Narrative:

My concern is for the safety of aircraft, crew, passenger of aircraft flying into and out of the new denver international airport. Instead of having a local WX observer, we are depending on the automated surface observation system (ASOS) to take our observations. From what I understand, there is a person to check the observations done by ASOS but can't put any significant WX remarks. Denver is known for its frequent, violent thunderstorms in the spring and summer months. Because the machine can't 'see' thunderstorms, virga, twring cumulus, cumulus, lightning, etc. Someone listening to our ATIS has no idea of the WX surrounding and today alone, I can see level 1-4 thunderstorms within 20 mi twring cumulus, cumulus, virga, wind shears within 10 mi. The pilots know nothing about this WX. We also have route restrs out our north and west gates caused by the WX. This is a daily occurrence. Once in a while 'virga' will be on the ASOS observation but no direction is given. We built a 5 billion dollar airport that works fantastic. How about staffing a WX observer, instead of relying on a mechanic that can't see dangerous WX that surrounds us! Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated WX observer will not update the ASOS WX or add remarks when requested by the tower when they can see WX not reported by ASOS. Contacted ATCT procedures office who stated they were not aware of rptrs unsatisfactory condition. Specialist stated that the NWS has a contract person whose duties are to augment the ASOS reports, when necessary. Adverse WX advisories are processed as they were before moving to the new airport location.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NWS WX OBSERVER WILL NOT AUGMENT WX FROM ASOS DURING RAPIDLY CHANGING WX AND WX THE ASOS DOES NOT RPT.

Narrative: MY CONCERN IS FOR THE SAFETY OF ACFT, CREW, PAX OF ACFT FLYING INTO AND OUT OF THE NEW DENVER INTL ARPT. INSTEAD OF HAVING A LCL WX OBSERVER, WE ARE DEPENDING ON THE AUTOMATED SURFACE OBSERVATION SYS (ASOS) TO TAKE OUR OBSERVATIONS. FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, THERE IS A PERSON TO CHK THE OBSERVATIONS DONE BY ASOS BUT CAN'T PUT ANY SIGNIFICANT WX REMARKS. DENVER IS KNOWN FOR ITS FREQUENT, VIOLENT TSTMS IN THE SPRING AND SUMMER MONTHS. BECAUSE THE MACHINE CAN'T 'SEE' TSTMS, VIRGA, TWRING CUMULUS, CUMULUS, LIGHTNING, ETC. SOMEONE LISTENING TO OUR ATIS HAS NO IDEA OF THE WX SURROUNDING AND TODAY ALONE, I CAN SEE LEVEL 1-4 TSTMS WITHIN 20 MI TWRING CUMULUS, CUMULUS, VIRGA, WIND SHEARS WITHIN 10 MI. THE PLTS KNOW NOTHING ABOUT THIS WX. WE ALSO HAVE RTE RESTRS OUT OUR N AND W GATES CAUSED BY THE WX. THIS IS A DAILY OCCURRENCE. ONCE IN A WHILE 'VIRGA' WILL BE ON THE ASOS OBSERVATION BUT NO DIRECTION IS GIVEN. WE BUILT A 5 BILLION DOLLAR ARPT THAT WORKS FANTASTIC. HOW ABOUT STAFFING A WX OBSERVER, INSTEAD OF RELYING ON A MECH THAT CAN'T SEE DANGEROUS WX THAT SURROUNDS US! CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED WX OBSERVER WILL NOT UPDATE THE ASOS WX OR ADD REMARKS WHEN REQUESTED BY THE TWR WHEN THEY CAN SEE WX NOT RPTED BY ASOS. CONTACTED ATCT PROCS OFFICE WHO STATED THEY WERE NOT AWARE OF RPTRS UNSATISFACTORY CONDITION. SPECIALIST STATED THAT THE NWS HAS A CONTRACT PERSON WHOSE DUTIES ARE TO AUGMENT THE ASOS RPTS, WHEN NECESSARY. ADVERSE WX ADVISORIES ARE PROCESSED AS THEY WERE BEFORE MOVING TO THE NEW ARPT LOCATION.

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.