Prevailing horizontal visibility near the earth's surface as reported by the United States National Weather Service or an accredited observer is known as what?

• A. Ground Visibility
• B. Flight Visibility
• C. Surface Visibility
• D. Operational Visibility

Answer: (A)

The concept being tested is the term used for the distance you can see over the horizon at the surface as recorded by weather observers. This is known as ground visibility. It describes the prevailing horizontal visibility near the earth’s surface and is the standard measurement reported by the National Weather Service or accredited observers for aviation weather. It’s different from flight visibility, which is about what a pilot can see along the intended path of travel, and it’s not the term used for the surface-based report in official weather records. Therefore, ground visibility is the correct term.