NIFE WEATHER CORE EXAM 2026 TEST QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS GRADED A+
✔✔Where does wind speeds reach a maximum? - ✔✔Just below the tropopause
✔✔What is a jet stream? - ✔✔Narrow band of strong winds 50 knots or more that
meanders vertically and horizontally around the hemisphere in a wave-like pattern
✔✔What are the average winds for a jet stream? What can they reach in excess? -
✔✔100-150 knots
250 knots
✔✔What is the segment size for jet streams? - ✔✔1000 to 3000 miles in length
100 to 400 miles in width
3000 to 7000 feet in depth
✔✔What is the average height of a jet stream? - ✔✔30,000 feet MSL
✔✔What is a Sea Breeze? - ✔✔Resulting onshore wind blowing from the sea
✔✔Explain a sea breeze - ✔✔The cooler air over the water moves toward the warmer
land. The air is then heated and rises. Air is then cooled and descends
✔✔When does sea breeze occur? - ✔✔During the day
✔✔What is a land breeze? - ✔✔Cooler air over land moving toward the water
✔✔Explain land breeze. - ✔✔Cooler air from land moves over the water, the cool air is
heated and moves upward, it is then cooled and descends
✔✔What are the different types of clouds? - ✔✔Low Clouds
Middle Clouds
High Clouds
Special Clouds
✔✔What altitudes are considers low clouds? - ✔✔Below 6500 feet AGL (clouds base)
✔✔What altitudes are considered middle clouds? - ✔✔6500 feet to 20000 feet AGL
(clouds base)
✔✔What altitudes are considered High clouds? - ✔✔Above 20000 feet AGL (clouds
base)
, ✔✔What are Cumuliform clouds? - ✔✔Lumpy, billowy cloud with a base showing a
definite pattern or structure
✔✔What is a Stratiform clouds? - ✔✔Cloud with a uniform base, formed in horizontal,
sheet like layers
✔✔What is the word nimbo or nimbus associated with? - ✔✔Clouds that produce violent
or heavy precipitation
✔✔What is the most serious hazard to flying in low clouds? - ✔✔The proximity of the
clouds base to the surface of the Earth. Hides terrain causing a collision hazard
✔✔What prefix is associated with middle clouds? - ✔✔Alto
✔✔What is the composition of middle clouds in regards to the air? - ✔✔Ice crystals,
water droplets, or a mixture
✔✔What is Virga? - ✔✔rain or snow that evaporates before it reaches the ground
✔✔What are the characteristics of middle clouds in regards to the wind and visibility? -
✔✔Dark and turbulent
✔✔Which type of clouds have little effect on flying? - ✔✔High clouds
✔✔What are high clouds mostly composed of? - ✔✔ice crystals, so they do not pose an
icing hazard
✔✔What prefix is associated with high clouds? - ✔✔Cirro or cirrus
✔✔What are special clouds? - ✔✔Towering Cumulonimbus and Nimbostratus clouds
✔✔Where are the bases of cumulus or cumulonimbus clouds? - ✔✔Low to middle cloud
heights and their tops extend through high cloud heights
✔✔What type of cloud is a nimbostratus cloud and what does it produce? - ✔✔Special
cloud
Produces continuous rain, snow, or ice pellets
✔✔How far do nimbostratus clouds extend down to and what is associated with them? -
✔✔1000' AGL
Poor visibility
Low ceilings
Very slow clearing
ANSWERS GRADED A+
✔✔Where does wind speeds reach a maximum? - ✔✔Just below the tropopause
✔✔What is a jet stream? - ✔✔Narrow band of strong winds 50 knots or more that
meanders vertically and horizontally around the hemisphere in a wave-like pattern
✔✔What are the average winds for a jet stream? What can they reach in excess? -
✔✔100-150 knots
250 knots
✔✔What is the segment size for jet streams? - ✔✔1000 to 3000 miles in length
100 to 400 miles in width
3000 to 7000 feet in depth
✔✔What is the average height of a jet stream? - ✔✔30,000 feet MSL
✔✔What is a Sea Breeze? - ✔✔Resulting onshore wind blowing from the sea
✔✔Explain a sea breeze - ✔✔The cooler air over the water moves toward the warmer
land. The air is then heated and rises. Air is then cooled and descends
✔✔When does sea breeze occur? - ✔✔During the day
✔✔What is a land breeze? - ✔✔Cooler air over land moving toward the water
✔✔Explain land breeze. - ✔✔Cooler air from land moves over the water, the cool air is
heated and moves upward, it is then cooled and descends
✔✔What are the different types of clouds? - ✔✔Low Clouds
Middle Clouds
High Clouds
Special Clouds
✔✔What altitudes are considers low clouds? - ✔✔Below 6500 feet AGL (clouds base)
✔✔What altitudes are considered middle clouds? - ✔✔6500 feet to 20000 feet AGL
(clouds base)
✔✔What altitudes are considered High clouds? - ✔✔Above 20000 feet AGL (clouds
base)
, ✔✔What are Cumuliform clouds? - ✔✔Lumpy, billowy cloud with a base showing a
definite pattern or structure
✔✔What is a Stratiform clouds? - ✔✔Cloud with a uniform base, formed in horizontal,
sheet like layers
✔✔What is the word nimbo or nimbus associated with? - ✔✔Clouds that produce violent
or heavy precipitation
✔✔What is the most serious hazard to flying in low clouds? - ✔✔The proximity of the
clouds base to the surface of the Earth. Hides terrain causing a collision hazard
✔✔What prefix is associated with middle clouds? - ✔✔Alto
✔✔What is the composition of middle clouds in regards to the air? - ✔✔Ice crystals,
water droplets, or a mixture
✔✔What is Virga? - ✔✔rain or snow that evaporates before it reaches the ground
✔✔What are the characteristics of middle clouds in regards to the wind and visibility? -
✔✔Dark and turbulent
✔✔Which type of clouds have little effect on flying? - ✔✔High clouds
✔✔What are high clouds mostly composed of? - ✔✔ice crystals, so they do not pose an
icing hazard
✔✔What prefix is associated with high clouds? - ✔✔Cirro or cirrus
✔✔What are special clouds? - ✔✔Towering Cumulonimbus and Nimbostratus clouds
✔✔Where are the bases of cumulus or cumulonimbus clouds? - ✔✔Low to middle cloud
heights and their tops extend through high cloud heights
✔✔What type of cloud is a nimbostratus cloud and what does it produce? - ✔✔Special
cloud
Produces continuous rain, snow, or ice pellets
✔✔How far do nimbostratus clouds extend down to and what is associated with them? -
✔✔1000' AGL
Poor visibility
Low ceilings
Very slow clearing
