Narrative:

There is WX all around. Numerous; scattered thunderstorms building and collapsing in all of texas; oklahoma; louisiana; arkansas; new mexico; etc; as far as we can see on our overhead display. Within 300 NM of dfw; there is not a gap of more than 30 NM between areas of depicted precipitation on our WX displays. I am working 'decod-H;' the high altitude corner post northeast of dfw. It is busy. I am handed 7 convective sigmets. We are required to read these. Not only are we required to read them; but our area manager has 'interpreted' the 7110.65 and instructed us that we must state each state individually in our broadcast. Of the 7 convective sigmets; 6 have texas in them. It takes me over 45 seconds of air time to read these 7 sigmets. This is an eternity on a sequencing corner post. In previous days; we could have said: 'attention all aircraft...convective sigmets xa through xg for texas and surrounding states available on hiwas; flight watch; or flight service frequencys' and been done with it. Now; because the WX man is apparently following his own rules; and our area manager wants ut to follow his rules of issuing individual states -- repeatedly -- we are stuck with an unsafe situation.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZFW CTLR VOICED CONCERN REGARDING SIGMET ISSUANCE REQUIREMENTS AND TIME REQUIRED FOR SAME DURING BUSY PERIODS.

Narrative: THERE IS WX ALL AROUND. NUMEROUS; SCATTERED TSTMS BUILDING AND COLLAPSING IN ALL OF TEXAS; OKLAHOMA; LOUISIANA; ARKANSAS; NEW MEXICO; ETC; AS FAR AS WE CAN SEE ON OUR OVERHEAD DISPLAY. WITHIN 300 NM OF DFW; THERE IS NOT A GAP OF MORE THAN 30 NM BTWN AREAS OF DEPICTED PRECIP ON OUR WX DISPLAYS. I AM WORKING 'DECOD-H;' THE HIGH ALT CORNER POST NE OF DFW. IT IS BUSY. I AM HANDED 7 CONVECTIVE SIGMETS. WE ARE REQUIRED TO READ THESE. NOT ONLY ARE WE REQUIRED TO READ THEM; BUT OUR AREA MGR HAS 'INTERPED' THE 7110.65 AND INSTRUCTED US THAT WE MUST STATE EACH STATE INDIVIDUALLY IN OUR BROADCAST. OF THE 7 CONVECTIVE SIGMETS; 6 HAVE TEXAS IN THEM. IT TAKES ME OVER 45 SECONDS OF AIR TIME TO READ THESE 7 SIGMETS. THIS IS AN ETERNITY ON A SEQUENCING CORNER POST. IN PREVIOUS DAYS; WE COULD HAVE SAID: 'ATTN ALL ACFT...CONVECTIVE SIGMETS XA THROUGH XG FOR TEXAS AND SURROUNDING STATES AVAILABLE ON HIWAS; FLT WATCH; OR FLT SVC FREQS' AND BEEN DONE WITH IT. NOW; BECAUSE THE WX MAN IS APPARENTLY FOLLOWING HIS OWN RULES; AND OUR AREA MGR WANTS UT TO FOLLOW HIS RULES OF ISSUING INDIVIDUAL STATES -- REPEATEDLY -- WE ARE STUCK WITH AN UNSAFE SITUATION.

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.