Definition
An RRWSS is a designated location at or near a runway where sensors collect real-time weather and surface condition data — such as wind, temperature, visibility, and runway surface state — and feed that data into the Runway Weather Data System (RWDS) for use by pilots, controllers, and airport operators.
Plain English
It is the spot beside the runway where weather and runway-condition sensors are installed. Those sensors send live readings into the system that reports current runway weather to pilots and controllers.
Context Anchor
Seen in NOTAMs and airport equipment notices related to runway weather-sensing equipment.
Derivation
RRWSS is a compact NOTAM-style contraction. It is built around RWDS, the Runway Weather Display System, and “sensor site,” meaning the place where the system’s weather sensors are installed.
Why Pilots Care
The data from these sites can drive runway condition reports and wind information used for takeoff and landing decisions. If a sensor site is out of service, the wind or surface report you rely on may be missing or coming from a less representative location.
Example Sentence 1
A NOTAM advised that the RRWSS for Runway 27 was out of service, so wind readings were being taken from the airport's primary anemometer instead.
Example Sentence 2
Controllers use data from the RRWSS to update runway condition codes in real time.