High-Resolution KSAD ASOS Data

Safford Airport, AZ Hi-Res ASOS Data

+ Observation Details

Observations for Safford, AZ are measured at Safford Airport with an ASOS. The ASOS (Automated Surface Observing Station) is a joint effort of the NWS, the FAA, and the DOD. The ASOS systems serves as the nation's primary surface weather observing network. It is designed to support weather forecast activities and aviation operations and, at the same time, support the needs of the meteorological, hydrological, and climatological research communities. There are currently more than 900 ASOS stations across the United States and its territories, and each one works non-stop, providing observations every minute of every hour of every day. Each station includes sensors to measure wind speed and direction, dew point, air temperature, precipitation type and amount, visibility, cloud height and thickness, and station pressure.

Typically, an ASOS will transmit a weather observation every hour. If weather conditions change, special off-hour observations are transmitted. Internally, the system is observing the weather far more frequently, generally every 10-20 seconds. Due to high variability in such short duration data, and to leverage quality control checks, the data are smoothed to longer temporal scales - on the order of minutes.

The data displayed on this page are based on the internal high-resolution one-minute data. From there, a standard rolling 5-minute average is applied to the temperature and dew point data. Precipitation data (1-minute) are accumulated. High (low) temperatures are the last observed instance of the maximum (minimum) value for the day.