Icing Example 1

Hypothetical sounding for icing in cumulus clouds

Consider this sounding to assess the potential for icing. (To assist with this question and others that follow, you can open the interactive skew-T with this sounding).

In what layer would you expect clouds?
(Choose the best answer.)
a) 250-450 hPa
b) 450-500 hPa
c) 500-650 hPa
d) 650-700 hPa
e) 700-1000 hPa

That is incorrect.
Clouds will only occur where the dewpoint depression is small.
The correct answer is c). Clouds would be expected in the 650-500 hPa layer, where dewpoint depressions are 1°C or less.

What type of cloud would you expect?
(Choose the best answer.)
a) Cirrus
b) Cumulus
c) Lenticular
d) Stratiform
That is incorrect.
The atmosphere is conditionally unstable in the cloud layer.
The correct answer is b) Cumulus clouds.
The sounding slope is slightly greater than moist adiabatic, therefore conditional instability exists and convective cumulus clouds could be expected.
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