ATSC 113 Final Exam Review Learning
Goals 2025 Expert Verified | Ace the Test
1a. Identify & classify clouds, and relate them to local and larger-scale
weather systems and to potential hazards to aircraft - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔-
Clouds can be normal or special. There are two types of normal clouds.
-Cumuliform (connective clouds) are puffy and associated with updrafts
•Form when humid air rises through cooler air
•This can occur when the air at the ground is colder than the surface (ex.
Air above the ocean is colder than the ocean surface)
•Occurs behind cold fronts
•Clear days when sunshine warms the earth more than air
•Cold air blows over warm air or warm body of water
,•The buoyancy drives strong updrafts
•There are 4 classifications by vertical depth:
Cumulus humilis (small) →Can have turbulence from updraft
Cumulus mediocris (medium) →Can have turbulence from updraft
Cumulus congestus (large) →Poses hazard, thunderstorms and violent
updrafts
Cumulonimbus (thunderstorm) →Poses hazard, thunderstorms and violent
updrafts
- Stratiform (layer clouds) are flatter like sheets or blanket, can extend
hundreds of km's
•Need to rely on IFR as cannot see inside- Ice may form on edges if cloud
is below freezing
•Form when there are layers in the atmosphere with different relative
temperatures
•Associated with warm fronts
•High clouds approach first followed by lower and lower
,•Classified by altitude, get thicker and less holes going down
High-
Cirrus: thin wispy, ice and crystals Cirrostratus: thin but with more
coverage: ice, halo
Cirrocumulus: mix, a bit lumpier
Middle-
Altostratus: mix, corona
Altocumulus: lumpier, mix
Low
Stratus: well-defined cloud base, no precip- Nimbostratus: blurry cloud
base, some type of precipitation
1b. Recognize and explain special clouds: Castellanus - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔-
Unstable air loft
-Looks like small castle turrets
-Thunderstorms are possible later in the day
COPYRIGHT©NINJANERD 2025/2026. YEAR PUBLISHED 2025. COMPANY REGISTRATION NUMBER: 619652435. TERMS OF USE. PRIVACY
STATEMENT. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
3
, 1b. Recognize and explain special clouds: Billow (K-h=H wave) - 🧠
ANSWER ✔✔-Unstable air loft
-Look like waves in a cloud
-Indicate wind shear and create CAT (clear air turbulence), related to
Kevin-Helmholtz waves
1b. Recognize and explain special clouds: Lenticular - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔-
Mountain waves
-Strong winds across mountains
-Look like little disks/UFOs
-Wind oscillations, may indicate mountain wind turbulence
1b. Recognize and explain special clouds: Rotor - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔-Strong
winds across mountains
-Ragged-looking, form at low altitude under crests of mountain wave
-Indicate BIG HAZARD
1b. Recognize and explain special clouds: Banner - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔-Strong
winds across mountains
-Like a banner blowing off the mountain
Goals 2025 Expert Verified | Ace the Test
1a. Identify & classify clouds, and relate them to local and larger-scale
weather systems and to potential hazards to aircraft - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔-
Clouds can be normal or special. There are two types of normal clouds.
-Cumuliform (connective clouds) are puffy and associated with updrafts
•Form when humid air rises through cooler air
•This can occur when the air at the ground is colder than the surface (ex.
Air above the ocean is colder than the ocean surface)
•Occurs behind cold fronts
•Clear days when sunshine warms the earth more than air
•Cold air blows over warm air or warm body of water
,•The buoyancy drives strong updrafts
•There are 4 classifications by vertical depth:
Cumulus humilis (small) →Can have turbulence from updraft
Cumulus mediocris (medium) →Can have turbulence from updraft
Cumulus congestus (large) →Poses hazard, thunderstorms and violent
updrafts
Cumulonimbus (thunderstorm) →Poses hazard, thunderstorms and violent
updrafts
- Stratiform (layer clouds) are flatter like sheets or blanket, can extend
hundreds of km's
•Need to rely on IFR as cannot see inside- Ice may form on edges if cloud
is below freezing
•Form when there are layers in the atmosphere with different relative
temperatures
•Associated with warm fronts
•High clouds approach first followed by lower and lower
,•Classified by altitude, get thicker and less holes going down
High-
Cirrus: thin wispy, ice and crystals Cirrostratus: thin but with more
coverage: ice, halo
Cirrocumulus: mix, a bit lumpier
Middle-
Altostratus: mix, corona
Altocumulus: lumpier, mix
Low
Stratus: well-defined cloud base, no precip- Nimbostratus: blurry cloud
base, some type of precipitation
1b. Recognize and explain special clouds: Castellanus - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔-
Unstable air loft
-Looks like small castle turrets
-Thunderstorms are possible later in the day
COPYRIGHT©NINJANERD 2025/2026. YEAR PUBLISHED 2025. COMPANY REGISTRATION NUMBER: 619652435. TERMS OF USE. PRIVACY
STATEMENT. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
3
, 1b. Recognize and explain special clouds: Billow (K-h=H wave) - 🧠
ANSWER ✔✔-Unstable air loft
-Look like waves in a cloud
-Indicate wind shear and create CAT (clear air turbulence), related to
Kevin-Helmholtz waves
1b. Recognize and explain special clouds: Lenticular - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔-
Mountain waves
-Strong winds across mountains
-Look like little disks/UFOs
-Wind oscillations, may indicate mountain wind turbulence
1b. Recognize and explain special clouds: Rotor - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔-Strong
winds across mountains
-Ragged-looking, form at low altitude under crests of mountain wave
-Indicate BIG HAZARD
1b. Recognize and explain special clouds: Banner - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔-Strong
winds across mountains
-Like a banner blowing off the mountain
