NIFE WEATHER COMPREHENSIVE EXAM UPDATED 2026
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS GRADED A+
✔✔What are the characteristics of High clouds? - ✔✔-Bases average 20,000 to
40,000'AGL
-Prefix cirro or cirrus
-Little effect on flying except for moderate turbulence or limited visibility
-Composed of mostly ice crystals
-No precipitation and do not constitute an icing hazard
✔✔What are the characteristics of Special Clouds with Extensive Vertical
Development? - ✔✔-Towering cumulus and cumulonimbus clouds
-Bases found in low to middle cloud heights and tops extend through high cloud
-Nimbostratus: continuous rain, snow, or ice; fog and poor visibility with slow clearing
ceilings
-Cumulus: clouds nearing thunderstorm stage; heavy rain, moderate turbulence, and
icing
-Cumulonimbus: thunderstorm clouds; extreme turbulence, hail, icing, lightning, etc
✔✔Describe the three characteristics of precipitation - ✔✔1) Shower: sudden beginning
and ending; abruptly changing intensity or sky conditions; (cumuliform)
2)Continuous: steady; intensity changes gradually; (stratiform)
3) Intermittent: stops and restarts at least once during the hour; showery or steady;
(either type of cloud)
✔✔Describe each of the methods of lifting - ✔✔1) Convergence: convergence of two air
masses, or parts of a single air mass that force the air upwards
2) Frontal: cold fronts lift the air ahead
3) Orographic: force of the wind against a mountainside pushes the air upward
4) Thermal (convective): cool air is over a warm surface and is heightened by intense
solar heating
FOCT
✔✔What cloud type is associated with unstable conditions? What cloud type is
associate with stable conditions? - ✔✔Unstable: Cumuliform
Stable: Stratiform
✔✔Describe the three types of atmospheric stability. - ✔✔-Neutrally stable: air is lifted
and remains in place after lifting action is removed
-Stable: air is lifted and returns to original position after lifting action is removed
-Unstable: air is lifted and continues to rise (free convection) after the lifting action is
removed
,✔✔What are some "signs in the sky" that indicate stable air? - ✔✔Temperature
inversions, low fog, and stratus clouds
✔✔What are some "signs in the sky" that indicate unstable air? - ✔✔Thunderstorms,
showers, towering clouds, dust devils, and rapidly decreasing air temperature while
climbing
✔✔What is a front? - ✔✔-An area of discontinuity that forms between two contrasting air
masses when they are adjacent to each other
-A border, a boundary, or line between two air masses
-Sufficiently different temperature and moisture properties
✔✔What is the surface front? - ✔✔-Point where a front comes in contact with the
ground
-Line that is plotted on surface analysis charts with different colors and shapes
representing each type of front
✔✔What is the frontal zone? - ✔✔-The area that encompasses the weather located on
either side of the front
-Most active weather is focused along and on either side of the surface front and frontal
zone
-Abrupt changes indicate that the frontal zone is narrow and vice versa
✔✔What happens to the characteristics of each air mass at a front as altitude
increases? - ✔✔-At 15,000 to 20,000', the differences between two air masses become
negligible and cloud and precipitation patterns are not easily attributable to one frontal
type or another
-Temperature contrast between air masses can extend as high as tropopause
✔✔How are fronts named? - ✔✔According to the temperature change that they bring
✔✔Every front is located in a ______ of __________ pressure - ✔✔Trough; low
✔✔Warm/Cold fronts produce a __________ shift in winds. - ✔✔90 degree
✔✔Which type of front generally moves faster? - ✔✔Cold Front (20knots)
✔✔How fast does a warm front move? - ✔✔Approximately 10-15 knots
✔✔In what general direction does a warm front move? - ✔✔To the northeast
✔✔In what general direction does a cold front move? - ✔✔To the southeast
, ✔✔What is a frontal discontinuity? - ✔✔-Differences in the various properties of
adjacent air masses
-Temperature, dew point, winds, and pressure
✔✔With respect to a cold front, a warm front will have a __________ dew point. - ✔✔-
Higher
-Higher dew point indicates a greater amount of moisture available to produce clouds,
fog, or precipitation
✔✔What happens to pressure as a front approaches and then passes? - ✔✔-Initially
pressure will decrease
-Pressure then rises immediately following a frontal passage
✔✔In the Northern Hemisphere, as a front approaches and passes a station, wind will
change direction _____ degrees in a _______ rotation. - ✔✔90; clockwise
✔✔How does the slope of a front affect precipitation/weather development? - ✔✔-
Shallow frontal slopes tend to produce extensive cloudiness with large areas of steady
precipitation
-Steep frontal slopes tend to move rapidly, producing narrow bands of cloudiness and
showery precipitation
-Faster moving fronts are generally accompanied by a narrow band of more severe
weather
-Cold fronts move faster than warm fronts
✔✔What are the characteristics of a Cold Front? - ✔✔-Colder air mass is overtaking
and wedging underneath a warmer (less dense) air mass
-Unstable conditions including violent thunderstorms and severe turbulence
-Icing may be severe in cumuliform clouds
-Wind shift from SW to NW
-Long line of cumuliform clouds, showers, or thunderstorms may form near the front
-Followed by rapidly clearing skies, fair weather cumulus clouds, and decreasing Temp
and Dew Point
✔✔What is a Squall Line? - ✔✔-Line of violent thunderstorms 50-300 miles ahead of a
cold front and roughly parallel to it
-Dashes and double-dotted red line on a chart
-Impossible to fly through
-Wind shift from SW to NW
✔✔What are the characteristics of a Warm Front? - ✔✔-Boundary of advancing warmer,
less dense air riding up and over a cold air mass
-Creates a broad area of cloudiness 500-700 miles in front of the front
