Control Tower Weather equipment
NATS uses the Muir Matheson SAMOS system at most of the Airports at which it provides the ATC. The MM system uses some Vaisala sensors and some from other manufacturers and runs on MS Windows. Their system has user friendly displays in the VCR's and also has the advantage of a graphical, time related display for the visibility and cloud. The MM system can be [and is, at some airports set up during specific periods to automatic output of METARS]. Unfortunately the UKMO will not, as yet, accept automatic METARS for onward transmission, thus such outputs are sent via the AFTN to the UKMO Forecasters for their consideration.
The MET observations are actioned in NATS VCRs by qualified ATSA's, who, if the unit is equipped with a SAMOS system donot have to posess a full MET Observers rating. They undertake the MET activities on a task sharing basis with their other ATC support duties. MM are working on further automation aspects of the production of airport METARS.