Tower clearance delivery controller explained a problem with WX dissemination.

Attributes
ACN	549147
Time
Date	200206
Day	Mon
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pbi.airport
State Reference	FL
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : clearance delivery
Qualification	controller : radar pilot : instrument
Experience	controller radar : 19 flight time total : 1500
ASRS Report	549147
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Supplementary
Problem Areas	FAA ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Inter Facility Coordination Failure
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : pbi.tower

Narrative:

This is to report a system wide, continually recurring problem concerning the dissemination of convective sigmets and center wv advisories. Currently, the hourly WX report is taken and transmitted at 53 mins past each hour (with obvious exceptions, ie, specials). Controllers then cut and broadcast a new ATIS as required by FAA 7110.65. However, when convective sigmets and center WX advisories are applicable, these are not cut until 55 mins past the hour and routinely are not transmitted until 57 or 58 mins past the hour. Invariably, these will be left off the ATIS because of the time lapse. They are too important to be left off -- especially if they are the first ones applicable to a certain location. Convective sigmets should be formulated and transmitted prior to normal hourly WX observations so they are not omitted on an ATIS. Controllers should not have to wait for approximately 10 mins after new terminal WX is received to see if any convective sigmets or cwa's come out prior to cutting a new ATIS.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TWR CLRNC DELIVERY CTLR EXPLAINED A PROB WITH WX DISSEMINATION.

Narrative: THIS IS TO RPT A SYS WIDE, CONTINUALLY RECURRING PROB CONCERNING THE DISSEMINATION OF CONVECTIVE SIGMETS AND CTR WV ADVISORIES. CURRENTLY, THE HRLY WX RPT IS TAKEN AND XMITTED AT 53 MINS PAST EACH HR (WITH OBVIOUS EXCEPTIONS, IE, SPECIALS). CTLRS THEN CUT AND BROADCAST A NEW ATIS AS REQUIRED BY FAA 7110.65. HOWEVER, WHEN CONVECTIVE SIGMETS AND CTR WX ADVISORIES ARE APPLICABLE, THESE ARE NOT CUT UNTIL 55 MINS PAST THE HR AND ROUTINELY ARE NOT XMITTED UNTIL 57 OR 58 MINS PAST THE HR. INVARIABLY, THESE WILL BE LEFT OFF THE ATIS BECAUSE OF THE TIME LAPSE. THEY ARE TOO IMPORTANT TO BE LEFT OFF -- ESPECIALLY IF THEY ARE THE FIRST ONES APPLICABLE TO A CERTAIN LOCATION. CONVECTIVE SIGMETS SHOULD BE FORMULATED AND XMITTED PRIOR TO NORMAL HRLY WX OBSERVATIONS SO THEY ARE NOT OMITTED ON AN ATIS. CTLRS SHOULD NOT HAVE TO WAIT FOR APPROX 10 MINS AFTER NEW TERMINAL WX IS RECEIVED TO SEE IF ANY CONVECTIVE SIGMETS OR CWA'S COME OUT PRIOR TO CUTTING A NEW ATIS.

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.