Narrative:

ASOS is a failed system and does not perform to standards nor does it meet NWS claims. To make matters worse there are NWS which prevent observers from augmenting the system based on all operationally significant WX elements observed. It is literally impossible to forward all the documentation on this extremely hazardous system (to both public and aviation) without having to compile copies in boxes for shipment. Due to continuous deviation between ASOS and manual backup pcpn readings, sometimes deviating considerably, as of jun/xx/94 this office has installed a backup rain gauge at the ASOS site in order to continue tracking manual comparisons with ASOS pcpn readings. Numerous temperature, operrors, inconsistencies. Pcpn detection (and reading) errors/inconsistencies. We have seen ASOS report r- with no clouds in the sky and obviously no rain. We have seen ASOS and pcpn and other eod summary codes (F-6) even though no occurrence of related WX entries noted by manual augmentation or ASOS data! Numerous problems with ASOS reporting events that did not occur, both hourly and eod. Reporting of rain with no clouds and no pcpn occurrence. Reporting no rain during rain event. Reporting WX codes for eod summary of events that did not occur, etc. On jun/xx/94 at about XA58 pm mdt a lightning strike out on the field near ASOS knocked the power out momentarily. When ASOS came back up it generated a water spout. All attempts to remove the water spout entry failed. Throughout the night the observer on duty had to issue cor obs and sent out an adm message alerting to ignore the entry. The next morning another attempt was made to end water spout and it took. Amoc was notified.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AUTOMATED SURFACE OBSERVING SYS (ASOS) ERRORS.

Narrative: ASOS IS A FAILED SYS AND DOES NOT PERFORM TO STANDARDS NOR DOES IT MEET NWS CLAIMS. TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE THERE ARE NWS WHICH PREVENT OBSERVERS FROM AUGMENTING THE SYS BASED ON ALL OPERATIONALLY SIGNIFICANT WX ELEMENTS OBSERVED. IT IS LITERALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO FORWARD ALL THE DOCUMENTATION ON THIS EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS SYS (TO BOTH PUBLIC AND AVIATION) WITHOUT HAVING TO COMPILE COPIES IN BOXES FOR SHIPMENT. DUE TO CONTINUOUS DEVIATION BTWN ASOS AND MANUAL BACKUP PCPN READINGS, SOMETIMES DEVIATING CONSIDERABLY, AS OF JUN/XX/94 THIS OFFICE HAS INSTALLED A BACKUP RAIN GAUGE AT THE ASOS SITE IN ORDER TO CONTINUE TRACKING MANUAL COMPARISONS WITH ASOS PCPN READINGS. NUMEROUS TEMP, OPERRORS, INCONSISTENCIES. PCPN DETECTION (AND READING) ERRORS/INCONSISTENCIES. WE HAVE SEEN ASOS RPT R- WITH NO CLOUDS IN THE SKY AND OBVIOUSLY NO RAIN. WE HAVE SEEN ASOS AND PCPN AND OTHER EOD SUMMARY CODES (F-6) EVEN THOUGH NO OCCURRENCE OF RELATED WX ENTRIES NOTED BY MANUAL AUGMENTATION OR ASOS DATA! NUMEROUS PROBS WITH ASOS RPTING EVENTS THAT DID NOT OCCUR, BOTH HRLY AND EOD. RPTING OF RAIN WITH NO CLOUDS AND NO PCPN OCCURRENCE. RPTING NO RAIN DURING RAIN EVENT. RPTING WX CODES FOR EOD SUMMARY OF EVENTS THAT DID NOT OCCUR, ETC. ON JUN/XX/94 AT ABOUT XA58 PM MDT A LIGHTNING STRIKE OUT ON THE FIELD NEAR ASOS KNOCKED THE PWR OUT MOMENTARILY. WHEN ASOS CAME BACK UP IT GENERATED A WATER SPOUT. ALL ATTEMPTS TO REMOVE THE WATER SPOUT ENTRY FAILED. THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT THE OBSERVER ON DUTY HAD TO ISSUE COR OBS AND SENT OUT AN ADM MESSAGE ALERTING TO IGNORE THE ENTRY. THE NEXT MORNING ANOTHER ATTEMPT WAS MADE TO END WATER SPOUT AND IT TOOK. AMOC WAS NOTIFIED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.