AUSTIN (KXAN) — Meteorologists use many different instruments to observe and forecast the weather. Some sit at the surface... others remain far above the ground, all are important in knowing and predicting weather patterns.

Automated Surface Observing Systems (ASOS)

A joint effort between the National Weather Service, the Federal Aviation Administration, and the Department of Defense (DOD), the Automated Surface Observing System program consists of close to a thousand observation sites running non-stop, updating every minute, 24 hours a day, every day of the year. The ASOS sites report: • Sky conditions: cloud height and amount (clear, scattered, broken, overcast) up to 12,000 feet • Visibility (to at least 10 statute miles) • Current weather conditions: type and intensity for rain

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