How many companies in the US are using TALPA tools? I know their development was led by the FAA but it appears that many U.S. majors (including Delta) are yet to implement them on the line.
Here in Europe, we have been using them this winter and I am a big fan. Looking at the reported conditions ours would give a BA of medium or Medium to poor depending on whether it was snow or slush, whereas the PIREP gave BA good.
The whole point of TALPA was to remove the subjectivity from BA issues and to provide flight crews with some well assessed data. Without inferring anything about this accident, the disparity between reported BA and what TALPA might suggest indicates that it's very much necessary!