ASOS Quality Control and Aviation Meteorology SAWS-III Workshop Phoenix, AZ April 13, 2010

Lack of Automated Cloud to Ground Lightning Info The FAA Automated Lightning Detection and Ranging System (ALDARS) should always be operational. If you see a “TSNO” remark appended, this means something is amiss!! You need to contact the ASOS Operations Monitoring Center for them to troubleshoot this.

Lack of Automated Cloud to Ground Lightning Info AOMC does not routinely monitor ALDARS data. No funding from FAA. Lack of ALDARS data 99% of the time is due to the report processing being turned off. This happens when the ET does a cold start to the ASOS. Default setting is “OFF”. One phone call to AOMC asking them to turn “ON” the ALDARS report processing solves this problem.

Where is my TSTM/Lightning Info? KXXX Z AUTO 20006KT 10SM -RA BKN028 OVC050 13/09 A2965 RMK AO2 RAB04E18B54 SLP995 P0001 T TSNO Impacts on Verification? Situational Awareness? NWSI states that ASOS QC is the responsibility of the MIC for each County Warning Area.

Missing METARs 99% of all ASOS sites communicate via the FAA ASOS/AWOS Data Acquisition System (ADAS). ADAS circuits connect the ASOS to the responsible ARTCC that hosts the ADAS. Each ARTCC hosts about 20 to 50 different ASOS sites.

Missing METARs The Good News: We have a wonderful backup plan for dissemination of METARs from staffed sites when ASOS comms fail. The Bad News: Who has the duty/responsibility to tell the CWO/LAWRS observer that they need to implement the backup plan?

Missing METARs If data missing from one site only, problem is likely site specific. If the site is staffed, two steps suggested: 1) Contact the CWO or LAWRS observer and have them implement backup plan of phoning METARs into the AFSS UFN until problem is fixed. 2) Contact AOMC to report outage.

Missing METARs If multiple METARs missing, problem is likely at the ARTCC and is ARTCC wide and can involve up to 50 sites. Notifying this many CWOs/ATCTs to implement backup plan can be problematic. However, it still is suggested course of action. Also need to notify the AOMC.