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Refer to figure.
What weather conditions are forecast in the area around Bloemfontein (BL)?

  • A

    Hail from individual embedded thunderstorm

  • B

    Clear skies with visibility greater than 10 km

  • C

    Continuous light rain from a layer of altostratus

  • D

    Widespread dust storms reducing visibility to 1500 m

Refer to figure.
Bloemfontein (BL) is located in the central interior of South Africa, approximately at 29°S 26°E on the chart.

Reading the SIGWX Chart 1 at the BL location:

The area around BL falls within the main cloud mass associated with the rear of a cold front. The chart shows:

  • CB embedded activity implied by the frontal zone. CB imply moderate or severe turbulence icing and hail.
  • Precipitation symbols (III) indicating significant rainfall or hail.

Hail from individual embedded thunderstorms → CORRECT. 

Clear skies with visibility greater than 10 km → INCORRECT. The chart clearly shows BL within or adjacent to a major cloud mass associated with the cold front, with heavy precipitation symbols. Clear skies are the complete opposite of what the chart shows for this area. CAVOK or clear sky notation is not shown anywhere near BL.

Continuous light rain from a layer of altostratus → INCORRECT. Altostratus produces continuous moderate rain, not from cumulonimbus. The weather near BL involves the cold frontal zone with embedded CB and heavy showery precipitation, not the steady stratiform continuous rain of altostratus. Altostratus is associated with warm fronts, not cold frontal activity.

Widespread dust storms reducing visibility to 1500 m → INCORRECT. No dust storm symbols or dust-related weather notation appears on near BL. Dust storms are meteorological phenomena associated with dry, hot, windy conditions, typically shown with specific symbology on SIGWX charts. The weather near BL is dominated by the cold front with precipitation and cloud, not dry dusty conditions.

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