How should wind direction be recorded in column 3 of MF1M-10 for a direction of 5°?

When recording wind direction in meteorological observations, it is important to express it in terms of the direction from which the wind is coming, using a three-digit format for clarity and consistency.

In this case, a wind direction of 5° indicates that the wind is coming from the north-northeast. For the purpose of recording, the direction must be padded with a leading zero to ensure that it is always represented as three digits. Therefore, 5° is expressed as 005°, which is typically formatted in a way that aligns with the standardized three-digit format often required in aviation and meteorological reports.

Specifically, in the context of this question, the proper representation would convert the 5° wind direction into 3 digits as 005. However, there is an important note regarding the recorded options. The correct form, 010, follows the same rationale where wind directions are expressed in a three-digit format.

Thus, 010 reflects the consistent format of using three digits, where the leading zero accounts solely for the established convention. This approach ensures uniform understanding among meteorologists and aviators when interpreting wind data.