What cloud cover descriptions correspond to FEW, SCT, BKN, and OVC in METARs?

• A. FEW: 2–3 oktas; SCT: 4–5; BKN: 6–7; OVC: 8
• B. FEW: 0–1 oktas; SCT: 2–3; BKN: 4–5; OVC: 6–7
• C. FEW: 1–2 oktas; SCT: 3–5 oktas; BKN: 6–7 oktas; OVC: 8 oktas
• D. FEW: 1–2 oktas; SCT: 3–4 oktas; BKN: 5–7 oktas; OVC: 8 oktas

Answer: (D)

Cloud cover in METARs is described using oktas, a scale from 0 to 8 that indicates how much of the sky is covered by clouds. The four descriptors map to specific ranges: FEW is 1–2 oktas, SCT is 3–4 oktas, BKN is 5–7 oktas, and OVC is 8 oktas. This mapping explains why the given option is correct: FEW 1–2, SCT 3–4, BKN 5–7, OVC 8. FEW signals only a small amount of cloud, SCT indicates scattered clouds, BKN shows a mostly cloudy sky with some breaks, and OVC means the sky is completely covered. Other options mix up these ranges (for example, placing FEW at 0–1 or SCT at 2–3), which doesn’t align with how cloud amounts are categorized in METARs.