Met exam is only 20 questions ?!?
The Original Whirly
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: Belper, Derbyshire, UK
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Backpacker,
Absolutely! I couldn't agree more. What I meant was that I'd never heard of that way of doing it. I would have said that with a DALR of 3 degrees per 1000 ft, a two degree difference in temp and dewpoint means the cloud starts at approximately 700 ft. OK, 800 ft with your formula, but does it matter exactly; it's low enough for anyone (helicopters included) to wonder if going flying is a good idea.
So DEFINITELY work out for yourself where the cloudbase is likely to be. But I still don't think my poor little brain needs to remember two formulae, and even if my way (and the way everyone I've ever talked to does it) isn't precisely accurate, it'll do fine.
The t/d spread gives me a way to second-guess his opinion and if I don't trust it, I now have promised myself to ask for pilot reports before I go.
So DEFINITELY work out for yourself where the cloudbase is likely to be. But I still don't think my poor little brain needs to remember two formulae, and even if my way (and the way everyone I've ever talked to does it) isn't precisely accurate, it'll do fine.
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: The Burrow, N53:48:02 W1:48:57, The Tin Tent - EGBS, EGBO
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Met exam is only 20 questions ?!?
Be grateful for small mercies. 
I'd never heard of the 400*the number you first thought of thingy.
I'm with Whirly, Whopity, Beagle, et al.
Course, the real answer is when the Met Man tells you the Temp & Dew Point you ask him how high the cloud is.
I'm with Whirly, Whopity, Beagle, et al.
Course, the real answer is when the Met Man tells you the Temp & Dew Point you ask him how high the cloud is.
Last edited by J.A.F.O.; 19th Jun 2007 at 00:45. Reason: To change my Whirls to a Whirly so as not to offend.
The Original Whirly
Join Date: Feb 1999
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change my Whirls to a Whirly so as not to offend.
But don't worry, JAFO, neither Whirls nor I would have been offended. It's just that everyone else would have got totally confused - sent a pm to the wrong one, chatted up someone who hardly knew who he was, thought we were the same person and accused us of being inconsistent in our posts. All those have happened! And it can all be very simply solved, as you've realised, by remembering that there are two Whirlies, and WhirlyBIRD = Whirly, WhirlyGIG = Whirls.
We just decided that to help you all out with a terribly difficult problem, that's all.
