Reporter implied that the ASOS issued an inaccurate observation and that the NWS personnel would not...

Attributes
ACN	339516
Time
Date	199606
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : chs
State Reference	SC
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : sju
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : clearance delivery controller : flight data
Qualification	controller : non radar
ASRS Report	339516
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	oversight : supervisor
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	other physical facility

Narrative:

ASOS issued an inaccurate surface observation that could pose a threat to aircraft. The NWS personnel refused to (and said that they could not) augment the observation. ASOS XX55Z clear below 120 10+ (no remarks). Actual estimated WX (I was formerly certified as a lawrs observer) 30 scattered/broken tcu's alquads, cumulo nimbus northwest-east light icing northwest-north ASR-9 radar indicated level 4/5 thunderstorms 7-12 mi from airport, level 2/3 rain 2 mi northeast of airport. This system has been incorrect numerous times during the past few weeks and it is a safety issue. It needs to be fixed. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated they were told by NWS personnel that it was not their job to augment the WX report. Reporter stated that the WX report was augmented by the NWS 39 mins after the hourly observation was issued. The facility manager discussed this with the NWS office and it was understood that NWS personnel would augment the WX reports although the reporter said there is nothing in writing. Reporter alleges that NWS personnel do not initiate augmentation of the WX and have to be told by tower personnel of the ASOS WX discrepancy to get it accomplished.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR IMPLIED THAT THE ASOS ISSUED AN INACCURATE OBSERVATION AND THAT THE NWS PERSONNEL WOULD NOT AUGMENT IT WITH ACTUAL WX CONDITIONS.

Narrative: ASOS ISSUED AN INACCURATE SURFACE OBSERVATION THAT COULD POSE A THREAT TO ACFT. THE NWS PERSONNEL REFUSED TO (AND SAID THAT THEY COULD NOT) AUGMENT THE OBSERVATION. ASOS XX55Z CLR BELOW 120 10+ (NO REMARKS). ACTUAL ESTIMATED WX (I WAS FORMERLY CERTIFIED AS A LAWRS OBSERVER) 30 SCATTERED/BROKEN TCU'S ALQUADS, CUMULO NIMBUS NW-E LIGHT ICING NW-N ASR-9 RADAR INDICATED LEVEL 4/5 TSTMS 7-12 MI FROM ARPT, LEVEL 2/3 RAIN 2 MI NE OF ARPT. THIS SYS HAS BEEN INCORRECT NUMEROUS TIMES DURING THE PAST FEW WKS AND IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE. IT NEEDS TO BE FIXED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THEY WERE TOLD BY NWS PERSONNEL THAT IT WAS NOT THEIR JOB TO AUGMENT THE WX RPT. RPTR STATED THAT THE WX RPT WAS AUGMENTED BY THE NWS 39 MINS AFTER THE HRLY OBSERVATION WAS ISSUED. THE FACILITY MGR DISCUSSED THIS WITH THE NWS OFFICE AND IT WAS UNDERSTOOD THAT NWS PERSONNEL WOULD AUGMENT THE WX RPTS ALTHOUGH THE RPTR SAID THERE IS NOTHING IN WRITING. RPTR ALLEGES THAT NWS PERSONNEL DO NOT INITIATE AUGMENTATION OF THE WX AND HAVE TO BE TOLD BY TWR PERSONNEL OF THE ASOS WX DISCREPANCY TO GET IT ACCOMPLISHED.

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.

Reporter implied that the ASOS issued an inaccurate observation and that the NWS personnel would not augment it with actual WX conditions.