Initial Comparison of Manual and Automated Surface Observing System Observationsat the Atlantic City, New Jersey International Airport

摘要

The National Weather Service (NWS), in conjunction with the Federal AviationAdministration (FAA) and the Department of Defense, will deploy a new Automated Surface Observing System (ASOS) network during the 1990s. This system when implemented, will be installed in 900 to 1700 airports throughout the United States. ASOS is a stand alone observing system designed to support aviation operations and weather forecasting activities. ASOS was installed at the Atlantic City International Airport (ACY) in Egg Harbor Township, NJ, in late September 1991. The presence of ASOS provided an excellent opportunity to evaluate the effectiveness of an automated surface observing system. The purpose of this study is to objectively compare ASOS to manual surface weather observations (SAO).