ATCT local controller complaint about inaccurate ASOS reports at his airport. States the visibility ...

Attributes
ACN	377988
Time
Date	199708
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : roa
State Reference	VA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dawn
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
ASRS Report	377988
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	oversight : supervisor
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Airport	other physical facility

Narrative:

For the past 3 days our ASOS reports the visibility as far less than actual. It's bad enough that it should report 10 mi when it's 40 mi, but now it's reporting things like less than 1/4 or 1 3/4 or 2 1/2 throughout the past 3 (severe VFR) days. The supervisors know of this, and it has supposedly been reported to NWS. Some controllers just let it go out on the WX network like that -- uncorrected and put '10' mi on the ATIS. Most try to keep it 'augmented' to 10 mi. This of course causes additional work, for the machine decides to lower the visibility at the strangest times -- like when you have VFR's calling on clearance and ground (combined up) and the center on the phone. This is just one of many examples of poor or no maintenance to this equipment and lack of oversight on the quality of ASOS reported WX.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATCT LCL CTLR COMPLAINT ABOUT INACCURATE ASOS RPTS AT HIS ARPT. STATES THE VISIBILITY IS BEING RPTED AS FAR LESS THAN ACTUAL CONDITIONS AND HAS BEEN DOING THIS FOR AT LEAST 3 DAYS. SUPVR HAS NOTIFIED THE NWS AND SOME CTLRS ARE NOT AUGMENTING THE RPT DUE TO WORKLOAD.

Narrative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

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.

ATCT local controller complaint about inaccurate ASOS reports at his airport. States the visibility is being reported as far less than actual conditions and has been doing this for at least 3 days. Supervisor has notified the NWS and some controllers are not augmenting the report due to workload.