Narrative:

Operations manual states on arrival to dro obtain latest WX from ASOS from dispatch. Considered the lower terrain to runway 2 and elected to fly the visual with ILS DME backup to runway 2, a slight tailwind. At about 25 mi from dro ZDV told us to expect a descent and mentioned getting the WX via ASOS -- I had a free moment and called ASOS -- surprise wind now 230 degrees 19 KTS gust 24 KTS, clear, altimeter 20.96. I informed the captain and he made immediate plan to change our approach to runway 20. I also called operations and they then called ASOS and reported back to us that the WX had changed. On further checking with dro operations personnel, apparently no procedures exist to trigger the reception of significant WX changes from ASOS and they do not run continual WX updates, only as needed. Current WX is always needed but in mountainous terrain non radar environment at an uncontrolled field such information is absolutely critical. Inside 25 mi the dro arrival requires monitoring 3 radios, operations is one and are designated by our own procedures as the agency to obtain the current WX from. Fortunately we had time to also listen to ASOS. Our uneventful landing could have been very eventful on runway 2.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SUPER MD80 WAS PLANNING APCH RWY 2 DRO ACCOUNT LOWER TERRAIN. CTR CTLR ADVISED TO GET CURRENT WX INFO FROM ASOS. INDICATED WINDS 230 DEGS 19 KTS GUST 24 KTS. ELECTED LAND RWY 20. NO PROC TO GET CURRENT INFO WHEN CHANGES IN ASOS.

Narrative: OPS MANUAL STATES ON ARR TO DRO OBTAIN LATEST WX FROM ASOS FROM DISPATCH. CONSIDERED THE LOWER TERRAIN TO RWY 2 AND ELECTED TO FLY THE VISUAL WITH ILS DME BACKUP TO RWY 2, A SLIGHT TAILWIND. AT ABOUT 25 MI FROM DRO ZDV TOLD US TO EXPECT A DSCNT AND MENTIONED GETTING THE WX VIA ASOS -- I HAD A FREE MOMENT AND CALLED ASOS -- SURPRISE WIND NOW 230 DEGS 19 KTS GUST 24 KTS, CLR, ALTIMETER 20.96. I INFORMED THE CAPT AND HE MADE IMMEDIATE PLAN TO CHANGE OUR APCH TO RWY 20. I ALSO CALLED OPS AND THEY THEN CALLED ASOS AND RPTED BACK TO US THAT THE WX HAD CHANGED. ON FURTHER CHKING WITH DRO OPS PERSONNEL, APPARENTLY NO PROCS EXIST TO TRIGGER THE RECEPTION OF SIGNIFICANT WX CHANGES FROM ASOS AND THEY DO NOT RUN CONTINUAL WX UPDATES, ONLY AS NEEDED. CURRENT WX IS ALWAYS NEEDED BUT IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN NON RADAR ENVIRONMENT AT AN UNCTLED FIELD SUCH INFO IS ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL. INSIDE 25 MI THE DRO ARR REQUIRES MONITORING 3 RADIOS, OPS IS ONE AND ARE DESIGNATED BY OUR OWN PROCS AS THE AGENCY TO OBTAIN THE CURRENT WX FROM. FORTUNATELY WE HAD TIME TO ALSO LISTEN TO ASOS. OUR UNEVENTFUL LNDG COULD HAVE BEEN VERY EVENTFUL ON RWY 2.

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.