FLC OF MLG ALLEGEDLY TOOK OFF FROM NOME; AK; WITH WX CEILING BELOW CHARTER MINS.

Narrative

DEPARTING NOME; AK; WITH RWY 9/27 CLOSED FOR CONSTRUCTION; RWY 2/20 ARE THE OPTIONS. WE HAD LANDED AND COMMENTED ON NEEDING 1200 FT; 2 MI FOR DEP FROM RWY 2; THE ONLY REALISTIC OPTION WITH THE WIND AND RWY SLOPE ON A SLIPPERY RWY. AS WE SAT; THE WX CHANGED NUMEROUS TIMES AROUND 7 SCATTERED 11 BROKEN AND 3-5 MI. AN ACFT DEPARTED ON 20 DOWNHILL; DOWNWIND AND WE COMMENTED THAT RWY 20 WAS NOT AN OPTION AT OUR WT WITH THE SLICK RWY. THE VISIBILITY IMPROVED GREATLY (6 MI) AND WE TAXIED TO RWY 2; DEPARTING FOR OTZ. AFTER DEP A SPECIAL WAS ISSUED FOR 11 SCATTERED 21 BROKEN AND 6 MI BUT IT BECAME OBVIOUS THAT THE RECORDED WX WAS 11 BROKEN WHEN WE DEPARTED. WE ARE COMPLETING WORK ON A 400-1 DEP MIN FOR 2 ON THE MLG DURING THE CONSTRUCTION PERIOD. IT WOULD MAKE IT EASIER AT FSS ARPTS IF THE NEW WX WERE READ AS IT IS RECEIVED FROM THE NATIONAL WX FACILITY. THAT IS QUITE COMMON BUT NOT ALWAYS DONE. IN ADDITION; IFR DEP MINS ABOVE BASIC VFR AT AN ARPT THAT HAS CIRCLING LNDG MINS TO EITHER 2 OR 20 OF 500 - 1 1/2 SEEMS TO BE HARD TO EXPLAIN OR JUSTIFY. WE ARE NOW COMPLETING LOWER TKOF MINS FOR 2 -- WHY WERE THE EXISTING DEP MINS EVER ACCEPTABLE? ONE CAN VISUALIZE A CREW GOING DOWNHILL; DOWNWIND ON RWY 20 WITH BASIC VFR WX PREVAILING AND HAVING JUST CIRCLED THE ARPT ENVIRONMENT AT 500 - 1 1/2.