B737 CREW WAS GIVEN A LATE DSCNT CLRNC.

Narrative

THIS FIELD PRESENTS A CONTINUING PROB OF LATE DSCNTS OFFERED BY ATC FROM N ARRIVING ACFT LNDG TO THE S. (TYPICALLY CLT-CHS VIA CAE.) CAPT; FLYING; DID NOT ACCELERATE DSCNT TO COMPENSATE. WITH ARPT IN SIGHT; APCH CLRED US FOR VISUAL TO RWY 15. SOMEWHAT HIGH DSCNT RATE REQUIRED. TURNING FINAL; INSIDE THE MARKER; A FOG OR CLOUD LAYER; PREVIOUSLY UNSEEN; PARTIALLY OBSCURED THE TOUCHDOWN ZONE; THOUGH MOST OF RWY WAS IN SIGHT. APCH; EVIDENTLY ALSO WORKING TWR; PREEMPTIVELY CLRED US FOR ILS APCH. THE DSCNT RATE; FOR ILS APCH; WAS THEN A BIT HIGH FOR COMPANY STANDARDS. WE STABILIZED AT ABOUT 500 FT. OK FOR VISUAL; BUT NOT FOR ILS. HOWEVER; WE DID NOT HAVE REASON TO EXPECT OBSCURATION. I THINK THIS WAS A WELL- HANDLED SIT ON THE PART OF THE CTLR WHO; HAVING LOST SIGHT OF US; REALIZED THAT WE MUST BE LOSING THE FIELD AS WELL. (HE ASKED; 'IS THERE A LAYER OUT THERE OR SOMETHING?') ALSO; I THOUGHT THE CAPT FLEW NICELY ON THE LOC AND NEVER BELOW GS; ALTHOUGH THE RATE WAS HIGH. JUST WONDERING WHETHER WE SHOULD HAVE GONE AROUND. IT HAPPENED VERY QUICKLY; THOUGH THE LATE DSCNT FROM ZJX IS NORMAL AT CHS.