ASOS myopically reports conditions when unattended. It won’t spew out random observations, but it can’t be counted on for an accurate and complete picture in all situations.
The ASOS blind spot
Key Takeaways:
- ASOS provides an incomplete and potentially inaccurate weather picture due to sensor limitations, such as inability to detect weather outside the immediate sensor array or report multiple precipitation types simultaneously.
- ASOS cannot automatically report drizzle or freezing drizzle, a critical limitation given that freezing drizzle indicates severe icing conditions (SLD) aloft, potentially leading to dangerous pilot decisions.
- A "lockout period" near the top of the hour prevents ASOS from issuing special weather reports (SPECIs), meaning pilots and forecasters might miss rapidly changing and critical weather conditions.
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