Field forecaster evaluation of ACARS data—results of the NAOS ACARS assessment

Meteorologists from the National Weather Service, Meteorological Service of Canada, and United Airlines participated in an assessment of ACARS data from the fall of 1997 until the Spring of 1999. The assessment was conducted as part of the North American Atmospheric Observing System Program. A primary objective of NAOS is to define the "best mix" of observing systems, strategies and technologies to cost-effectively meet the requirements for observations over North America and adjacent oceans.

The meteorologists were asked to use and report on the utility and availability of ACARS sounding and enroute data in all aspects of forecasting (public, aviation, marine, and fire weather). The data were supplied by several commercial air carriers, and were supplied to forecasters via a web page hosted by the Forecast Systems Laboratory.

ACARS data was found to be extremely useful in areas were the data are plentiful, such as near major hub airports, but somewhat less useful in places where ascent-descent data are infrequent. The data was used in making forecasts for nearly all weather phenomena, including winter storms, convective systems, fire weather, marine weather and aviation hazards. There were several instances where the availability of ACARS data allowed meteorologists to correctly forecast an event that would have been difficult, or impossible to forecast otherwise.