METAR Question
Posted by YourLeaderSays@reddit | aviation | View on Reddit | 8 comments
SPECI KCMI 291721Z 12020G28KT 1/2SM R32R/P6000FT -SN BR SCT006 OVC016 M02/M03 A3020 RMK AO2 PK WND 12029/1710 SFC VIS 3/4 P0000 T10221033
Why does it have surface visibility of 3/4 miles when it says 1/2SM visibility before? Is SFC visibility what they can see from the tower?
airport-codes@reddit
I am a bot.
^(If you are the OP and this comment is inaccurate or unwanted, reply below with "bad bot" and it will be deleted.)
juusohd@reddit
He a little confused but he got the spirit.
znyguy@reddit
Bad bot
MatthewMateo@reddit
The 1/2SM is what the tower is observing from the tower. The 3/4SM is what the ASOS is reading or the WX observer is reading from where they observe visibility.
latedescent@reddit
I see you’re ATC but I’m still going to ask. I always thought the first reported vis was automated. Remarks are tower observed. You’re saying it’s the other way around?
latedescent@reddit
You have it backwards. 3sm is sensor, surface vis is observed.
YourLeaderSays@reddit (OP)
gotcha, had it flipped in my mind. why have 3 readings tho? i get RVR for landing purposes, but whats the point of having two visibility requirements? should i as a pilot just be using the lower of the two?
MatthewMateo@reddit
I dunno. Rule says get a tower vis observation when less than 4SM and that’s what they go off of.