Narrative:

Due to budget cuts, NWS has ended contract WX observing at cid ATCT. Controllers are now expected to provide WX observations for dissemination to pilots. Controllers are lawrs certified (limited aviation WX reporting), but in truth, that only means we were taught to pass the test. None of us feel like WX experts, or even comfortable with taking WX observations that accurately reflect current conditions. On the date in question, a line of thunderstorms moved west to east over the cid area, with the extreme south edge just passing over the airport. During that time, windshear advisories were in effect, lightning was observed w-nw of the field, then north, a brief period of moderate rain at the airport with heavier showers northwest-north, and hail was reported in the area (though not at the airport). Controllers attempted to keep up with the changing conditions that required special observations, but we also had other ATC duties. Several cloud layers were visible at all times, but controllers reported a solid overcast. A thunderstorm was reported on 1 special, but not on any other observations (even though lightning was visible a short distance to the north). Due to the timing, rain was never disseminated on an observation. During this period, 1 air-taxi aircraft was holding outside the WX area waiting to land -- while a VFR student pilot departed and turned directly into the storm before receiving vectors around it. This seems extremely unsafe. Controllers cannot be expected to keep up with rapidly changing WX conditions that require special observations when they have ATC duties. If significant WX reports are not passed to FSS in a timely fashion, pilots don't have access to it -- unsafe!!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UPDATED WX INFO.

Narrative: DUE TO BUDGET CUTS, NWS HAS ENDED CONTRACT WX OBSERVING AT CID ATCT. CTLRS ARE NOW EXPECTED TO PROVIDE WX OBSERVATIONS FOR DISSEMINATION TO PLTS. CTLRS ARE LAWRS CERTIFIED (LIMITED AVIATION WX RPTING), BUT IN TRUTH, THAT ONLY MEANS WE WERE TAUGHT TO PASS THE TEST. NONE OF US FEEL LIKE WX EXPERTS, OR EVEN COMFORTABLE WITH TAKING WX OBSERVATIONS THAT ACCURATELY REFLECT CURRENT CONDITIONS. ON THE DATE IN QUESTION, A LINE OF TSTMS MOVED W TO E OVER THE CID AREA, WITH THE EXTREME S EDGE JUST PASSING OVER THE ARPT. DURING THAT TIME, WINDSHEAR ADVISORIES WERE IN EFFECT, LIGHTNING WAS OBSERVED W-NW OF THE FIELD, THEN N, A BRIEF PERIOD OF MODERATE RAIN AT THE ARPT WITH HEAVIER SHOWERS NW-N, AND HAIL WAS RPTED IN THE AREA (THOUGH NOT AT THE ARPT). CTLRS ATTEMPTED TO KEEP UP WITH THE CHANGING CONDITIONS THAT REQUIRED SPECIAL OBSERVATIONS, BUT WE ALSO HAD OTHER ATC DUTIES. SEVERAL CLOUD LAYERS WERE VISIBLE AT ALL TIMES, BUT CTLRS RPTED A SOLID OVERCAST. A TSTM WAS RPTED ON 1 SPECIAL, BUT NOT ON ANY OTHER OBSERVATIONS (EVEN THOUGH LIGHTNING WAS VISIBLE A SHORT DISTANCE TO THE N). DUE TO THE TIMING, RAIN WAS NEVER DISSEMINATED ON AN OBSERVATION. DURING THIS PERIOD, 1 AIR-TAXI ACFT WAS HOLDING OUTSIDE THE WX AREA WAITING TO LAND -- WHILE A VFR STUDENT PLT DEPARTED AND TURNED DIRECTLY INTO THE STORM BEFORE RECEIVING VECTORS AROUND IT. THIS SEEMS EXTREMELY UNSAFE. CTLRS CANNOT BE EXPECTED TO KEEP UP WITH RAPIDLY CHANGING WX CONDITIONS THAT REQUIRE SPECIAL OBSERVATIONS WHEN THEY HAVE ATC DUTIES. IF SIGNIFICANT WX RPTS ARE NOT PASSED TO FSS IN A TIMELY FASHION, PLTS DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO IT -- UNSAFE!!

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.