What elements may be missing in a weather report?

What elements may be missing in a weather report?

• A. Sky Condition (Ceiling) / Temperature and Altimeter only if NWS Real Time Mesoscale Analysis (RTMA) is used.
• B. Visibility and Wind
• C. Cloud height and Temperature only
• D. Altimeter setting and pressure trend

Answer: (D)

Weather reports don’t always include every data element; some fields are optional depending on station capabilities and how the report is generated. The two items that may be missing are the altimeter setting and the pressure trend. Altimeter setting is the pressure value used to calibrate altitude readings; if the station doesn’t transmit or include it in a particular report feed, you won’t see it. The pressure trend shows how the atmospheric pressure has been changing over a recent period; if that changing trend isn’t determined or isn’t included by the reporting system, it can be omitted. Other items like wind, visibility, cloud height, and temperature are typically present because they provide essential, current weather information needed for safe flight decisions.

Weather reports don’t always include every data element; some fields are optional depending on station capabilities and how the report is generated. The two items that may be missing are the altimeter setting and the pressure trend. Altimeter setting is the pressure value used to calibrate altitude readings; if the station doesn’t transmit or include it in a particular report feed, you won’t see it. The pressure trend shows how the atmospheric pressure has been changing over a recent period; if that changing trend isn’t determined or isn’t included by the reporting system, it can be omitted. Other items like wind, visibility, cloud height, and temperature are typically present because they provide essential, current weather information needed for safe flight decisions.