Meteorology Overview: ATPL Subject 050 Complete Guide

Meteorology (Subject 050) is the study of atmospheric physics, weather patterns, and meteorological phenomena critical to aviation safety. As one of the most operationally relevant ATPL theory subjects, meteorology knowledge enables pilots to understand weather hazards, interpret meteorological reports, and make informed flight planning decisions. This comprehensive guide covers all major topics in the ATPL meteorology syllabus, from atmospheric structure to severe weather phenomena.

Introduction to Aviation Meteorology

Purpose and Scope

Why Meteorology Matters:

• Weather is primary operational factor
• Safety-critical decisions
• Flight planning foundation
• Hazard avoidance
• Daily operational requirement

• Atmospheric physics and behavior
• Weather systems and patterns
• Flight hazards (icing, turbulence, thunderstorms)
• Meteorological reports and forecasts
• Seasonal and regional weather

• Pre-flight planning
• Go/no-go decisions
• Route selection
• Alternate planning
• In-flight decision-making

ATPL Subject 050 Exam

Examination Details:

• Questions: 54 multiple choice
• Time: 2 hours
• Pass Mark: 75% (41/54 correct)
• Difficulty: Medium-Hard
• Character: Understanding-based with some memorization

• Atmospheric structure and composition
• Temperature, pressure, and density
• Humidity and precipitation
• Wind and wind systems
• Air masses and fronts
• Weather systems (depressions, anticyclones)
• Clouds and cloud formation
• Thunderstorms and severe weather
• Icing and turbulence
• Tropical meteorology
• Climatology
• Weather reports and forecasts (METAR, TAF, SIGMET)

The Atmosphere

Atmospheric Composition

Standard Composition:

• Nitrogen (N₂): 78%
• Oxygen (O₂): 21%
• Argon (Ar): 0.93%
• Carbon Dioxide (CO₂): 0.04% (increasing)
• Water vapor: 0-4% (variable)
• Trace gases: Remainder

• Water vapor: Most variable, 0-4%
• Aerosols: Dust, smoke, salt particles
• Pollutants: Ozone, carbon monoxide
• Affects weather and visibility

• Stratosphere (15-35 km altitude)
• Absorbs harmful UV radiation
• Critical for life on Earth
• Ozone depletion concerns

Atmospheric Structure

Vertical Layers:

1. Troposphere (Surface to ~11 km / FL360):

• Most weather occurs here
• Temperature decreases with altitude
• Average lapse rate: 1.98°C per 1,000 ft (6.5°C/km)
• Contains ~80% of atmospheric mass
• Tropopause: Boundary with stratosphere

• Temperature increases with altitude (inversion)
• Due to ozone absorption of UV
• Very stable, little vertical motion
• Little weather, but strong winds (jet stream boundary)
• Commercial aircraft cruise here

• Temperature decreases again
• Coldest layer (-90°C at top)
• Meteors burn up here

• Temperature increases dramatically
• Very thin air
• Aurora occur here

• Boundary between troposphere and stratosphere
• Height varies:
• Equator: ~16-18 km (FL530-FL590)
• Mid-latitudes: ~11 km (FL360)
• Poles: ~8 km (FL260)
• Temperature inversion begins
• Jet streams located near tropopause breaks

International Standard Atmosphere (ISA)

Standard Conditions at MSL:

• Temperature: 15°C (59°F, 288K)
• Pressure: 1013.25 hPa (29.92 inHg)
• Density: 1.225 kg/m³
• Lapse rate: 1.98°C/1,000 ft (troposphere)

• ISA +10: Actual temp 10°C above standard
• ISA -5: Actual temp 5°C below standard
• Critical for performance calculations

• Performance charts based on ISA
• Altitude calculations
• Flight planning
• Standardization

Temperature

Heat Transfer

Three Methods:

1. Conduction:

• Heat transfer through direct contact
• Molecule to molecule
• Earth's surface heats air in contact
• Poor heat transfer method in atmosphere

• Heat transfer by movement of air masses
• Vertical and horizontal air movement
• Primary heat transfer in atmosphere
• Creates thermals, thunderstorms

• Heat transfer by electromagnetic waves
• Sun heats Earth (shortwave radiation)
• Earth radiates heat (longwave/infrared)
• No medium required
• Greenhouse effect: Atmosphere absorbs longwave

Adiabatic Processes

Adiabatic: Temperature change without heat exchange

Dry Adiabatic Lapse Rate (DALR):

