A large cumulus cloud with a base of 2000 ft is reported at an airfield,if the surface temperature is 21 degrees celsius the height of the freezing level in the cloud is likely to be:
A) 10330 feet
B) 7000 feet
C) 10500 feet
D) 18000 feet
The freezing level in a cloud is calculated by using the the standard lapse rate 2celc./1000'. In your case however, the freezing level (i.e temp reaches 0 from the surface temp of 21 celcius ) at an altitude of 10,500' or 10,600 to be more precise .
The answer in my opinion would be (c) .
If you use the DALR from the surface up to the cloud base (3 deg./ 1000ft)
and from there on 1.8 deg. / 1000ft as the SALR
(only valid in the cloud itself ) , you get 10,330 ft as the FZ LVL.
I believe this is the answer they are looking for, hence A.
Is this the answer they give?