NIFE WEATHER STUDY GUIDE 2026 EXAM QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS GRADED A+
✔✔How are Air masses named? - ✔✔According to their location, moisture content and
temperature relative to the ground
✔✔What is Dew Point Temperature? - ✔✔Temperature at which saturation occurs
✔✔What is dew point? - ✔✔direct indication of how much moisture is in the air
✔✔What is dew point depression? - ✔✔Difference between the air temperature and the
dew point temperature
✔✔What is saturation? - ✔✔When the air contains the maximum amount of moisture
that it can hold for a certain temperature
✔✔What is Relative Humidity (RH)? - ✔✔The percent of saturation in the air
✔✔Explain the effect a change in pressure has on the altimeter - ✔✔"High to Low, Look
out below"
-Aircraft is going to be lower than indicated on the altimeter when going from a high
pressure to a lower pressure
"Low to High, plenty of sky"
-Aircraft is going to be higher than indicated on the altimeter when going from a low
pressure to a higher one
✔✔What is indicated altitude? - ✔✔Altitude read directly from the altimeter
✔✔What is the part of the altimeter where you change the pressure setting called? -
✔✔Kollsman window
✔✔Explain the effect that a deviation from the standard temperature lapse rate has on
the altimeter - ✔✔High to low, look out below
-Flying into colder air, the altimeter will read higher than the MSL
Low to high, plenty of sky
-Flying into warmer air, the altimeter will read lower than the actual MSL
✔✔What is MSL and how is it found? - ✔✔Actual height above mean sea level
Correcting the calibrated altitude for temperature deviations from the standard
atmosphere
✔✔What is AGL and how is it found? - ✔✔Aircraft height directly above the terrain
directly beneath.
, Subtracting terrain elevation from true altitude
✔✔What is Pressure altitude? - ✔✔Height above the standard datum plane. Above
18000 ft (Class A)
✔✔What is Density Altitude? - ✔✔Pressure altitude corrected for non-standard
temperature deviations.
NOT AN ACTUAL ALTITUDE. INDEX FOR AIRCRAFT PERFORMANCE
✔✔What is the relationship between density and density altitude? - ✔✔Inverse
✔✔What is a temperature inversion? - ✔✔Lapse rate where temperature increases with
increasing altitude.
✔✔Which way does the Pressure Gradient force cause air to flow? - ✔✔From high
pressure to low pressure
✔✔What is the Coriolis Force? - ✔✔The earths rotation causes the winds to spin when
low pressure and high pressure meet
✔✔Which way does the pressure gradient force act in a low pressure system? - ✔✔Into
the low pressure system
✔✔What direction does the pressure gradient force act in a high pressure system? -
✔✔Out of the high pressure system
✔✔Where are gradient winds? - ✔✔Above 2000' AGL
✔✔Which ways to gradient winds flow in both high pressure and low pressure systems?
- ✔✔Counterclockwise in the low
Clockwise in the high
Both in 90 degrees from the pressure gradient force
✔✔Which ways to surface winds flow in both high pressure and low pressure systems?
- ✔✔45 degrees from the Pressure Gradient Force
CCW for low
CW for high
✔✔Where do surface winds occur? - ✔✔Below 2000' AGL
✔✔What is Buys Ballots Law? - ✔✔When the wind is on your back, the low pressure
system will be to your left or slightly forward
ANSWERS GRADED A+
✔✔How are Air masses named? - ✔✔According to their location, moisture content and
temperature relative to the ground
✔✔What is Dew Point Temperature? - ✔✔Temperature at which saturation occurs
✔✔What is dew point? - ✔✔direct indication of how much moisture is in the air
✔✔What is dew point depression? - ✔✔Difference between the air temperature and the
dew point temperature
✔✔What is saturation? - ✔✔When the air contains the maximum amount of moisture
that it can hold for a certain temperature
✔✔What is Relative Humidity (RH)? - ✔✔The percent of saturation in the air
✔✔Explain the effect a change in pressure has on the altimeter - ✔✔"High to Low, Look
out below"
-Aircraft is going to be lower than indicated on the altimeter when going from a high
pressure to a lower pressure
"Low to High, plenty of sky"
-Aircraft is going to be higher than indicated on the altimeter when going from a low
pressure to a higher one
✔✔What is indicated altitude? - ✔✔Altitude read directly from the altimeter
✔✔What is the part of the altimeter where you change the pressure setting called? -
✔✔Kollsman window
✔✔Explain the effect that a deviation from the standard temperature lapse rate has on
the altimeter - ✔✔High to low, look out below
-Flying into colder air, the altimeter will read higher than the MSL
Low to high, plenty of sky
-Flying into warmer air, the altimeter will read lower than the actual MSL
✔✔What is MSL and how is it found? - ✔✔Actual height above mean sea level
Correcting the calibrated altitude for temperature deviations from the standard
atmosphere
✔✔What is AGL and how is it found? - ✔✔Aircraft height directly above the terrain
directly beneath.
, Subtracting terrain elevation from true altitude
✔✔What is Pressure altitude? - ✔✔Height above the standard datum plane. Above
18000 ft (Class A)
✔✔What is Density Altitude? - ✔✔Pressure altitude corrected for non-standard
temperature deviations.
NOT AN ACTUAL ALTITUDE. INDEX FOR AIRCRAFT PERFORMANCE
✔✔What is the relationship between density and density altitude? - ✔✔Inverse
✔✔What is a temperature inversion? - ✔✔Lapse rate where temperature increases with
increasing altitude.
✔✔Which way does the Pressure Gradient force cause air to flow? - ✔✔From high
pressure to low pressure
✔✔What is the Coriolis Force? - ✔✔The earths rotation causes the winds to spin when
low pressure and high pressure meet
✔✔Which way does the pressure gradient force act in a low pressure system? - ✔✔Into
the low pressure system
✔✔What direction does the pressure gradient force act in a high pressure system? -
✔✔Out of the high pressure system
✔✔Where are gradient winds? - ✔✔Above 2000' AGL
✔✔Which ways to gradient winds flow in both high pressure and low pressure systems?
- ✔✔Counterclockwise in the low
Clockwise in the high
Both in 90 degrees from the pressure gradient force
✔✔Which ways to surface winds flow in both high pressure and low pressure systems?
- ✔✔45 degrees from the Pressure Gradient Force
CCW for low
CW for high
✔✔Where do surface winds occur? - ✔✔Below 2000' AGL
✔✔What is Buys Ballots Law? - ✔✔When the wind is on your back, the low pressure
system will be to your left or slightly forward
