Post by tornado on Aug 28, 2015 13:42:39 GMT -5
Since the Lubbock CWO office seems to be the first one under threat of closure, I thought I’d put this together as an example of how to
use the data that’s been collected on the forums for the past 2+ years. Lubbock is surrounded by 4 LAWRS sites in 4 directions. Amarillo
(KAMA) is to the north; Abilene (KABI) is to the east; Midland (KMAF) is to the south; and Roswell NM (KROW) is to the west. The first
thing to do is to draw data from those 4 sites from the lightning project. The second step would be to cull all the errors posted on the
boards from those 4 sites. Print off all the data, and hand it to the ATM, and show them the quality of observations they would be likely
to get if Lubbock goes to LAWRS observers. Also stress the unreliability of ALDARS. Take the complied data, and send it to local media,
both print and broadcast; send it to mayors and Congressmen; send it to the airline offices that serve Lubbock. If there’s not enough data,
include Lawton OK (KLAW), Santa FE (KSAF), Ft. Worth (KFTW) or San Angelo (KSJT). Or at least stress the worst cases; for example,
LTG case #17 was when Santa Fe had a wind gust to 54 knots; had lightning nearby, but did not report a TS.
This can be repeated at any CWO office with nearby LAWRS sites. O’Hare and Midway have Kenosha (KENW), Waukegan (KUGN), DuPage
(KDPA), Palwaukee (KPWK), Aurora (KARR) and Peoria (KPIA) to draw data from. Cleveland would have Erie (KERI) and Burke-Lakefront
(KBKL); possibly using Mansfield (KMFD), Toledo (KTOL) and Allegheny County (KAGC). You get the idea. Find the closest sites, collect the
data, and send it to the powers that be.
First, here are some selections from the "ATC quality" thread, and the "greatest hits" thread. I only went back to page 60 on the "quality"
thread; plus, there are even older threads that are bound to have some examples of poor LAWRS obs.
Midland TX, 5 Dec 2013:
SPECI KMAF 051334Z 04018KT 9SM -RA OVC080 M02/M08 A3003 RMK AO2 UPB19E33RAB33 P0000
1334Z SPECI had rain, with temperature -2°C, or 28°F.
Midland, Texas, 2 Jan 2015:
KMAF 021943Z 00000KT 1/2SM -SN FEW004 OVC014 M01/M01 A3005 RMK AO2 RAE22SNB22 P0011 T10061006 $
KMAF 021935Z 1/4SM -SN FEW008 BKN020 OVC032 M01/M01 A3006 RMK AO2 RAE22SNB22 P0008 T10061006 $
KMAF 021928Z 1/4SM -SN SCT010 OVC015 M01/M01 A3003 RMK AO2 RAE22SNB22 P0006 T10061011 $
KMAF 021924Z 1/4SM -SN VV009 M01/M02 A3004 RMK AO2 RAE22SNB22 PRESFR P0005 T10061017 $
incorrect snow intensity. wind not backed up
Abilene, Texas, 26 Apr 2015:
METAR KABI 262352Z 33023G28KT 10SM CLR 21/15 A2956 RMK AO2
PK WND 32028/2350 WSHFT 2331 SLP992 T02060150
10278 20206 53017
SPECI KABI 262357Z 36024G33KT 10SM FC CLR 20/15 A2956 RMK
FUNNEL CLOUD B55 N MOV E AO2 PK WND 35033/2354
T02000150
SPECI KABI 270000Z 36021G33KT 10SM -RA CLR 20/15 A2956 RMK
FUNNEL CLOUD B2355 N MOV E FUNNEL CLOUD E2359
AO2 PK WND 35033/2354 RAB2359 P0000 T02000150
METAR KABI 270052Z 06014KT 10SM CLR 22/12 A2956 RMK FUNNEL
CLOUD B2355 N MOV E FUNNEL CLOUD E2359 AO2 PK
WND 35033/2354 RAB2359E20 SLP988 P0000 T02170117
A funnel cloud from clear skies?!? This is exactly why ATC doesn’t need to be taking weather observations at level A and B airports!