• 3°C per 1,000 ft (10°C per km)
• Unsaturated (dry) air
• Rising air expands and cools
• Descending air compresses and warms

• 1.5-2°C per 1,000 ft (4-6°C per km)
• Saturated air (clouds forming)
• Slower cooling due to latent heat release
• Varies with temperature and humidity

• Cloud base calculations
• Stability assessments
• Temperature forecasting
• Convection predictions

Temperature Variations

Diurnal Variation:

• Daily temperature cycle
• Maximum: Early afternoon (2-3 PM)
• Minimum: Just before sunrise
• Amplitude larger over land than sea

• Due to Earth's axial tilt
• Greater at higher latitudes
• Smaller in tropics
• Land vs. sea differences

• Decreases with altitude (troposphere)
• Approximately 2°C/1,000 ft (average)
• Inversions: Temperature increases with altitude

1. Radiation Inversion:

• Nighttime cooling of surface
• Cold air trapped below warm
• Common in valleys
• Traps fog and pollution

• Descending air warms (adiabatic compression)
• Creates warm layer aloft
• Anticyclones
• Limits convection

• Warm air overrides cold
• At frontal boundaries
• Significant weather

• Mechanical mixing stops
• Upper limit of mixed layer
• Often at low levels

Pressure and Density

Atmospheric Pressure

Definition:

• Weight of atmosphere above
• Force per unit area
• Decreases exponentially with altitude

• Hectopascals (hPa) or millibars (mb): 1 hPa = 1 mb
• Inches of mercury (inHg): USA
• Standard: 1013.25 hPa = 29.92 inHg

• Decreases approximately 1 hPa per 30 ft near sea level
• Exponential decrease
• At FL180: ~500 hPa (half of MSL pressure)

Pressure Settings

QNH:

• Pressure reduced to MSL
• Altimeter shows altitude AMSL
• For takeoff, landing, below transition altitude

• Pressure at airfield elevation
• Altimeter shows height above aerodrome
• Common in Russia, less common elsewhere

• Above transition altitude/level
• Flight levels
• Standardization for separation

• Pressure reduced to MSL using actual temperature
• For meteorological forecasting
• Not used for altimetry

Density

Factors Affecting Density:

Pressure:

• Higher pressure → Higher density
• Lower pressure → Lower density
• Direct relationship

• Higher temperature → Lower density
• Lower temperature → Higher density
• Inverse relationship

• Higher humidity → Lower density (water vapor lighter than dry air)
• Dry air → Higher density

• Higher altitude → Lower density
• Approximately halves every 18,000 ft

• Pressure altitude corrected for non-standard temperature
• Critical for performance
• High density altitude = poor performance

Humidity and Moisture

Humidity Concepts

Water Vapor:

• Invisible gas
• 0-4% of atmosphere by volume
• Variable component
• Source of clouds and precipitation

• Liquid water → Water vapor
• Requires heat (latent heat of evaporation)
• Cooling effect

• Water vapor → Liquid water
• Releases heat (latent heat of condensation)
• Requires condensation nuclei (dust, salt particles)

• Solid (ice) ↔ Gas (vapor)
• Skips liquid phase
• Frost formation, ice crystal clouds

Humidity Measurements

Relative Humidity (RH):

• Actual water vapor / Maximum possible × 100%
• Temperature-dependent
• 100% = Saturated
• Morning (cold): Higher RH
• Afternoon (warm): Lower RH

• Temperature at which air becomes saturated
• If cooled to dew point: Condensation occurs
• Closer to actual temperature = Higher humidity
• Spread (Temperature - Dew Point):
• Large spread: Dry air
• Small spread (< 3°C): High humidity, fog/cloud likely

• Like dew point but for frost formation
• Below 0°C
• Ice forms directly from vapor

Cloud Formation

Requirements:

1. Sufficient moisture
2. Condensation nuclei
3. Cooling to dew point

1. Adiabatic Cooling (Rising Air):

• Most common
• Convection (thermal lift)
• Orographic (mountain lift)
• Frontal (warm air forced over cold)
• Convergence (air forced together, rises)

• Surface cools at night
• Radiation fog
• Frost

• Warm air over cold surface
• Advection fog
• Sea fog

• Warm, moist air + cold air
• Steam fog (arctic sea smoke)
• Condensation trails (contrails)

Wind

Wind Formation

Cause:

• Pressure differences
• Air flows from high to low pressure
• Horizontal pressure gradient

