Which METAR element describes cloud layers?

• A. Wind direction.
• B. Sky condition.
• C. Altimeter.
• D. Visibility.

Answer: (B)

Cloud layers in METAR are described by the sky condition detail. This element communicates how much of the sky is covered by clouds and where the bases sit in the atmosphere. It uses codes like FEW, SCT, BKN, or OVC plus a height in hundreds of feet AGL to show the cloud base. For example, FEW020 means a few clouds at about 2,000 feet AGL, SCT020 means scattered at 2,000 feet, BKN060 means broken at 6,000 feet, and OVC100 means overcast at 10,000 feet. When the sky is completely hidden, vertical visibility (VV) is reported instead. This is distinct from wind direction, which is the wind group, the altimeter setting, which is the pressure value, and visibility, which is how far you can see horizontally.