If all the sky is visible through a surface-based phenomenon covering 8/8 of the sky, what contraction is used?

When all the sky is covered or obscured by clouds or weather phenomena, it indicates a state of "overcast." However, if the term is specifically referring to a situation where visibility is completely clear—meaning there are no clouds, haze, or any other phenomena that block the view of the sky—the abbreviation used is "SKC," which stands for "sky clear."

In this case, saying "8/8 of the sky is visible" implies that the entire sky is unobstructed, which means there are no obstructions like clouds present. Thus, "SKC" is the appropriate contraction to denote that the sky is clear with no clouds present. The other options refer to varying degrees of cloud cover:

• "FEW" indicates that there are a few clouds (1-2 oktas of cloud cover).

• "SCT" means that the sky is scattered with clouds (3-4 oktas).

• "OVC" indicates that the sky is overcast (5 to 8 oktas of cloud cover), which does not apply when the entire sky is clear.

Thus, "SKC" is the correct contraction when the sky is free of any obstructions.