• Perpendicular to isobars
• From high to low
• Stronger gradient = Stronger wind

• Due to Earth's rotation
• Deflects moving air
• Northern Hemisphere: Right
• Southern Hemisphere: Left
• Zero at Equator
• Maximum at Poles

• Balance of PGF and Coriolis
• Parallel to isobars
• Above friction layer (>2,000 ft AGL)
• Straight isobars

• Curved isobars (low/high pressure systems)
• Centrifugal force added
• Faster around lows, slower around highs (NH)

Friction Layer

Surface to ~2,000 ft AGL:

• Friction slows wind
• Reduces Coriolis effect
• Wind crosses isobars toward low pressure
• Angle: 10-20° over sea, 20-40° over land

• Geostrophic or gradient wind
• Parallel to isobars
• Stronger than surface

• Northern Hemisphere: Stand with back to wind, low pressure on left
• Southern Hemisphere: Low pressure on right
• Useful for locating systems

Local Winds

Sea and Land Breezes:

Sea Breeze (Day):

• Land heats faster than sea
• Low pressure over land
• Wind from sea to land
• Afternoon strongest
• Convergence zone inland

• Land cools faster than sea
• High pressure over land
• Wind from land to sea
• Weaker than sea breeze

Anabatic (Valley Wind - Day):

• Sun heats valley slopes
• Warm air rises
• Wind up-valley, up-slope

• Slopes cool by radiation
• Cold air drains down
• Wind down-valley, down-slope
• Can be strong

• Warm, dry wind descending leeward side of mountains
• Air cools at SALR ascending (slower)
• Warms at DALR descending (faster)
• Net warming
• Examples: Foehn (Alps), Chinook (Rockies)

• Wind accelerates through gaps, valleys
• Conservation of mass
• Mountain passes
• Between buildings

Weather Systems

Air Masses

Definition:

• Large body of air (1,000+ km)
• Relatively uniform temperature and humidity
• Source region characteristics

By Source Region:

• Continental (c): Over land - Dry
• Maritime (m): Over ocean - Moist

• Arctic (A): Very cold
• Polar (P): Cold
• Tropical (T): Warm
• Equatorial (E): Very warm

• mT: Maritime Tropical - Warm, moist
• mP: Maritime Polar - Cool, moist
• cP: Continental Polar - Cold, dry
• cT: Continental Tropical - Hot, dry

• Air mass changes as it moves
• Colder/warmer
• Moister/drier
• Stable/unstable

Fronts

Front: Boundary between different air masses

Cold Front:

• Cold air advancing, replacing warm
• Steep slope (~1:50 to 1:100)
• Rapid weather changes
• Cumuliform clouds
• Showers, thunderstorms
• Good visibility after passage
• Wind veers (NH), backs (SH)
• Pressure rises

• Warm air advancing, overriding cold
• Gentle slope (~1:150 to 1:300)
• Gradual weather changes
• Stratiform clouds (extensive)
• Continuous precipitation
• Poor visibility
• Wind veers (NH), backs (SH)
• Pressure falls then steady

• Cold front overtakes warm front
• Warm air lifted entirely
• Cold occlusion or warm occlusion
• Complex weather
• Extended precipitation

• Neither air mass advancing
• Weather similar to warm front
• Can persist for days
• Eventually moves or dissipates

Depressions (Low Pressure Systems)

Characteristics:

• Low pressure center
• Counterclockwise rotation (NH), clockwise (SH)
• Converging air at surface
• Rising air
• Clouds and precipitation
• Associated with fronts

1. Cyclogenesis (Formation):

• Disturbance on frontal boundary
• Pressure falls
• Circulation develops

• Well-developed fronts
• Strong winds
• Extensive weather
• Low pressure center

• Cold front catches warm front
• Warm sector lifted
• Beginning of decay

• Filling (pressure rises)
• Weakening circulation
• Weather improving

• Strong winds
• Heavy precipitation
• Icing
• Turbulence
• Low visibility

Anticyclones (High Pressure Systems)

Characteristics:

• High pressure center
• Clockwise rotation (NH), counterclockwise (SH)
• Diverging air at surface
• Descending air
• Generally good weather
• Clear skies (or fog/low stratus)

Warm Anticyclones:

• Extend through atmosphere
• Subsidence inversion
• Fine weather
• Can trap pollution

• Shallow, cold air at surface
• Winter continental highs
• Very cold
• Can have fog, low cloud

