Narrative:

At XA47 local time the ASOS WX was showing visibility missing, ceiling overcast 005. When the WX transmitted at XA53 local, only tower visibility was entered (3 mi), with no restr to visibility ceiling -- overcast 005. The contract WX observer did not show up at the parking lot until XA50 and did not have time (it appeared) to augment the WX as required. This first WX sequence is used to determine runway confign, approach in use...very shortly after the contract WX arrived a special WX observation was initiated. The change in the WX to 3 broken, overcast 003, put us below the localizer/back course WX minimums thereby changing our confign. In my opinion, the WX should have been augmented prior to the XA53 local observation to accurately reflect current conditions (restrs to visibility and lower ceiling). Because the WX observer was not present at their start time of AB45, this was not accomplished. This is also not the first time such a problem has occurred. Correct WX reporting is essential to aviation safety. We need to find a system that ensures someone will be available to take, augment and verify the WX, prior to us resuming ATC services. Double up on the contract WX people who start at XA45 or give them an earlier start time to prevent problems. Generally, it is difficult (almost impossible) to get some observers to augment the WX at anytime here at pontiac tower. This frequently results in inaccurate reports or untimely special observations creating a safety hazard.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PTK GND CTL CONCERNED WITH TIMELY CONTRACT PTK WX OBSERVATIONS.

Narrative: AT XA47 LCL TIME THE ASOS WX WAS SHOWING VISIBILITY MISSING, CEILING OVCST 005. WHEN THE WX XMITTED AT XA53 LCL, ONLY TWR VISIBILITY WAS ENTERED (3 MI), WITH NO RESTR TO VISIBILITY CEILING -- OVCST 005. THE CONTRACT WX OBSERVER DID NOT SHOW UP AT THE PARKING LOT UNTIL XA50 AND DID NOT HAVE TIME (IT APPEARED) TO AUGMENT THE WX AS REQUIRED. THIS FIRST WX SEQUENCE IS USED TO DETERMINE RWY CONFIGN, APCH IN USE...VERY SHORTLY AFTER THE CONTRACT WX ARRIVED A SPECIAL WX OBSERVATION WAS INITIATED. THE CHANGE IN THE WX TO 3 BROKEN, OVCST 003, PUT US BELOW THE LOC/BACK COURSE WX MINIMUMS THEREBY CHANGING OUR CONFIGN. IN MY OPINION, THE WX SHOULD HAVE BEEN AUGMENTED PRIOR TO THE XA53 LCL OBSERVATION TO ACCURATELY REFLECT CURRENT CONDITIONS (RESTRS TO VISIBILITY AND LOWER CEILING). BECAUSE THE WX OBSERVER WAS NOT PRESENT AT THEIR START TIME OF AB45, THIS WAS NOT ACCOMPLISHED. THIS IS ALSO NOT THE FIRST TIME SUCH A PROB HAS OCCURRED. CORRECT WX RPTING IS ESSENTIAL TO AVIATION SAFETY. WE NEED TO FIND A SYS THAT ENSURES SOMEONE WILL BE AVAILABLE TO TAKE, AUGMENT AND VERIFY THE WX, PRIOR TO US RESUMING ATC SVCS. DOUBLE UP ON THE CONTRACT WX PEOPLE WHO START AT XA45 OR GIVE THEM AN EARLIER START TIME TO PREVENT PROBS. GENERALLY, IT IS DIFFICULT (ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE) TO GET SOME OBSERVERS TO AUGMENT THE WX AT ANYTIME HERE AT PONTIAC TWR. THIS FREQUENTLY RESULTS IN INACCURATE RPTS OR UNTIMELY SPECIAL OBSERVATIONS CREATING A SAFETY HAZARD.

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.