Weather Charts & Analysis
Weather Charts & Analysis is a core knowledge area on the Aviation Weather FAA written exam. This hub collects our 4 in-depth, ACS-aligned weather charts & analysis articles — each written in plain English and grounded in the official FAA handbooks. Work through them below, then drill the topic with practice questions.
Reading the Station Plot Model on a Surface Chart
The station plot model packs a full surface observation—wind, temperature, dewpoint, sky cover, pressure, ceiling, visibility, and more—into a compact symbol placed directly on a surface analysis chart, letting forecasters and pilots quickly read conditions at hundreds of reporting points simultaneously.
Radiosonde Soundings and the Skew-T Log-P Diagram
Radiosonde soundings gather vertical atmospheric data that meteorologists plot on the Skew-T Log-P diagram, a powerful tool for analyzing temperature, moisture, wind, and stability from the surface to the upper atmosphere.
Upper-Air Analysis Charts and Constant-Pressure Surfaces
Upper-air analysis charts depict weather on constant-pressure surfaces using contour lines, isotachs, and isotherms, giving pilots and meteorologists a three-dimensional picture of the atmosphere essential for flight planning and forecasting.
Graphical Turbulence Guidance and Real-Time Mesoscale Analysis
Graphical Turbulence Guidance (GTG) and Real-Time Mesoscale Analysis (RTMA) are two NWS-produced analysis products that give pilots and dispatchers objective, algorithm-driven snapshots of turbulence potential and surface weather conditions, filling critical gaps where traditional observations are unavailable.
More Aviation Weather subjects
Articles are original summaries grounded in the public-domain FAA handbooks and cite their source. ACS-aligned study aids — not a substitute for the official handbooks or regulations.