-Slower speed and gradual slope
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS GRADED A+
✔✔What are the characteristics of High clouds? - ✔✔-Bases average 20,000 to
40,000'AGL
-Prefix cirro or cirrus
-Little effect on flying except for moderate turbulence or limited visibility
-Composed of mostly ice crystals
-No precipitation and do not constitute an icing hazard
✔✔What are the characteristics of Special Clouds with Extensive Vertical
Development? - ✔✔-Towering cumulus and cumulonimbus clouds
-Bases found in low to middle cloud heights and tops extend through high cloud
-Nimbostratus: continuous rain, snow, or ice; fog and poor visibility with slow clearing
ceilings
-Cumulus: clouds nearing thunderstorm stage; heavy rain, moderate turbulence, and
icing
-Cumulonimbus: thunderstorm clouds; extreme turbulence, hail, icing, lightning, etc
✔✔Describe the three characteristics of precipitation - ✔✔1) Shower: sudden beginning
and ending; abruptly changing intensity or sky conditions; (cumuliform)
2)Continuous: steady; intensity changes gradually; (stratiform)
3) Intermittent: stops and restarts at least once during the hour; showery or steady;
(either type of cloud)
✔✔Describe each of the methods of lifting - ✔✔1) Convergence: convergence of two air
masses, or parts of a single air mass that force the air upwards
2) Frontal: cold fronts lift the air ahead
3) Orographic: force of the wind against a mountainside pushes the air upward
4) Thermal (convective): cool air is over a warm surface and is heightened by intense
solar heating
FOCT
✔✔What cloud type is associated with unstable conditions? What cloud type is
associate with stable conditions? - ✔✔Unstable: Cumuliform
Stable: Stratiform
✔✔Describe the three types of atmospheric stability. - ✔✔-Neutrally stable: air is lifted
and remains in place after lifting action is removed
-Stable: air is lifted and returns to original position after lifting action is removed
-Unstable: air is lifted and continues to rise (free convection) after the lifting action is
removed
,✔✔What are some "signs in the sky" that indicate stable air? - ✔✔Temperature
inversions, low fog, and stratus clouds
✔✔What are some "signs in the sky" that indicate unstable air? - ✔✔Thunderstorms,
showers, towering clouds, dust devils, and rapidly decreasing air temperature while
climbing
✔✔What is a front? - ✔✔-An area of discontinuity that forms between two contrasting air
masses when they are adjacent to each other
-A border, a boundary, or line between two air masses
-Sufficiently different temperature and moisture properties
✔✔What is the surface front? - ✔✔-Point where a front comes in contact with the
ground
-Line that is plotted on surface analysis charts with different colors and shapes
representing each type of front
✔✔What is the frontal zone? - ✔✔-The area that encompasses the weather located on
either side of the front
-Most active weather is focused along and on either side of the surface front and frontal
zone
-Abrupt changes indicate that the frontal zone is narrow and vice versa
✔✔What happens to the characteristics of each air mass at a front as altitude
increases? - ✔✔-At 15,000 to 20,000', the differences between two air masses become
negligible and cloud and precipitation patterns are not easily attributable to one frontal
type or another
-Temperature contrast between air masses can extend as high as tropopause
✔✔How are fronts named? - ✔✔According to the temperature change that they bring
✔✔Every front is located in a ______ of __________ pressure - ✔✔Trough; low
✔✔Warm/Cold fronts produce a __________ shift in winds. - ✔✔90 degree
✔✔Which type of front generally moves faster? - ✔✔Cold Front (20knots)
✔✔How fast does a warm front move? - ✔✔Approximately 10-15 knots
✔✔In what general direction does a warm front move? - ✔✔To the northeast
✔✔In what general direction does a cold front move? - ✔✔To the southeast
, ✔✔What is a frontal discontinuity? - ✔✔-Differences in the various properties of
adjacent air masses
-Temperature, dew point, winds, and pressure
✔✔With respect to a cold front, a warm front will have a __________ dew point. - ✔✔-
Higher
-Higher dew point indicates a greater amount of moisture available to produce clouds,
fog, or precipitation
✔✔What happens to pressure as a front approaches and then passes? - ✔✔-Initially
pressure will decrease
-Pressure then rises immediately following a frontal passage
✔✔In the Northern Hemisphere, as a front approaches and passes a station, wind will
change direction _____ degrees in a _______ rotation. - ✔✔90; clockwise
✔✔How does the slope of a front affect precipitation/weather development? - ✔✔-
Shallow frontal slopes tend to produce extensive cloudiness with large areas of steady
precipitation
-Steep frontal slopes tend to move rapidly, producing narrow bands of cloudiness and
showery precipitation
-Faster moving fronts are generally accompanied by a narrow band of more severe
weather
-Cold fronts move faster than warm fronts
✔✔What are the characteristics of a Cold Front? - ✔✔-Colder air mass is overtaking
and wedging underneath a warmer (less dense) air mass
-Unstable conditions including violent thunderstorms and severe turbulence
-Icing may be severe in cumuliform clouds
-Wind shift from SW to NW
-Long line of cumuliform clouds, showers, or thunderstorms may form near the front
-Followed by rapidly clearing skies, fair weather cumulus clouds, and decreasing Temp
and Dew Point
✔✔What is a Squall Line? - ✔✔-Line of violent thunderstorms 50-300 miles ahead of a
cold front and roughly parallel to it
-Dashes and double-dotted red line on a chart
-Impossible to fly through
-Wind shift from SW to NW
✔✔What are the characteristics of a Warm Front? - ✔✔-Boundary of advancing warmer,
less dense air riding up and over a cold air mass
-Creates a broad area of cloudiness 500-700 miles in front of the front
-Slower speed and gradual slope
