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| Automated Weather Observing System | |
|---|---|
| Name | Automated Weather Observing System |
| Caption | Typical AWOS installation |
| Maker | Various manufacturers |
| Introduced | 1970s |
| Genre | Meteorological observing system |
Automated Weather Observing System
An Automated Weather Observing System provides continuous surface meteorological observations at airports and aerodromes through networks of automated sensors and telemetric transmitters. The system supports air traffic control operations, meteorology forecasting, and aviation safety by reporting standardized parameters such as wind, visibility, cloud ceilings, temperature, and precipitation. Deployed alongside human-run meteorological stations, these systems interface with national services such as the National Weather Service, Environment Canada, and Met Office for dissemination via aviation weather channels like METAR and TAF.
An Automated Weather Observing System typically automates tasks formerly performed at airport towers or by meteorologists at national centers such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, and Bureau of Meteorology (Australia). It integrates sensor arrays with data loggers and communications links to feed databases used by Federal Aviation Administration, Transport Canada, and Civil Aviation Authority (United Kingdom) operations. The design balances reliability requirements informed by standards from the International Civil Aviation Organization, World Meteorological Organization, and regional regulators like Eurocontrol.
Development began in the 1970s amid modernization programs at major hubs including John F. Kennedy International Airport, Heathrow Airport, and Los Angeles International Airport. Early prototypes were influenced by instrumentation advances from institutions such as the National Center for Atmospheric Research and manufacturers including Vaisala, AlliedSignal, and General Electric. Regulatory frameworks evolved through incidents investigated by agencies like the National Transportation Safety Board and policy bodies such as the International Air Transport Association and Federal Aviation Administration. Subsequent technological adoption accelerated after modifications in ICAO Annex 3 practices and national implementations by entities like the Civil Aviation Administration of China.
Typical sensor suites include anemometers and wind vanes used on control tower rooftops, present weather sensors adapted from visibility technology employed by the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute, temperature and dew point probes similar to those used at Svalbard Airport, Longyear, and ceilometers derived from designs by institutions such as LIDAR developers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Automated precipitation detectors often trace lineage to research at the National Center for Atmospheric Research and products by Vaisala and Campbell Scientific. Pressure sensors compatible with altimeter settings trace standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization and equipment certified by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency.
Operational systems relay encoded observations conforming to METAR and SPECI protocols to services like the National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center via telemetry networks comparable to those used by NOAA Weather Radio and AFTN. On-site processors implement quality control frameworks influenced by methods developed at the National Centers for Environmental Prediction and the Met Office Hadley Centre. Data streams feed forecasting models such as the Global Forecast System and ECMWF Integrated Forecast System, and are archived in repositories maintained by institutions like the National Climatic Data Center and Environment Canada.
Performance metrics derive from validation studies led by organizations such as the World Meteorological Organization and research centers including the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Limitations include sensor failure modes reported in investigations by the National Transportation Safety Board and accuracy constraints noted in trials at Denver International Airport and Chicago O'Hare International Airport. Factors affecting accuracy encompass instrument siting issues highlighted by the American Meteorological Society, contamination problems similar to those documented by NASA field campaigns, and algorithmic misclassification cases studied at the University of Oklahoma and Purdue University.
These systems underpin tactical decisions by air traffic controllers at hubs like Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport and operators at carriers such as Delta Air Lines, British Airways, and Air Canada. Data inform approach and departure procedures, runway visual range advisories enforced by the Federal Aviation Administration, and contingency planning performed by airport operators and airlines. Integration with surface movement guidance systems draws on protocols used by Eurocontrol and technologies trialed at Schiphol Airport.
Variants include the FAA's AWOS family, enhanced systems deployed by NAV CANADA, the Met Office-supported units in the United Kingdom, and bespoke installations managed by the Civil Aviation Administration of China and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (India). International implementations reflect regional certification regimes such as those from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency and equipment supplied by manufacturers like Vaisala, Lufft, and Gill Instruments for networks in regions served by agencies including Bureau of Meteorology (Australia), Météo-France, and Deutscher Wetterdienst.
Category:Meteorological instrumentation