🔍 Key Concepts

• Standard surface weather observations (METARs) and what they are designed to report • Difference between observed conditions and forecast/predicted conditions • Typical elements: pressure, visibility, temperature, wind, present weather, clouds

💭 Think About

• Ask yourself which of these items is directly measured at the station at the time of the observation, versus something projected into the future. • Think about what information a mariner gets from a routine weather observation report compared to what they get from a forecast chart or weather broadcast. • Consider how often station weather data is updated and what time period it actually describes.

✅ Before You Answer

• Identify which options are measured now (instantaneous or recent past) versus future prediction. • Recall that a standard observation includes current barometric pressure and its recent change, not long‑range trends. • Verify whether a basic station report normally includes any form of forecast or only current conditions.