Which description matches the current depiction for Chicago Midway (KMDW)?

• A. Sky 700 feet overcast, visibility 1-1/2 SM, rain
• B. Clear, 10 miles visibility
• C. Scattered clouds at 2,000 feet, light rain
• D. Overcast at 3,000 feet, fog

Answer: (A)

Reading METAR weather tells you how high the lowest cloud layer is, how much of the sky it covers, and how far you can see, plus any precipitation. An overcast at 700 feet means the entire sky is covered by clouds with a base at 700 feet AGL. Coupled with visibility of 1.5 miles and rain, this puts you in IFR conditions, since both ceiling and visibility are well below typical VFR minimums. That combination matches a snapshot where you’re issued a low, rain-affected, restricted-visibility picture of the airspace around Chicago Midway.

The other descriptions describe setups that don’t align with low, blanket cloud cover plus limited visibility: clear skies with 10 miles visibility would be VFR; scattered clouds at 2,000 feet with light rain would imply a higher cloud base and better visibility; and overcast at 3,000 feet with fog would mix a higher ceiling with fog that severely restricts visibility, which isn’t the same low-visibility, rain scenario shown.