Which scale is commonly used to measure cloud cover?

Which scale is commonly used to measure cloud cover?

• A. Oktas scale
• B. Beaufort scale
• C. Celsius scale
• D. Richter scale

Answer: (A)

Measuring how much of the sky is covered by clouds uses the Oktas scale, which expresses cloudiness in eighths of the sky. A reading of 0 means a completely clear sky, while 8 means the sky is fully overcast; values in between describe partial cloud cover. This simple eight-part system has long been used by meteorologists when recording sky conditions in weather observations and synoptic charts. The other scales serve different purposes: the Beaufort scale measures wind speed, the Celsius scale measures temperature, and the Richter scale gauges earthquake magnitude. So for cloud cover, the Oktas scale is the standard.

Measuring how much of the sky is covered by clouds uses the Oktas scale, which expresses cloudiness in eighths of the sky. A reading of 0 means a completely clear sky, while 8 means the sky is fully overcast; values in between describe partial cloud cover. This simple eight-part system has long been used by meteorologists when recording sky conditions in weather observations and synoptic charts. The other scales serve different purposes: the Beaufort scale measures wind speed, the Celsius scale measures temperature, and the Richter scale gauges earthquake magnitude. So for cloud cover, the Oktas scale is the standard.