What Is Ceiling?
The height of the lowest cloud layer that covers more than half the sky. Pilots need to know it to decide whether they can fly by sight. In technical terms: The height above ground of the lowest layer reported as broken (5/8-7/8) or overcast (8/8), or the vertical visibility into an obscuration; a key parameter in aviation flight categories (for example IFR is ceiling under 1000 ft).
Ceiling In Plain English
The height of the lowest cloud layer that covers more than half the sky. Pilots need to know it to decide whether they can fly by sight.
The Technical Definition
The height above ground of the lowest layer reported as broken (5/8-7/8) or overcast (8/8), or the vertical visibility into an obscuration; a key parameter in aviation flight categories (for example IFR is ceiling under 1000 ft).
