Definition
A weather observation station that supplements the primary network of aviation weather reporting sites by providing additional surface weather observations from locations not covered by automated or full-time staffed stations. SAWR observations typically include elements such as wind, visibility, sky condition, temperature, dew point, and altimeter setting, and are made available to pilots through standard aviation weather distribution channels.
Plain English
An extra weather reporting site that fills in gaps between the main weather stations, giving pilots local conditions for areas that would otherwise have no nearby report.
Context Anchor
Seen in FAA acronym lists and in discussions of aviation weather sources for airports or nearby flight areas.
Derivation
Supplementary means added to fill in or complete something. The name simply tells you the station's role: it adds to the main network rather than replacing it.
Why Pilots Care
Pilots rely on these stations to obtain usable weather data when primary sources are unavailable or too distant.
Intuition Check
Supplementary does not mean casual or unofficial here. It means the station adds approved local weather information to the main aviation weather reporting network.
Example Sentence 1
The pilot checked the SAWR observation for the small mountain airport before departing, since no primary reporting station was located nearby.
Example Sentence 2
SAWR observations provided the only current weather data available for the remote airfield.