Definition
Ground-based, unmanned weather stations that continuously measure local weather conditions — such as wind, visibility, cloud height, temperature, dew point, and altimeter setting — and broadcast that information to pilots by radio and to other users via phone or data link. The two most common types in the United States are AWOS (Automated Weather Observing System) and ASOS (Automated Surface Observing System).
Plain English
Robotic weather stations at airports that take their own readings and read the report out loud over the radio so pilots can hear current conditions before they land or take off.
Context Anchor
Pilots encounter automated weather systems when checking airport weather before takeoff, before landing, or while deciding whether the visibility is good enough to continue safely.
Derivation
“Automated” comes from the idea of something acting by itself. In this term, it means the weather information is being collected and reported by equipment, not by a person standing outside and observing it.
Why Pilots Care
They give pilots reliable, up-to-date weather at airports that lack staffed observers, supporting safer go/no-go and enroute decisions.
Grounding Statement
Picture a set of weather sensors at the airport continuously checking the air and sending out the latest conditions for pilots to use.
Intuition Check
Do not assume “automated” means forecasted or guaranteed perfect. Here it means equipment is measuring and reporting current weather without a human observer making the report.
Example Sentence 1
Ten miles out, the pilot tuned the automated weather system frequency and noted the wind, visibility, and altimeter setting before joining the pattern.
Example Sentence 2
Many smaller airports rely on automated weather systems to provide continuous visibility updates.