What defines a ceiling on a weather report?

• A. The temperature of the lowest layer of cloud
• B. The height of the lowest layer of clouds or obscuring phenomena that are reported as broken, overcast, or obscured
• C. The visibility at the surface
• D. The air pressure at sea level

Answer: (B)

Ceiling is about how far up you can see before hitting significant cloud cover or an obstruction that blocks the sky. It’s defined as the height of the lowest cloud layer that is reported as broken or overcast, or the vertical visibility into an obscuring phenomenon like fog or smoke. This shows pilots how high clear air is above the ground and helps determine instrument procedures and minimums. The other options don’t define ceiling: cloud base temperature isn’t the criterion, surface visibility relates to horizontal distance you can see at the ground, and sea-level air pressure isn’t tied to how tall the cloud layer reaches.