Free Aviation Meteorology Exam Questions and Answers

In the Northern Hemisphere, the surface air circulation around a low-pressure area is:

• AA. clockwise and diverging
• BB. anticlockwise and converging
• CC. anticlockwise and diverging
• DD. clockwise and converging

An aircraft is parked at an aerodrome and the altimeter subscale is set to the QNH. The altimeter will indicate:

• AA. the density altitude of the aerodrome
• BB. the pressure altitude of the aerodrome
• CC. the elevation of the aerodrome
• DD. zero feet

At an inland aerodrome on a clear night the wind is 3 kt. The temperature is 14 °C at 2000 UTC and is forecast to fall to 9 °C by dawn. The dew point is steady at 9 °C. Which type of fog is most likely at dawn?

• AA. Upslope fog
• BB. Radiation fog
• CC. Advection fog
• DD. Frontal fog

Freezing rain is most likely to occur when:

• AA. snow falls through air that is below 0 °C at all levels
• BB. drizzle falls from stratus whose temperature is above 0 °C at all levels
• CC. rain falls from a cumulonimbus whose base is above the freezing level
• DD. rain from a layer above 0 °C falls into a layer below 0 °C near the surface

An aircraft is maintaining FL 60. The QNH is 1003 hPa. Using 27 ft per hPa, the altitude of the aircraft is approximately:

• AA. 5,460 ft
• BB. 5,730 ft
• CC. 6,270 ft
• DD. 6,540 ft

Compared with the dry adiabatic lapse rate, the saturated adiabatic lapse rate is:

• AA. smaller, and it approaches the dry rate as the temperature falls
• BB. equal to the dry rate, and it is constant at all temperatures
• CC. greater, and it approaches the dry rate as the temperature falls
• DD. smaller, and it moves further from the dry rate as the temperature falls

An aircraft climbing after departure passes through the transition altitude. The altimeter subscale should then be set to:

• AA. 1013.25 hPa
• BB. the QFE of the departure aerodrome
• CC. the QNH of the departure aerodrome
• DD. the QNH of the destination aerodrome

At an inland airfield on a summer afternoon the surface temperature is 21 °C and the dew point is 9 °C. Approximately what is the height of the base of the cumulus clouds forming above the airfield?

• AA. 1 200 ft above the airfield
• BB. 4 800 ft above the airfield
• CC. 6 000 ft above the airfield
• DD. 8 400 ft above the airfield

Which of the following processes releases latent heat into the surrounding air?

• AA. Melting of ice crystals
• BB. Evaporation of liquid water
• CC. Sublimation of ice into water vapour
• DD. Condensation of water vapour into droplets

The Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) is the region where

• AA. the equatorial easterly jet stream reaches its maximum speed.
• BB. the subtropical high pressure belts are centred over the oceans.
• CC. the polar easterlies meet the mid-latitude westerlies.
• DD. the trade winds of the northern and southern hemispheres converge.