What is the primary purpose of an in-flight weather advisory?

The primary purpose of an in-flight weather advisory is to inform pilots about unexpected weather phenomena that may affect their flight. These advisories are crucial for situational awareness, enabling pilots to make informed decisions regarding their flight path, altitude adjustments, and potential route changes. In-flight weather advisories can include information about thunderstorms, turbulence, icing conditions, and other significant weather events that may arise during the flight. This real-time communication helps enhance safety by ensuring that pilots are aware of any adverse weather conditions they might encounter while already in transit, allowing them to react appropriately to maintain safety and efficiency.

The other options, while related to weather and aviation, do not align with the primary function of in-flight weather advisories. For instance, providing preflight weather forecasts pertains to planning rather than in-flight updates, flight delays due to weather relate to ground operations rather than in-flight decision-making, and notifying ground staff is usually more about logistics than directly impacting flight safety or piloting decisions.