Post by hlsto2 on 20 Aug 2015 at 11:05pm
rowswell, nm, atct. LAWRS site allows ASOS to xmit CLR with a TS within 5 miles of the airport
KROW 210151Z 31015G25KT 10SM TS CLR 30/13 A2993 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT W-N TSB42 SLP070 T03000128
KROW 210142Z 17005KT 10SM TS CLR 30/13 A2991 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT W-N TSB42 T03000133
Post by hlsto2 on 23 Aug 2015 at 4:08pm
midland, tx, atct, lawrs...atempts two CORs..muffs them both
KMAF 231453Z COR 17011G1610SM CLR 29/19 A3006
KMAF 231353Z COR 17012 10SM CLR 29/17 A3005 RMK AO2 SLPNO $
Post by hlsto2 on 23 Aug 2015 at 5:36pm
midland lawrs...again. completely ignoring tstms that are obviously affecting airport operations. at least a dozen CG strikes within 5 miles of the AP during the past hour. stay tuned...this "quality" and "NO degradation" coming to larger...busier airports if the FAA has it's way. this should be a no brainer. leave the CWO program alone. If the FAA doesn't want it...make ALL CURRENT CWO's permanent with contractors and CWO's responsible for the program. the cost to benefit ratio demands this. pay it out of the general fund. cancel one of nobamas jaunts. it is now 0200Z...nothing out of maf since 0010Z..
KMAF 240010Z 03019G29KT 3SM RA SCT038 BKN065 OVC090 21/18 A3013 RMK AO2 PK WND 01034/2359 P0011 T02060183
KMAF 240002Z 01028G34KT 1SM +RA BR BKN040 BKN065 OVC090 21/19 A3011 RMK AO2 PK WND 01034/2359 P0009 T02060189
KMAF 232353Z 03021KT 3/4SM +RA BR BKN037 OVC070 21/19 A3011 RMK AO2 PK WND 03026/2353 RAB20 PRESFR SLP155 P0032 60032 T02110189 10350 20211 50017
KMAF 232350Z 03020G25KT 3/4SM +RA BR BKN031 OVC075 21/19 A3013 RMK AO2 PK WND 35026/2318 RAB20 P0028
KMAF 232339Z 06010KT 1 1/2SM +RA FEW039 BKN070 OVC080 24/18 A3015 RMK AO2 PK WND 35026/2318 RAB20 P0004 T02390183
15 Aug 2015 at 8:37pm
Post by hlsto2 on 15 Aug 2015 at 8:37pm
santa fe tower logs off ASOS as the TS moves in. ASOS and obstroller said CLR with VCTS and TS.
KSAF 152101Z AUTO 29012KT 10SM VCTS CLR 29/11 A3027 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT W RAE00 TSE2055 P0000 T02890106
KSAF 152053Z AUTO 27012G25KT 10SM -TSRA CLR 27/13 A3027 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT W RAB52 TSB37 SLP139 P0000 60000 T02670128 56019
KSAF 152043Z 27012G20KT 10SM TS CLR 29/11 A3027 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT W TSB37 T02940106
KSAF 152032Z 29003KT 10SM VCTS CLR 32/06 A3026 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT W AND NW T03170056
Post by hlsto2 on 12 Aug 2015 at 6:30pm
midland tx, atct, fails to back up missing wind
KMAF 122053Z 10SM CLR 38/13 A3014 RMK AO2 SLP151 T03780128 58021
KMAF 121953Z 11008KT 10SM CLR 37/12 A3017 RMK AO2 SLP159 T03670122
KMAF 121853Z 10SM CLR 36/13 A3019 RMK AO2 SLP165 T03610133
Post by hlsto2 on 14 Aug 2015 at 7:31pm
midland, tx, atct. a lot of CLR with VCTS. once again an airport is struck by strong winds without warning...because the LAWRS folks let ALDARS handle it. but ALDARS DID report DSNT LTG!
KMAF 150153Z 07027G48KT 5SM -TSRA SCT075 BKN090 OVC110 23/20 A3012 RMK AO2 PK WND 07048/0147 WSHFT 0134 LTG DSNT ALQDS RAB21 TSE34B35E50B52 SLP151 P0000 T02330200
KMAF 150150Z 06022G48KT 4SM VCTS RA SCT075 OVC090 23/20 A3011 RMK AO2 PK WND 07048/0147 WSHFT 0134 LTG DSNT ALQDS RAB21 TSE34B35E50 P0000
KMAF 150053Z 18017KT 9SM TS FEW060 SCT080 SCT095 34/16 A3001 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT N AND NE TSB50 SLP107 T03390161
KMAF 150026Z 17010KT 10SM VCTS CLR 36/15 A3001 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT N T03560150
KMAF 142353Z 18010KT 10SM CLR 34/17 A3002 RMK AO2 SLP112 T03390167 10400 20333 53002
KMAF 142253Z 19014KT 9SM FEW095 BKN110 36/15 A3002 RMK AO2 WSHFT 2141 LTG DSNT S SLP111 T03610150
KMAF 142207Z 32008KT 10SM VCTS CLR 37/14 A3001 RMK AO2 WSHFT 2141 LTG DSNT ALQDS T03720144
KMAF 142158Z 31011KT 9SM CLR 37/15 A3001 RMK AO2 WSHFT 2141 LTG DSNT ALQDS T03670150
KMAF 142153Z 32013KT 9SM VCTS CLR 37/14 A3001 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT ALQDS SLP106 T03720144
KMAF 142149Z 33011KT 9SM VCTS CLR 37/14 A3002 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT ALQDS
Post by hlsto2 on 15 Aug 2015 at 1:59pm
santa fe LAWRS...CLR with TS and VCTS
KSAF 152053Z AUTO 27012G25KT 10SM -TSRA CLR 27/13 A3027 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT W RAB52 TSB37 SLP139 P0000 60000 T02670128 56019
KSAF 152043Z 27012G20KT 10SM TS CLR 29/11 A3027 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT W TSB37 T02940106
KSAF 152032Z 29003KT 10SM VCTS CLR 32/06 A3026 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT W AND NW T03170056
Post by hlsto2 on 10 Aug 2015 at 10:54pm
atct, amarillo, former CWO...temp/dew point not backed up at 1753...thot they were supposed to use sat derived temps? 1853...altimeter not backed up. had this incompetent slop occurred at a CWO...heads would roll.
