Narrative:

As official WX observer/ASOS augmenter, I observed few clouds at 2400 ft, and visibility of 6 SM in haze. The haze was ground based, and partially obscuring the sky. However, bpt ASOS sky condition field will not accept a metar-coded partial obscuration (eg, FEW000, SCT000, BKN000). ASOS will only allow 'clear' or a numerative value (ie, FEW024). In addition, FAA management is aware of this, and prescribes that ATC's shall allow the inaccurate sky condition, and place the true descriptor (ie, FEW000) in the remarks section of the observation, with the restricter (ie, haze). Finally, FAA mandates that ATC's read the observation as 'sky partially obscured' in the body of the ATIS, rather than 'few/scattered/broken clouds less than five-zero,' as ATC's were trained initially for metar.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR CLAIMS THE AUTOMATED SURFACE OBSERVATION SYS (ASOS) IS NOT CAPABLE OF RPTING CERTAIN WX CONDITIONS.

Narrative: AS OFFICIAL WX OBSERVER/ASOS AUGMENTER, I OBSERVED FEW CLOUDS AT 2400 FT, AND VISIBILITY OF 6 SM IN HAZE. THE HAZE WAS GND BASED, AND PARTIALLY OBSCURING THE SKY. HOWEVER, BPT ASOS SKY CONDITION FIELD WILL NOT ACCEPT A METAR-CODED PARTIAL OBSCURATION (EG, FEW000, SCT000, BKN000). ASOS WILL ONLY ALLOW 'CLR' OR A NUMERATIVE VALUE (IE, FEW024). IN ADDITION, FAA MGMNT IS AWARE OF THIS, AND PRESCRIBES THAT ATC'S SHALL ALLOW THE INACCURATE SKY CONDITION, AND PLACE THE TRUE DESCRIPTOR (IE, FEW000) IN THE REMARKS SECTION OF THE OBSERVATION, WITH THE RESTRICTER (IE, HAZE). FINALLY, FAA MANDATES THAT ATC'S READ THE OBSERVATION AS 'SKY PARTIALLY OBSCURED' IN THE BODY OF THE ATIS, RATHER THAN 'FEW/SCATTERED/BROKEN CLOUDS LESS THAN FIVE-ZERO,' AS ATC'S WERE TRAINED INITIALLY FOR METAR.

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.