Narrative:

Forecast for arrival at ZZZ was 0000kt P6SM FEW050 tempo 0409/0413 5SM br. Arrival ATIS called for calm 5 br 4SCT 160SCT 17/16 30.09 landing ILS xxc and xxr. Xxl closed. On the downwind; with approximately 6100 pounds of fuel; approach control called the RVR on xxr at 500 RVR and xxc at 1200 RVR. We immediately made the decision to divert to ZZZ1. We called dispatch; determined that ZZZ1 was VFR and immediately started a climb to FL190. I figured a burn and thought we would land with about 4100-4200 pounds in ZZZ1 if we were allowed to land north there on either xyl or xyr. Two other company aircraft followed the same plan; one slightly ahead of us and one 15 miles or so behind us. I asked that we be given priority handling upon arrival in the ZZZ1 approach phase. The aircraft behind us was in a much worse fuel state. ATC initially wanted us to land south on either xzl or right. Both of the other flights; I knew; could not accept that and if we were forced to do so; we would have been very close to emergency fuel as well. So we all declared fuel emergencies and were cleared for visual straight-ins to land runway xyl. We landed without incident. We had a gate assigned to us but elected to give that gate to company who had landed with approximately 2300# of fuel. We landed with min fuel of 4000 pounds and shut down with 3700 pounds after waiting out for a gate for 15 minutes or so. We refueled and departed back to ZZZ about 35 minutes later as ZZZ had gone back to VFR conditions.the national weather service missed the forecast. Initially ZZZ1 approach control didn't seem to grasp our need to land north in very short order. Only when we said we must and the other two company flights said that they would be emergency fuel; and then declared emergencies; did they accommodate all 3 of us.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 Captain discovered that destination which was forecast to be VFR at arrival was below even CAT IIIB minimums; while they were on downwind. An immediate diversion was commenced to another airport 130 miles away. Enroute the reporter was joined by two additional company flights and all three declare fuel emergencies in order to land straight-in.

Narrative: Forecast for arrival at ZZZ was 0000kt P6SM FEW050 TEMPO 0409/0413 5SM BR. Arrival ATIS called for CALM 5 BR 4SCT 160SCT 17/16 30.09 Landing ILS XXC and XXR. XXL closed. On the downwind; with approximately 6100 LBS of fuel; Approach Control called the RVR on XXR at 500 RVR and XXC at 1200 RVR. We immediately made the decision to divert to ZZZ1. We called Dispatch; determined that ZZZ1 was VFR and immediately started a climb to FL190. I figured a burn and thought we would land with about 4100-4200 LBS in ZZZ1 if we were allowed to land north there on either XYL or XYR. Two other Company aircraft followed the same plan; one slightly ahead of us and one 15 miles or so behind us. I asked that we be given priority handling upon arrival in the ZZZ1 approach phase. The aircraft behind us was in a much worse fuel state. ATC initially wanted us to land south on either XZL or R. Both of the other flights; I knew; could not accept that and if we were forced to do so; we would have been very close to emergency fuel as well. So we all declared fuel emergencies and were cleared for visual straight-ins to land Runway XYL. We landed without incident. We had a gate assigned to us but elected to give that gate to Company who had landed with approximately 2300# of fuel. We landed with min fuel of 4000 LBS and shut down with 3700 LBS after waiting out for a gate for 15 minutes or so. We refueled and departed back to ZZZ about 35 minutes later as ZZZ had gone back to VFR conditions.The National Weather Service missed the forecast. Initially ZZZ1 Approach Control didn't seem to grasp our need to land north in very short order. Only when we said we must and the other two Company flights said that they would be emergency fuel; and then declared emergencies; did they accommodate all 3 of us.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.