Delay in WX update and tower converting to ATIS.

Attributes
ACN	141269
Time
Date	199004
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bwi
State Reference	MD
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	141269
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : ground
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

Noticed heavy rain at airport started approximately XX00. When we checked ATIS at XX50 no mention was made of thunderstorm, lightning, cloud-to-cloud, and cloud-to-ground in vicinity of airport. ATIS was not updated until XY10. I don't understand why a large thunderstorm producing significant rain and lightning wasn't reported for over 1 hour. It was reported that 2 aircraft took lightning strikes while arriving bwi during this time period. At XY50 I asked ATC ground control (121.9) to call WX and request update. It still took 17 mins to update. I find it intolerable that the entire group of aircraft that were operating in the vicinity of bwi during this time frame were deprived of this essential and life threatening information. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter feels someone in the WX reporting stations should be designated to keep a watch out the window for changes to the WX and instantly get a special on the WX sequence and perhaps a phone call to the tower so the time delay in getting it on the ATIS would be reduced.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DELAY IN WX UPDATE AND TWR CONVERTING TO ATIS.

Narrative: NOTICED HVY RAIN AT ARPT STARTED APPROX XX00. WHEN WE CHECKED ATIS AT XX50 NO MENTION WAS MADE OF TSTM, LIGHTNING, CLOUD-TO-CLOUD, AND CLOUD-TO-GND IN VICINITY OF ARPT. ATIS WAS NOT UPDATED UNTIL XY10. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY A LARGE TSTM PRODUCING SIGNIFICANT RAIN AND LIGHTNING WASN'T REPORTED FOR OVER 1 HR. IT WAS REPORTED THAT 2 ACFT TOOK LIGHTNING STRIKES WHILE ARRIVING BWI DURING THIS TIME PERIOD. AT XY50 I ASKED ATC GND CTL (121.9) TO CALL WX AND REQUEST UPDATE. IT STILL TOOK 17 MINS TO UPDATE. I FIND IT INTOLERABLE THAT THE ENTIRE GROUP OF ACFT THAT WERE OPERATING IN THE VICINITY OF BWI DURING THIS TIME FRAME WERE DEPRIVED OF THIS ESSENTIAL AND LIFE THREATENING INFORMATION. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: REPORTER FEELS SOMEONE IN THE WX REPORTING STATIONS SHOULD BE DESIGNATED TO KEEP A WATCH OUT THE WINDOW FOR CHANGES TO THE WX AND INSTANTLY GET A SPECIAL ON THE WX SEQUENCE AND PERHAPS A PHONE CALL TO THE TWR SO THE TIME DELAY IN GETTING IT ON THE ATIS WOULD BE REDUCED.

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.