Narrative:

Prior to arrival; orf ATIS was reporting MVFR conditions with 4 mi visibility in mist (br) with mostly clear skies. After touchdown we observed thick ground fog (mifg) covering part of the airport. The taxiway we planned to exit runway 5 with was covered with fog and we used a different taxiway that was more visible. During our stay that evening at orf; the metar/speci reports were totally inaccurate. It appeared orf ATCT (which supposedly augments the ASOS) was not properly augmenting ASOS. There was nothing on ATIS or in the metar/speci; which indicated dense shallow fog. The metar's/speci's would go from VFR to lifr minute by minute as fog moved across the ASOS sensors. At times; the ATIS would have an observation that was different than the long-line disseminated metar or speci. For example; the ASOS metar had a 1 1/2 mi visibility at one point while the ATIS had a 10 mi visibility in mist (not in accordance with FAA order 7900.5B). The 'augmentation' at service level C sites (lawrs/ATCT) is inadequate. Controllers frequently do not augment ASOS properly and allow inaccurate and/or incomplete WX observations to be disseminated to pilots. This can cause dangerous sits. I've noticed at other airports that sometimes controllers aren't even logged into ASOS and let metar/speci observations remain in 'automatic' mode even when the ATCT is open.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FO OF C560 RPTS ATCT PERSONNEL AT ORF ARE NOT AUGMENTING ASOS AUTOMATED RPTS AS REQUIRED.

Narrative: PRIOR TO ARR; ORF ATIS WAS RPTING MVFR CONDITIONS WITH 4 MI VISIBILITY IN MIST (BR) WITH MOSTLY CLR SKIES. AFTER TOUCHDOWN WE OBSERVED THICK GND FOG (MIFG) COVERING PART OF THE ARPT. THE TXWY WE PLANNED TO EXIT RWY 5 WITH WAS COVERED WITH FOG AND WE USED A DIFFERENT TXWY THAT WAS MORE VISIBLE. DURING OUR STAY THAT EVENING AT ORF; THE METAR/SPECI RPTS WERE TOTALLY INACCURATE. IT APPEARED ORF ATCT (WHICH SUPPOSEDLY AUGMENTS THE ASOS) WAS NOT PROPERLY AUGMENTING ASOS. THERE WAS NOTHING ON ATIS OR IN THE METAR/SPECI; WHICH INDICATED DENSE SHALLOW FOG. THE METAR'S/SPECI'S WOULD GO FROM VFR TO LIFR MINUTE BY MINUTE AS FOG MOVED ACROSS THE ASOS SENSORS. AT TIMES; THE ATIS WOULD HAVE AN OBSERVATION THAT WAS DIFFERENT THAN THE LONG-LINE DISSEMINATED METAR OR SPECI. FOR EXAMPLE; THE ASOS METAR HAD A 1 1/2 MI VISIBILITY AT ONE POINT WHILE THE ATIS HAD A 10 MI VISIBILITY IN MIST (NOT IN ACCORDANCE WITH FAA ORDER 7900.5B). THE 'AUGMENTATION' AT SVC LEVEL C SITES (LAWRS/ATCT) IS INADEQUATE. CTLRS FREQUENTLY DO NOT AUGMENT ASOS PROPERLY AND ALLOW INACCURATE AND/OR INCOMPLETE WX OBSERVATIONS TO BE DISSEMINATED TO PLTS. THIS CAN CAUSE DANGEROUS SITS. I'VE NOTICED AT OTHER ARPTS THAT SOMETIMES CTLRS AREN'T EVEN LOGGED INTO ASOS AND LET METAR/SPECI OBSERVATIONS REMAIN IN 'AUTO' MODE EVEN WHEN THE ATCT IS OPEN.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.