MD80 CREW ALLEGEDLY TOOK OFF WITH SNOW ADHERING TO THE LEADING EDGE OF THE WINGS AND UPPER FUSELAGE.

Narrative

AFTER CONDUCTING A WALKAROUND; I ADVISED THE CAPT THAT THERE WAS SNOW ADHERING TO THE LEADING EDGE OF THE WINGS AND UPPER SURFACE OF THE FUSELAGE. SINCE THE WING HEATER WAS INOP; THE CAPT REQUESTED I OBTAIN LADDERS TO CHK IF THE TUFTS ON THE WING WERE FROZEN -- THEY WERE NOT. HOWEVER; LIGHT SNOW COVERED THE WING AREA WITH A BUILDUP OF SNOW ON THE LEADING EDGE THAT EXTENDED BACK ON THE WING ABOUT 8 INCHES. I ADVISED THE CAPT WHAT I SAW AND HE SAID THAT HE HAD OBSERVED THAT THE SNOW ON THE LEADING EDGE WAS EASILY BRUSHED OFF. HE SAID; 'WE DON'T NEED TO DEICE; WHAT DO YOU THINK?' I SAID I THOUGHT WE DID NEED TO DEICE. HE THEN SAID THAT; 'AT THIS TEMP ADDING HOT WATER WILL ONLY MAKE THIS STUFF FREEZE.' I REPLIED THAT IS WHAT GLYCOL WAS FOR; BUT THE CAPT DID NOT REPLY. ONCE I WA BACK IN THE COCKPIT; I CONTACTED METERING TO CHK FOR DELAYS. WHILE I WAS WAITING FOR RELEASE; THE DEICE CREW CALLED. I ADVISED THE CAPT THAT THE DEICE CREW WAS READY TO DEICE THE ACFT AND THEY WANTED TO I KNOW WHAT TYPE FLUID TO USE. IT WAS 19 DEGS F WITH LIGHT SNOW. THE CAPT RADIOED THE DEICE CREW THAT HE DID NOT WISH TO BE DEICED. HE STATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING ADHERING TO THE ACFT. AFTER RECEIVING CLRNC TO PUSH; THE PUSH CREW CALLED AND THEY TOO ASKED IF WE WERE GOING TO DEICE; AND THE CAPT SAID NO. WE WERE DISCONNECTED FROM THE TOW BAR; TAXIED OUT AND DEPARTED WITHOUT INCIDENT.