WX reporting equipment problem ASOS.

Attributes
ACN	313470
Time
Date	199508
Place
Locale Reference	airport : atl
State Reference	GA
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Dawn
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 14
ASRS Report	313470
Person 2
Affiliation	government other
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Atl tower ASOS. While working the mid shift WX was changing rapidly due to thunderstorms in the area. Several times during the shift the conditions on the airport were not accurately reported by the ASOS. At XX00Z the WX was clear and the ASOS reported M3 broken, there was one cloud over the ASOS equipment. Later in the shift ASOS was reporting clear below 12000 ft visibility 10 mi, there was a cloud layer over most of the airport except over the ASOS equipment. We called the NWS, he said he observed the clouds but he has to 'report what the computer says.' ASOS is not an effective tool for WX observation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WX RPTING EQUIP PROB ASOS.

Narrative: ATL TWR ASOS. WHILE WORKING THE MID SHIFT WX WAS CHANGING RAPIDLY DUE TO TSTMS IN THE AREA. SEVERAL TIMES DURING THE SHIFT THE CONDITIONS ON THE ARPT WERE NOT ACCURATELY RPTED BY THE ASOS. AT XX00Z THE WX WAS CLR AND THE ASOS RPTED M3 BROKEN, THERE WAS ONE CLOUD OVER THE ASOS EQUIP. LATER IN THE SHIFT ASOS WAS RPTING CLR BELOW 12000 FT VISIBILITY 10 MI, THERE WAS A CLOUD LAYER OVER MOST OF THE ARPT EXCEPT OVER THE ASOS EQUIP. WE CALLED THE NWS, HE SAID HE OBSERVED THE CLOUDS BUT HE HAS TO 'RPT WHAT THE COMPUTER SAYS.' ASOS IS NOT AN EFFECTIVE TOOL FOR WX OBSERVATION.

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.