KAMA 101853Z 06015G19KT 10SM CLR 31/18 RMK AO2 SLPNO T03060183 $
KAMA 101753Z 02012KT 10SM SKC A3016
A special thank you goes out to hlsto2 for compiling so much data! 
Next, the "lightning project" already has these cases from around the Lubbock area:
CASE #s
4 KLAW
10 KABI
11 KFTW
17 KSAF level 5 case, G54KT
18 KSJT
30 KLRD level 5 case with lots of missed LTG
49 KABI
51 KLAW
66 KMAF
156 KABI
172 KLAW
193 KLAW
I scoured April into early May, and found these additional issues:
Abilene, Texas, 8 Apr 2015:
A bit of lightning near the airport was missed:
Midland, Texas, 12 Apr 2015:
LTGCG AT AP could have been reported here:
ATC response to the LTGCG AT AP seems to have been to put ASOS into AUTO mode:
METAR KMAF 122253Z 23013G20KT 8SM -TSRA FEW060 SCT075 BKN100 19/14 A2977 RMK AO2 PK WND 23034/2229 WSHFT 2220 LTG DSNT ALQDS RAB38 TSB42 SLP049 P0000 T01940144
SPECI KMAF 122309Z AUTO 27011G32KT 1 1/4SM +TSRA FEW026 BKN075 OVC120 18/14 A2976 RMK AO2 PK WND 24032/2301 LTG DSNT S-NW P0015 T01830144
You'll also find this as a case on the "AUTO thread".
Amarillo, Texas, 16 Apr 2015:
None of this lightning was reported:
Lawton, Oklahoma, 17 Apr 2015:
None of that lightning was reported, because KLAW had put ASOS into AUTO/TSNO mode, in the late morning:
METAR KLAW 171553Z AUTO 08009KT 10SM BKN035 OVC043 17/13 A3003 RMK AO2 RAE1455 SLP162 P0000 T01670128 TSNO
SPECI KLAW 171645Z AUTO 10013KT 1 3/4SM +RA FEW027 BKN044 OVC095 16/13 A3002 RMK AO2 RAB31 P0012 T01610133 TSNO
METAR KLAW 171653Z AUTO 11006KT 1SM +RA BR SCT028 BKN043 OVC095 16/13 A3001 RMK AO2 RAB31 SLP156 P0025 T01560133 TSNO
SPECI KLAW 171704Z AUTO 10013KT 3SM RA BR SCT033 BKN043 OVC060 16/14 A2999 RMK AO2 PRESFR P0004 T01610144 TSNO
METAR KLAW 171753Z AUTO 12014KT 10SM BKN055 OVC110 19/14 A2998 RMK AO2 RAE13 SLP145 P0004 60054 T01940144 10200 20144 58009 TSNO
That is despite ALDARS being activated at this site:
Abilene, Texas, 24 Apr 2015:
There were some lightning strikes near KABI before 1700Z:
Well, actually, there was one lightning strike AT KABI:
As mentioned in the graphic, no LTG/TS was reported.
Abilene, Texas, 26 Apr 2015:
2 days later, Abilene missed 10 lightning bolts, 4 of them within 5 miles:
Midland, Texas, 5 May 2015:
Lightning striking the airport, is NOT a VCTS!
Amarillo, Texas, 17-18 Aug 2015:
The older (purple-blue) bolts went unreported. The youngest bolt (orange) seems to have triggered a VCTS:
The trouble of course, was that bolt was not indicative of VCTS (5-10 miles away from the airport). It was much closer:
That bolt struck about 0448Z. This site took a SPECI to begin a VCTS not long after that; when TS should have been reported.
I hope this helps my fellow weather observers at Lubbock. 