• Fog in winter
• Poor visibility (pollution, haze)
• Wind shear at inversion
• Icing in fog

Clouds

Cloud Classification

By Height:

High Clouds (Above 20,000 ft):

• Cirrus (Ci): Wispy, ice crystals
• Cirrocumulus (Cc): Small ripples, ice
• Cirrostratus (Cs): Thin layer, ice, halo around sun/moon

• Altocumulus (Ac): Layered, rolls
• Altostratus (As): Gray layer, sun dimly visible
• Nimbostratus (Ns): Dark, precipitation

• Stratocumulus (Sc): Low rolls
• Stratus (St): Gray layer, uniform
• Cumulus (Cu): Fair weather, puffy
• Cumulonimbus (Cb): Thunderstorm, anvil top

• Towering Cumulus (TCU): Growing cumulus
• Cumulonimbus (Cb): Mature thunderstorm

Cloud Formation Types

Stratiform:

• Layer clouds
• Stable air
• Gentle lifting
• Continuous precipitation
• Poor visibility
• Examples: St, Sc, As, Ns, Cs

• Heap clouds
• Unstable air
• Convective lifting
• Showers
• Good visibility between
• Examples: Cu, TCU, Cb

Significant Clouds

Cumulonimbus (Cb):

• Thunderstorm cloud
• Vertical extent: Surface to 50,000+ ft
• Anvil top (ice)
• Heavy precipitation
• Lightning
• Severe turbulence
• Hail
• Avoid by 20 NM

• Lens-shaped
• Over/downwind of mountains
• Standing wave indicator
• Smooth appearance
• Indicate turbulence

• Beneath wave clouds
• Turbulent
• Mountain waves

Precipitation

Types

Rain:

• Liquid droplets >0.5 mm
• From stratiform or cumuliform clouds

• Droplets <0.5 mm
• From stratus clouds
• Reduces visibility significantly

• Ice crystals
• Below 0°C
• Can occur at higher surface temps (melting level aloft)

• Ice pellets >5 mm
• From cumulonimbus
• Severe turbulence present
• Aircraft damage risk

• Supercooled liquid
• Freezes on contact
• Clear ice accretion
• Extremely hazardous

• Frozen raindrops
• Bounce on impact
• Indicates freezing rain above

Aviation Weather Hazards

Icing

Conditions Required:

• Visible moisture (clouds, precipitation)
• Temperature 0°C to -20°C (most icing)
• Supercooled water droplets

Rime Ice:

• Opaque, white, rough
• Small droplets freeze instantly
• Traps air
• Typically in stratiform clouds
• Easy to remove

• Transparent, smooth, hard
• Large droplets spread before freezing
• Heavy
• Cumuliform clouds, freezing rain
• Difficult to remove
• Most dangerous

• Combination of rime and clear
• Various conditions

• Light: <1 cm/hour, no problem if short duration
• Moderate: 1-3 cm/hour, anti-ice required
• Severe: >3 cm/hour, immediate exit required

• Climb/descend out of icing layer
• Change route
• Don't fly in icing without anti-ice/de-ice
• Avoid freezing rain entirely

Turbulence

Causes:

Mechanical:

• Wind over obstacles
• Surface friction
• Buildings, terrain
• Low-level

• Surface heating
• Thermals
• Cumulus clouds
• Daytime over land

• Wind shear at fronts
• Cumulonimbus
• Jet stream

• Strong wind perpendicular to mountains
• Wave motion downwind
• Lenticular clouds
• Can extend 100+ NM downwind

• No visual cues
• Near jet stream
• Tropopause
• Wind shear

• Wingtip vortices
• Heavy aircraft
• Slow speed, high weight
• Sinks ~500 ft/min, drifts with wind

• Light: Slight, erratic changes
• Moderate: Definite strain on belts
• Severe: Large changes, loss of control momentarily
• Extreme: Practically impossible to control, structural damage

Thunderstorms

Requirements (3 T's):

1. Trigger: Lifting mechanism
2. Temperature: Unstable atmosphere
3. Time: Sufficient moisture

1. Cumulus Stage:

• Updrafts throughout
• Towering cumulus
• No precipitation reaching surface

• Updrafts and downdrafts
• Precipitation falls
• Anvil forms
• Most violent
• Lightning

• Downdrafts dominate
• Weakening
• Light precipitation

• Severe turbulence
• Hail (aircraft damage)
• Lightning
• Heavy rain (visibility)
• Icing (severe)
• Microbursts (wind shear)
• Tornadoes (supercells)

