What does the "OVC" notation in a METAR report indicate?
AOvercast: 8/8 sky coverage with clouds at the reported height✓
BOccasional visibility change: visibility dropping below 3 miles
COverhead: clouds directly above the station at the reported altitude
Why →OVC (Overcast) in a METAR sky condition group means 8/8 of the sky is covered with clouds. An OVC layer constitutes a ceiling. Cloud height is reported in hundreds of feet AGL. "OVC015" means an overcast ceiling at 1,500 feet AGL.
The trap →Both wrong answers are fabricated expansions of the abbreviation. The real sky condition codes: FEW (1-2/8), SCT (3-4/8), BKN (5-7/8), OVC (8/8).
SOURCE → FAA Aviation Weather Services (AC 00-45H)CHECKED JUL 16ACS III.A.K1MED