Several weather tracking sensors across Iowa, including those at the Denison and Carroll Airports in western Iowa, have been disabled, causing some locals to miss out on their local temperature and dew point weather reports. The Federal Aviation Administration recently released new guidelines on July 2, which mandate that malfunctioning Automated Weather Observing Systems (AWOS) located at airports be disabled.
In Iowa, there are 61 AWOSs situated at airports, with 17 of them being managed by the FAA, and the remaining 44 being operated by the Iowa Department of Transportation. The primary purpose of these sites is to monitor and track meteorological data, including wind speed, air pressure, temperature, and dew points, which is crucial for assisting pilots. Although the information is primarily utilized by pilots, it is also shared with the general public and is often utilized for local weather reports.
At present, there are 12 weather tracking sites in the area that are not providing any information about the temperature or dew point. You can find a complete map of these weather tracking sites here. According to Iowa DOT Aviation Director Tim McClung, before July 2, the DOT was only required to report if a site was giving inaccurate details. However, now they have to disable the sensor entirely and also issue a report to pilots.
According to McClung, the disabled sensors pose no threat to aircraft. Despite some sensors being down, aviation experts can still obtain an overview of the general weather conditions that are adequate for guiding aircraft. However, it may cause inconvenience to those who rely on the sensors for weather reports. McClung mentioned that the DOT technicians are putting in great effort to restore the site as soon as possible. However, it is expected that there will be a continuous cycle of sensors going on and off over the next few months.
The DOT is currently prioritizing the offline sensors in Boone, Webster City, and Carroll due to their close proximity and ongoing malfunctioning. It is anticipated that these sensors will remain non-functional for a few months as the DOT adjusts to the new policy. The replacement sensors are currently backlogged, leading to further delays, according to McClung.
According to him, the majority of the sites that are currently offline should be up and running soon. This is because the cooler weather during the fall and winter months will provide them with ample time to install new sensors. Here’s a rundown of the sensors that are currently not reporting temperature or dew point:
-
- Denison
- Carroll
- Perry
- Webster City
- Fort Dodge
- Clarion
- Boone
- Fort Madison
- Keokuk
- Muscatine
- Vinton
- Grinnell
