Chapter 2: Data Displayed on Weather Imagery Products

CHAPTER TWO

DATA DISPLAYED ON WEATHER IMAGERY PRODUCTS

200.

INTRODUCTION

This chapter will introduce a number of different weather products available from the local

weather office or over other lines of communication. An understanding of these visual products,

which are produced to show a national scale, will quickly provide an aviator a broader picture of

the weather than can be gathered from METARs and TAFs.

New aviators may find these products to be the most often used weather documents for flight

planning. Once a mission is assigned, whether for training or operational flying, the next stop is

usually to find out the weather. Sometimes there will be a number of different possibilities for

operating areas or routes of flight, and the weather may be the biggest factor in deciding which to

choose. For instance, a Navy mission requiring a low-level visual navigation on a military

training route requires weather to be greater than 3000 foot ceilings and five miles of visibility.

If there are routes available to the north, east, and west, and areas of IFR to the north and east,

then a western route would be preferred. A quick glance at a Weather Depiction Chart, Low-

Level Significant Weather Prognostic Chart, or even a satellite image can provide the

information to make such a decision. Other types of missions may require knowledge of the

winds, and all aviators ought to know whether their flight will be affected by thunderstorms or

other hazards. The other products discussed in this chapter can also provide such necessary

information at a quick glance, because each type of chart is designed for a particular purpose.

Once an aviator has a general knowledge of the purpose and use of each product, it becomes very

easy to gather the required information.

201.

LESSON TOPIC LEARNING OBJECTIVES

TERMINAL OBJECTIVE: Partially supported by this lesson topic:

2.0 Describe displayed data shown on various weather imagery products.

ENABLING OBJECTIVES: Completely supported by this lesson topic:

2.1 State the pilot's use of a Surface Analysis Chart.

2.2 Identify displayed data on Surface Analysis Charts.

2.3 Describe displayed data on Station Model Plots.

2.4 State the pilot's use of a Low Level Significant Weather Prognostic Charts.

2.5 Identify displayed data on Low Level Significant Weather Prognostic Charts.

2.6 Identify plotted data on Radar Summary Charts.

DATA DISPLAYED ON WEATHER IMAGERY PRODUCTS

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