RPTR AT A FSS IN DAY WORKING THE INFLT POS WAS QUESTIONED BY AN ACR CAPT REGARDING THE VALIDITY OF THE ASOS WX BEING BROADCAST.

Narrative

I WAS ON THE PREFLT POS WHILE OVERHEARING A CONVERSATION ON INFLT. THE CAPT OF ACR X WAS ASKING THE CTLR ON INFLT WHAT THE CURRENT WX WAS. THE CTLR REPLIED 1 SM MODERATE FREEZING RAIN OVCST 008. THE CAPT ARGUED IT WAS WRONG AS THEY WERE NOT GETTING ANY PRECIP WHILE TAXIING TO THE RWY. THE CAPT ASKED FOR THE WX OBSERVER TO TAKE AN OBSERVATION. SHE VERIFIED WHAT THE ASOS WAS RPTING: 1 SM FREEZING RAIN OVCST 008. THE CAPT STATED AGAIN THAT IT WAS NOT FREEZING RAIN OR ANY PRECIP WHERE HE WAS ON THE FIELD. THE INFLT CTLR SAID THAT AT THE OFFICIAL WX OBSERVATION SITE; ON THE E SIDE OF THE FIELD; IT WAS MODERATE FREEZING RAIN. CAPT SAID HE'D BE CALLING BACK PERIODICALLY TO CHK THE WX. HE CALLED ANOTHER 2 TIMES IN A SPAN OF 20-30 MINS. AFTER THE SECOND CALLBACK THE FREEZING RAIN HAD LESSENED TO LIGHT FREEZING RAIN AND THE CAPT WAS SATISFIED. THIS SIT OCCURRED WITH 3 SEPARATE ACRS THROUGHOUT THE MORNING. IT GETS TO BE A PROB WHEN THE CARRIERS DON'T BELIEVE THE ASOS MACHINE; LET ALONE THE WX OBSERVER. WHEN THEY KEEP CALLING BACK TO MAKE SURE WE ARE DOING OUR JOB BORDERS ON HARASSMENT. THE CAPT EVEN MENTIONED HAVING TO GET DEICED AGAIN IF THE FREEZING RAIN CONTINUED. WE AS WX OBSERVERS CAN'T CHANGE THE WX JUST TO ACCOMMODATE THE ACR'S REGS. IF THEY CAN'T DEPART IN FREEZING RAIN; THERE MUST BE A REASON FOR IT. TO BETTER UNDERSTAND OUR JOBS; THERE SHOULD BE A FAMILIARIZATION PROGRAM SET UP FOR THEM TO VISIT ATC FACILITIES AND SEE WHAT WE ALL DO. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THAT MANY PEOPLE DON'T LIKE THE ASOS WX RPTING SYS. RPTR FELT THAT THE ASOS USUALLY PROVIDES VERY ACCURATE DATA AND FINDS IT UNNECESSARY MOST OF THE TIME TO AUGMENT OBSERVATIONS. OCCASIONALLY DURING FREEZING CONDITIONS; A TEMP SENSOR WILL BECOME FROZEN AND REQUIRE A TECH TO GO OUT TO WARM THE EQUIP. WHEN THAT HAPPENS OR IS SUSPECTED; THEY REVERT TO THE MANUAL METHOD OF DETERMINING TEMP. ALSO SAID THAT TWR VISIBILITY IS USUALLY DIFFERENT THAN THE AUTO REPORT BECAUSE TWR IS AT A MUCH HIGHER LEVEL.