CPAER METEOROLOGY ACTUAL EXAM QUESTIONS WITH
ANSWERS 2025/2026 GRADED A+
The average height of the tropopause is - 36,000ft
For every 1,000ft climbed, mercury drops approximately - 1"
Relative humidity - The amount of water in the air relative to the maximum it can hold at
given temperature and pressure
Dewpoint - The temperature at which condensation begins
Is humid air or dry air more dense? - Dry air
Convection - Vertical movement of air
Advection - Horizontal movement of air
Deposition - When gas changes *directly* to a solid
Isobars - Lines of constant/equal pressure
Isotachs - Lines of constant/equal wind velocity
Contour lines - Lines where the altitude at which a specified pressure occurs is constant
Cloudy/rainy weather is associated with - Low pressure system (ascending air)
Which way does air circulate in a low pressure system? - Counter-clockwise
Warm/sunny weather is associated with - High pressure system (descending air)
If you stand with your back to the wind in the northern hemisphere, the low will be on
your - Left
Below 3,000ft wind typically blows ____ isobars - Across
Squall (wind) - Rapid increase in wind speed lasting for a minute or longer
Downburst - Strong localized downdraft from a thunderstorm
Microburst - Downburst lasting less than 5 minutes with horizontal extent of 2nm or less
Macroburst - Downburst lasting between 5-20 minutes with horizontal extent of 2nm or
more
, Clouds are formed when - Air containing moisture is cooled to saturation resulting in the
water condensing as liquid droplets or ice crystals
High cloud - Base above 20,000ft (Cirrus, Cirrostratus, cirrocumulus)
Middle cloud - Base between 6,500ft and 20,000ft (altostratus, altocumulus,
altocumulus castellanos)
Low cloud - Base below 6,500ft (Stratus, nimbostratus, fractostratus, cumulus)
What are clouds of vertical development? - Cumulus clouds that grow vertically into
towering cumulus or cumulonimbus
Few clouds cover - 0.1 to 2/8ths of the sky
Scattered clouds cover - 3/8ths to 4/8ths of the sky
Broken clouds cover - 5/8ths to 7/8ths of the sky
Overcast clouds cover - 8/8ths of the sky
What is visibility in mist? - 5/8 SM or greater
What is visibility in fog? - Less than 5/8 SM
What is ceiling described as? - The lowest layer of broken or overcast clouds
At what rate will dewpoint drop as pressure decreases? - 0.5º per 1,000ft
Cloud base calculation - Difference between air temperature at the surface and dew
point, divided by 3
Anabatic winds - Arise when a mountain or hillside is exposed to direct sunlight and is
heated, causing warm air to rise (blows up mountain)
Katabatic winds - Arise when heat is radiated off mountain or hill slopes *at NIGHT*,
causing cooled air to sink down (blows down mountain)
Mountain waves form - When wind blows over terrain leaving vorticies in its wake
Downdrafts in mountain waves can reach vertical speeds of - 5,000 FPM
Radiation fog forms - On clear nights with a very gentle wind when the earth loses heat
due to radiation cooling air temperature to the dewpoint
ANSWERS 2025/2026 GRADED A+
The average height of the tropopause is - 36,000ft
For every 1,000ft climbed, mercury drops approximately - 1"
Relative humidity - The amount of water in the air relative to the maximum it can hold at
given temperature and pressure
Dewpoint - The temperature at which condensation begins
Is humid air or dry air more dense? - Dry air
Convection - Vertical movement of air
Advection - Horizontal movement of air
Deposition - When gas changes *directly* to a solid
Isobars - Lines of constant/equal pressure
Isotachs - Lines of constant/equal wind velocity
Contour lines - Lines where the altitude at which a specified pressure occurs is constant
Cloudy/rainy weather is associated with - Low pressure system (ascending air)
Which way does air circulate in a low pressure system? - Counter-clockwise
Warm/sunny weather is associated with - High pressure system (descending air)
If you stand with your back to the wind in the northern hemisphere, the low will be on
your - Left
Below 3,000ft wind typically blows ____ isobars - Across
Squall (wind) - Rapid increase in wind speed lasting for a minute or longer
Downburst - Strong localized downdraft from a thunderstorm
Microburst - Downburst lasting less than 5 minutes with horizontal extent of 2nm or less
Macroburst - Downburst lasting between 5-20 minutes with horizontal extent of 2nm or
more
, Clouds are formed when - Air containing moisture is cooled to saturation resulting in the
water condensing as liquid droplets or ice crystals
High cloud - Base above 20,000ft (Cirrus, Cirrostratus, cirrocumulus)
Middle cloud - Base between 6,500ft and 20,000ft (altostratus, altocumulus,
altocumulus castellanos)
Low cloud - Base below 6,500ft (Stratus, nimbostratus, fractostratus, cumulus)
What are clouds of vertical development? - Cumulus clouds that grow vertically into
towering cumulus or cumulonimbus
Few clouds cover - 0.1 to 2/8ths of the sky
Scattered clouds cover - 3/8ths to 4/8ths of the sky
Broken clouds cover - 5/8ths to 7/8ths of the sky
Overcast clouds cover - 8/8ths of the sky
What is visibility in mist? - 5/8 SM or greater
What is visibility in fog? - Less than 5/8 SM
What is ceiling described as? - The lowest layer of broken or overcast clouds
At what rate will dewpoint drop as pressure decreases? - 0.5º per 1,000ft
Cloud base calculation - Difference between air temperature at the surface and dew
point, divided by 3
Anabatic winds - Arise when a mountain or hillside is exposed to direct sunlight and is
heated, causing warm air to rise (blows up mountain)
Katabatic winds - Arise when heat is radiated off mountain or hill slopes *at NIGHT*,
causing cooled air to sink down (blows down mountain)
Mountain waves form - When wind blows over terrain leaving vorticies in its wake
Downdrafts in mountain waves can reach vertical speeds of - 5,000 FPM
Radiation fog forms - On clear nights with a very gentle wind when the earth loses heat
due to radiation cooling air temperature to the dewpoint
