Reporter claims the WX reporting unit at nmm is not handling reports in accordance with the metar ha...

Attributes
ACN	563902
Time
Date	200210
Day	Mon
Place
Locale Reference	airport : nmm.airport
State Reference	MS
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : slc.tower
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller military : 8 controller radar : 13 controller time certified in position1 : 2 controller time certified in position2 : 6
ASRS Report	563902
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	other personnel other
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other controllera other controllerb other other : wx observer
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Chart Or Publication
Primary Problem	Chart Or Publication
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : nmm.tracon
Publication	METAR WX HANDBOOK

Narrative:

The WX reporting unit at nmm reports the WX contrary to the metar book. They refused to change their procedures. This WX report is being used by FAA controllers. Example: the visibility is 3 SM. Tower calls down 1 1/2 SM prevailing visibility. The WX unit puts 1 1/2 SM in the remarks section not in the body of the report, making the visibility 3 SM. This is unsafe and confusing as to what should be reported to aircraft. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter believes the FAA controllers are not interpreting correctly the handling of WX reports as outlined in the metar handbook. In particular, he cites the handling of prevailing visibility reports. He believes when a tower visibility report is received that is lower than the WX observer's report, it should not be shown in the remarks section, but rather in the body of main report.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR CLAIMS THE WX RPTING UNIT AT NMM IS NOT HANDLING RPTS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE METAR HANDBOOK.

Narrative: THE WX RPTING UNIT AT NMM RPTS THE WX CONTRARY TO THE METAR BOOK. THEY REFUSED TO CHANGE THEIR PROCS. THIS WX RPT IS BEING USED BY FAA CTLRS. EXAMPLE: THE VISIBILITY IS 3 SM. TWR CALLS DOWN 1 1/2 SM PREVAILING VISIBILITY. THE WX UNIT PUTS 1 1/2 SM IN THE REMARKS SECTION NOT IN THE BODY OF THE RPT, MAKING THE VISIBILITY 3 SM. THIS IS UNSAFE AND CONFUSING AS TO WHAT SHOULD BE RPTED TO ACFT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR BELIEVES THE FAA CTLRS ARE NOT INTERPRETING CORRECTLY THE HANDLING OF WX RPTS AS OUTLINED IN THE METAR HANDBOOK. IN PARTICULAR, HE CITES THE HANDLING OF PREVAILING VISIBILITY RPTS. HE BELIEVES WHEN A TWR VISIBILITY RPT IS RECEIVED THAT IS LOWER THAN THE WX OBSERVER'S RPT, IT SHOULD NOT BE SHOWN IN THE REMARKS SECTION, BUT RATHER IN THE BODY OF MAIN RPT.

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 claims the WX reporting unit at nmm is not handling reports in accordance with the metar handbook.