Chapter 24
Observations
/TP BE20 Super King Air 200.
/TP SR22 Cirrus 22.
/TP P28R Piper Arrow.
/TP UNKN Type unknown.
24.5.1.6 Sky Condition (/SK)
The sky condition (/SK) group is used to report height of cloud bases, tops, and cloud cover. The height of base of a layer of clouds is coded in hundreds of feet MSL. The top of a layer is entered in hundreds of feet MSL preceded by the word TOP. If reported as clear above the highest cloud layer, SKC is coded following the reported level.
Examples:
/BKN040-TOP065 Base of broken layer 4,000 ft MSL, top 6,500 ft MSL.
/SK OVC100-TOP110/ SKC Base of an overcast layer 10,000 ft MSL, top 11,000 ft MSL, clear above.
/SK OVC015-TOP035/OVC230 Base of an overcast layer 1,500 ft MSL, top 3,500 ft MSL, base of an overcast layer 23,000 ft MSL.
/SK OVC-TOP085 Overcast layer, top 8,500 ft MSL.
Cloud cover amount ranges are entered with a hyphen separating the amounts (e.g., BKN-OVC).
Examples:
/SK SCT-BKN050-TOP100 Base of a scattered to broken layer
/SK BKN-OVCUNKN-TOP060/BKN120-TOP150/ SKC Base of a broken to overcast layer
Unknown heights are indicated by the contraction UNKN.
Examples:
/SK OVC065-TOPUNKN Base of an overcast layer 6,500 ft MSL, top unknown. If a pilot indicates being in the clouds, IMC is entered.
/SK OVC065-TOPUNKN /RM IMC Base of an overcast layer 6,500 ft MSL, top unknown, remark, in the clouds. When more than one layer is reported, layers are separated by a solidus (/).