• Visual: 20 NM minimum (radar 40 NM if large/severe)
• Embedded: Avoid entirely (radar required)
• Lines: Don't penetrate gaps <40 NM
• Night: Extreme caution, limited visual cues

Wind Shear

Definition:

• Change in wind speed and/or direction over short distance

Vertical Wind Shear:

• Change with altitude
• Inversions
• Jet stream

• Change across space at same altitude
• Fronts
• Gust fronts

• <1,600 ft AGL
• Takeoff/landing hazard
• Microbursts most dangerous

• Strong downdraft from thunderstorm
• Spreads on ground
• Wind shear on all sides
• Duration: 5-15 minutes
• Diameter: <4 km
• Wind speed changes: 40+ knots possible
• Highly dangerous on approach/takeoff

• Virga (precipitation not reaching ground)
• Ring of dust/debris
• Rainfall shaft
• LLWS warnings

Meteorological Information

METAR (Aerodrome Report)

Format:

• ICAO identifier
• Time (UTC)
• Wind
• Visibility
• Weather
• Clouds
• Temperature/Dew Point
• QNH

EGLL 121350Z 27015KT 9999 FEW035 12/08 Q1015

• London Heathrow
• 12th day, 13:50 UTC
• Wind 270° at 15 knots
• Visibility 10 km or more (9999)
• Few clouds at 3,500 ft
• Temperature 12°C, Dew Point 8°C
• QNH 1015 hPa

• Special report (significant change)

TAF (Terminal Aerodrome Forecast)

Validity:

• 9, 12, 18, 24, or 30 hours
• Issued 4 times daily typically

• BECMG: Permanent change over period
• TEMPO: Temporary fluctuation
• PROB30/40: Probability of condition

TAF EGLL 121100Z 1212/1318 27012KT 9999 FEW030
     TEMPO 1215/1218 6000 SHRA BKN015CB

• Forecast for 12:00 to 18:00 (next day)
• Temporary showers expected 15:00-18:00

SIGMET

Significant Meteorological Information:

• Hazardous weather
• Valid for 4 hours
• For all aircraft

• Thunderstorms
• Turbulence
• Icing
• Dust/sandstorm
• Volcanic ash
• Tropical cyclone

EGTT SIGMET 3 VALID 121200/121600
SEV TURB FCST N OF N5400 FL250/350

Other Reports

AIRMET:

• Weather affecting light aircraft
• Not as severe as SIGMET

• Actual conditions from pilots
• Valuable real-time information

• Forecasts at various flight levels
• Wind direction and speed
• Temperature

EASA Learning Objectives

LO 050.01: Atmospheric Physics

Knowledge Requirements:

• Atmospheric composition and structure
• Temperature, pressure, density relationships
• ISA and deviations
• Heat transfer methods
• Adiabatic processes

• ISA values (15°C, 1013 hPa)
• Lapse rates (DALR 3°C/1,000 ft, ELR ~2°C/1,000 ft)
• Atmospheric layers

LO 050.02: Wind

Knowledge Requirements:

• Pressure gradient force
• Coriolis effect
• Geostrophic wind
• Friction effects
• Local winds

• Coriolis deflection (right in NH)
• Wind angle to isobars (surface vs. altitude)
• Buys Ballot's Law

LO 050.03: Humidity and Clouds

Knowledge Requirements:

• Humidity measurements
• Dew point
• Cloud formation
• Cloud types
• Precipitation types

• Dew point and temperature spread
• Cloud classification (height, type)
• Icing cloud types

LO 050.04: Air Masses and Fronts

Knowledge Requirements:

• Air mass classification
• Front types and characteristics
• Weather at fronts
• Front passage signs

• Cold vs. warm front weather
• Front slope angles
• Wind changes at fronts

LO 050.05: Weather Systems

Knowledge Requirements:

• Depression characteristics
• Anticyclone characteristics
• Life cycles
• Associated weather

• Circulation direction (NH/SH)
• Weather patterns
• Hazards

LO 050.06: Hazards

Knowledge Requirements:

• Icing types and conditions
• Turbulence types and causes
• Thunderstorm development and hazards
• Wind shear and microbursts
• Avoidance techniques

• Icing severity and types
• Thunderstorm avoidance (20 NM)
• Microburst recognition
• CB hazards

LO 050.07: Meteorological Information

Knowledge Requirements:

