For a balloon that fades from view immediately upon release from the surface, how would the sky condition and ceiling be recorded?

When a balloon disappears from view immediately upon release from the surface, it indicates that the visibility is limited to a vertical level, rather than indicating a significant layer of clouds that can be reported in a standard overcast format. The vertical visibility (VV) is used when there is no actual limit to visibility, but rather an obscuration that prevents seeing beyond a certain height into the sky.

Recording "VV005" signifies that the vertical visibility extends to 500 feet above the surface. This measurement is particularly relevant when the observer cannot discern the sky due to fog, mist, or other obscuring conditions that prevent seeing beyond that height. It clearly conveys that the cloud base is not defined, thus not supporting a standard overcast measurement.

On the other hand, the other options suggest definite cloud layers ("OVC" indicates overcast at a specific altitude), which would not be applicable if the balloon fades out of sight right at the surface due to what seems to be a total obstruction. Therefore, the use of vertical visibility is appropriate in this case, leading to the recording of "VV005".