ASOS - USER'S GUIDE

Most entries for ASOS are the same as those described earlier in this user's guide. Only those fields that are different will be discussed in this section. This guide is mostly examples of completed submissions.

ASOS STN INFO

See Illustration:
ASOS 1

Lat/Lon Source - this value should be ASOS SITE SURVEY as long as the ASOS remains at the same location as when commissioned. If the ASOS has been moved since commissioning then change this value to indicate what was used to determine the new values.

ET - provide the SID of the WFO that is home for the electronic technician. This field should always be completed for an ASOS.

See Illustration:
ASOS 2

Remarks - provide the commissioning date on the first update submitted. This is also a good place to provide information on backup equipment and supplemental stations. If you have another coop station that acts as the climatological backup for this ASOS provide the station number and station name as part of the remarks.

OBSERVER DATA

See Illustration:
ASOS 3

Observer Svc Date - this is the date the observer - in this case the NWS - started taking observations at this location. It is NOT the service date of the focal point.

OB INFO

See Illustration:
ASOS 4

See Illustration:
ASOS 5

See Illustration:
ASOS 6

This Observed Element must be added to the ASOS sites to allow NCDC to publish the data. The data is actually calculated by NCDC based on the Hourly Precipitation values.

On these examples there is an optional 0700 REP observation. This is not required and is used in this example to document the data collected by the WFO staff to support the climatological observation duties.

OTHER EQUIPMENT INFO

See Illustration:
ASOS 7

Use this page to identify any backup equipment that is used to support the ASOS. The Azimuth (based on True North) and Dist (in feet) should reflect the distance and direction from the HTB to the backup equipment. The Dist will take values up to 9999 feet. In most cases this equipment will have a Backup? of Y.

OBSTRUCTIONS

See Illustration:
ASOS 8

Obstructions should be based on the tipping bucket in the ASOS array. In most cases this page will be left blank.

PUBLICATION DATA

See Illustration:
ASOS 9

Note that in this example the observer (NWS) wants a paper copy of the CD and HPD mailed to the office each month. In most cases the proper entry for Distributed? would be None.