What does the term ceiling refer to in aviation meteorology?

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Multiple Choice

What does the term ceiling refer to in aviation meteorology?

The ceiling is the base of the lowest cloud layer that covers more than half the sky (a broken or overcast layer). This base altitude is what pilots use to determine IFR/VFR conditions—the height you would reference as the ceiling. For example, if the lowest cloud layer that is broken or overcast begins at 2,000 feet above the surface, the ceiling is 2,000 feet AGL. The top of the cloud layers isn’t what’s measured for the ceiling, and fog is a separate factor that isn’t defined as the cloud base in this context.

The ceiling is the base of the lowest cloud layer that covers more than half the sky (a broken or overcast layer). This base altitude is what pilots use to determine IFR/VFR conditions—the height you would reference as the ceiling. For example, if the lowest cloud layer that is broken or overcast begins at 2,000 feet above the surface, the ceiling is 2,000 feet AGL. The top of the cloud layers isn’t what’s measured for the ceiling, and fog is a separate factor that isn’t defined as the cloud base in this context.

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