Soar High with the 2025 Surface Weather Observer Practice Test – Forecast Your Success!

When recording prevailing visibility in meteorological observations, the correct notation employs the specific abbreviation that denotes distance in statute miles. In this context, "2SM" effectively communicates that the visibility is two statute miles.

Using this notation is crucial for clarity and standardization across weather reporting formats, ensuring that all observers and users of the data interpret the information uniformly. The "SM" suffix indicates that the measurement is in statute miles, distinguishing it from nautical or other potential measures of distance.

Although other formats like "2 miles," "2 statute miles," and "2.0SM" may convey similar information in casual contexts, they do not adhere to the standardized reporting practices typically used in meteorological documentation, which stress the use of "SM" for statute miles. The use of two decimal points, as seen in "2.0SM," is generally not necessary unless precision is critical. Therefore, the notation "2SM" aligns with established conventions and maintains consistency in reporting.