characteristic Formation of Fronts • Frontogenesis – Birth of a front – When 2 airmasses meet • Frontolysis – Death of a front – Differing characteristics reconcile and breaks apart Types of Front • Warm Front • Cold Front • Stationary Front • Occluded Front 1. Warm Fronts • Warm air replacing cold air • Low Speed • Very Large Area • Stable Air • Drizzles • Stratus Clouds • Shallow Slope 2. Cold Front • Cold beats warm air • High Speeds • Small Area • Steep Slope • Associated with Cumulonimbus Clouds 3. Stationary Front • Two fronts of the same strength meet each other • Very slow/stationary • Bad weather may exist for several days 4. Occluded Front • One front overtaking the other • Both fronts are displayed • Thunderstorms exist • Stratus Clous may be visible 1 METEOROLOGY WEATHER INFORMATION 1. Metars 2. TAF 3. ATIS 4. Pireps 5. Sigmet 6. Airmet 7. Other Sources: FOBS, FSS 1. Metars • Meteorological Aerodrome Report • Produced every hour • Valid for 2 hours RPLC 060500Z 18006KT 9000 SCT020 BKN100 33/25 Q1008 NOSIG RMK A2977 RPLC 060500Z 18006KT 9000 SCT020 BKN100 33/25 Q1008 NOSIG RMK A2977 • Name of the airport • ICAO code • Day of the month & Time in Zulu – Zulu Time/UTC/GMT– primary time standard by which the world regulates clocks & time – Philippines GMT +8 • Wind direction & velocity • Visibility • Unit: Meters Factors Affecting Visibility • Clouds • Haze • Fog - Advection Fog - Radiation Fog • Cloud Cover • Temperature & Dew point • Altimeter Setting • QNH • Remarks 2 METEOROLOGY 1. Termina Area Forecast (TAF) • Terminal Aerodrome Forecast • Valid for 24 -30 hours • Updated every 6 hours TAF RPLC 060500Z 0606/0712 20006KT 7000 SCT020 BKN100 TX32/0606Z TN24/0621Z TEMPO 0606/0612 18008KT 5000 TS -SHRA FEW015CB SCT020 OVC100 3 METEOROLOGY 2. Automated Terminal Information Service ATIS • Pre-recorded weather information in high activity airports • Available on specific radio frequency • RPLC ATIS 127.20MHz 3. Pireps • Pilots Report • Actual weather at a specific time and place “adress, ident, position, altitude, operations (normal/abnormal) and prieps Pireps includes visibility, cloud ceiling, severe wx updates, approximate w/v” 4. Airmet and Sigmet • Airmet – Airmen Meteorological Information (Hazards to Light Aircraft) • Sigmet – Significant Meteorological information (hazards to all aircraft) • Inflight information given to all pilots (VFR and IFR) 5. Pre flight Meteorology • Accuweather.com – Print out: • Weather at point of origin • Weather at one way point en-route • Weather at destination – Attach all weather information to nav log – Submit nav log at the end of your flight • Understand the weather which is forecast • Use all the information available to you • Understand the weather you will be flying in • Make good judgements 4