If 5/8 of the sky is covered, how is this represented in column 17 of a report?

When interpreting sky cover in aviation weather reports, the observation is typically measured in eighths of the sky that are obscured by clouds. The fraction of the sky that is covered influences the numerical representation in the report.

In this case, with 5/8 of the sky being covered, the correct representation in column 17 of the report is indeed 5. This is because the value assigned corresponds directly to the eighths of the sky observed to be cloudy. The value indicates that five eighths of the celestial view is obstructed by cloud cover, which is a standard way of reporting cloud coverage in aviation meteorology.

The number 6 would indicate a greater amount of coverage than what is being reported, while the number 4 would indicate insufficient coverage based on the given fraction. The number 8 would imply complete obscuration, which is not applicable in this scenario since only five eighths are covered. Therefore, the representation of 5/8 of the sky being cloudy is accurately reflected as 5 in column 17.