ANOTHER ASOS COMMISSIONING MESSAGE

• To: nws-changes@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
• Subject: ANOTHER ASOS COMMISSIONING MESSAGE
• From: C.ALEX
• Date: Wed, 1 Dec 1993 11:05:06 -0700

Posted: Tue, Nov 30, 1993   6:29 PM EST              Msg: EGJD-6000-4489
Subj:   ANOTHER ASOS COMMISSIONING MESSAGE            

WSHPNSWSH     ADMN81 KWBC
WSHPNSFOS     NOFS11 KWBC
WSHPNSNMC     NOUS41 KWBC

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WSHPNSWSH
ADMN81 KWBC 302320

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HEADQUARTERS
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
615 PM EST TUE NOV 30 1993

ATTENTION:     ALL NWS OFFICES, FAMILY OF SERVICES SUBSCRIBERS,
               NOAA WEATHER WIRE SERVICE SUBSCRIBERS,
               OTHER NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PRODUCT USERS

                       ***** NOTICE *****

Another important milestone in the Automated Surface Observing
System (ASOS) program will be reached on December 1, 1993 when
the National Weather Service (NWS), with the concurrence of the
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), commissions the first
FAA-sponsored staffed site at Grand Canyon (call letters GCN),
Arizona.  The commissioning event will occur at approximately
11 AM Eastern Standard Time.

This site is unique in that it is staffed by FAA air traffic
controllers, who currently take observations during the hours the
tower is open.  A Supplemental Aviation Weather Observing Station
takes observations after the tower is closed.  

Commissioning of the ASOS at GCN means that ASOS will replace the
current manual observations being transmitted with an automated,
around-the-clock surface aviation observation.  The NWS forecast
office at Phoenix and the ASOS Operation and Monitoring Center
(AOMC) in Silver Spring, Maryland will monitor ASOS products
generated from Grand Canyon and coordinate maintenance actions as
needed.  In addition, the National Meteorological Center in
Washington, D.C. will oversee the quality of the data.

NOTE: Because ASOS observational formats are different from
manual observational formats, automated decoder programs may
require software modifications.  Persons wishing more information
concerning ASOS should contact their local National Weather
Service office or call (301) 713-1781, FAX (301) 713-0003.

END