Meteorology
Scope
Meteorology tests Philippine weather patterns, METAR/TAF interpretation, clouds, icing, thunderstorms, wind, and altimetry. Expect ITCZ, monsoon, typhoon, sea-breeze, and CB questions.
Core rules
- Habagat is the southwest monsoon; amihan is the northeast monsoon. The ITCZ brings convective cloud and showers.
- Typhoons bring strong winds, heavy rain, and low QNH; avoid CBs and associated turbulence, hail, and wind shear.
- METAR is current weather; TAF is a forecast. QNH set on the altimeter gives elevation above mean sea level.
- Wind in METAR is true; tower/ATIS wind may be magnetic. Visibility is in metres or kilometres depending on the report.
- Sea breeze blows from sea to land by day; land breeze reverses at night.
Worked example
RPLL 121200Z 24008KT 9999 FEW020 SCT080 31/26 Q1008 NOSIG. Reasoning: issued on the 12th at 1200 UTC; wind 240° true at 8 kt; visibility 10 km or more; few cloud at 2,000 ft, scattered at 8,000 ft; temperature 31°C, dew point 26°C; QNH 1008 hPa; no significant change expected. The spread of 5°C and high humidity suggest a risk of convective cloud.
Traps
Using QFE instead of QNH for field elevation. Reading TAF as current weather. Treating a distant CB as harmless. Forgetting that a METAR wind is true, while runway and ATIS winds are often magnetic. Ignoring density altitude on a hot, humid day.