• METAR format and decoding
• TAF format and decoding
• SIGMET purpose and content
• Other reports

• METAR decoding
• TAF change indicators (BECMG, TEMPO)
• SIGMET phenomena

Exam Tips & Common Questions

Frequently Tested Topics

1. ISA:

• 15°C, 1013.25 hPa at MSL
• Lapse rate ~2°C/1,000 ft
• DALR 3°C/1,000 ft

• Coriolis deflection right (NH)
• Wind angle to isobars (30° surface, 0° at altitude)
• Geostrophic wind

• Cold front: Steep, Cb clouds, good visibility after
• Warm front: Gentle, stratiform, poor visibility

• Cb most dangerous
• Lenticular = mountain waves
• Ice crystals: High clouds (Ci, Cc, Cs)

• 0°C to -20°C most icing
• Clear ice most dangerous
• Freezing rain extreme hazard

• Avoid by 20 NM visual (40 NM radar)
• Mature stage most dangerous
• Microbursts extremely hazardous

• Decoding practice
• Change indicators
• Visibility and weather codes

Common Pitfalls

Hemisphere Confusion:

• Coriolis and circulation directions
• NH vs. SH

• Stratiform vs. cumuliform
• Cloud base heights

• °C vs. °F
• hPa vs. inHg
• Feet vs. meters

• Cold vs. warm characteristics
• Weather patterns

Memory Aids

ISA:

• "15-and-1013" (15°C and 1013 hPa)

• "DALR = 3, SALR = 1.5-2, ELR = 2" (per 1,000 ft)

• "Cold is steep, warm is gentle"

• "High=Ice, Middle=Mix, Low=Liquid"

• "20 visual, 40 radar" (NM)

• "Right in the Northern Hemisphere"

• "ICAO-Time-Wind-Vis-Weather-Clouds-Temp/DP-QNH"

Study Strategy for Meteorology

Recommended Approach

Phase 1: Atmospheric Basics (Week 1-2)

• Structure and composition
• Temperature, pressure, density
• ISA
• Build foundation

• Humidity concepts
• Cloud formation
• Cloud types
• Precipitation

• Wind formation
• Coriolis, PGF
• Local winds
• Circulation

• Air masses
• Fronts
• Depressions and anticyclones
• Life cycles

• Icing
• Turbulence
• Thunderstorms
• Wind shear

• METAR, TAF, SIGMET
• Question bank ^[?] intensive
• Mock exams
• Weak area review

Study Materials

Essential:

• School textbook (Oxford, BGS, ATPL.GS)
• Question bank (700+ questions)
• METAR/TAF practice
• Weather chart interpretation

• Aviation Weather book (FAA)
• Real METAR/TAF observation (websites)
• Weather apps
• Satellite imagery

• Reading: 60-70 hours
• Question practice: 40-50 hours
• METAR/TAF practice: 10-15 hours
• Mock exams: 6-10 hours
• Review: 10-20 hours
• Total: 126-165 hours

Practical Application

Pre-Flight Planning

Weather Briefing:

• TAF for departure, destination, alternates
• METAR current conditions
• SIGMETs and NOTAMs
• Winds aloft
• Icing forecasts
• Convective outlooks (thunderstorms)

• Weather minima (company, regulatory, personal)
• Alternates available
• Hazards en route
• Fuel requirements with weather
• Passenger considerations

In-Flight Decisions

Weather Deviation:

• Thunderstorm avoidance
• Icing exit
• Turbulence level changes
• Alternate selection

• PIREPs for actual conditions
• Help other pilots
• Contribute to safety

Career-Long Learning

Continuous Study:

• Weather patterns in operating areas
• Seasonal trends
• Local effects
• Experience-based learning

• Advanced meteorology courses
• Dispatcher coordination
• Meteorologist consultation
• Technology updates (radar, satellite)

Conclusion

Meteorology is one of the most operationally relevant ATPL subjects, directly impacting every flight. Understanding atmospheric physics, weather systems, hazards, and meteorological reports enables safe and informed decision-making throughout your aviation career.

Success in Meteorology requires:

• Strong understanding of atmospheric physics
• Knowledge of weather systems and patterns
• Recognition of aviation hazards
• Ability to interpret meteorological information
• Practical application to flight operations
• Extensive question practice ^[?]

Related Articles:

• Operational Procedures ^[?]
• Air Law Overview
• ATPL Theory Exams Overview