Santa Monica (KSMO) METARs missing

Lon33

Lon33

Pre-takeoff checklist
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Jul 5, 2014
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214
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Santa Monica
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Lon
Does anyone know why the Santa Monica (KSMO) METARs are no longer being posted? A week or more ago, they disappeared from ForeFlight and even from aviationweather.gov. A few days ago, I called the KSMO Tower to ask why, but got an answering machine. I left a message but haven't received a response, nor have the METARs reappeared.
 
I’ve been seeing the same thing intermittently for KSBP with either no reports or delays. Right now it (and KVBG) hasn’t been updated for 77 minutes while others are 22 minutes. I doubt if it’s anything nefarious here but you never know with KSMO.
 
I have had similar situations with other aiports. I emailed the guys that provide the data feed and it was back up pretty quick.
 
EdFred said:
I have had similar situations with other aiports. I emailed the guys that provide the data feed and it was back up pretty quick.
Click to expand...
Who are the guys who provide data feeds, and how did you find their email address?
 
It is apparently a known issue having to do with a burned out memory card. KSBA, a Class C, isn't uploading theirs either. Seems to be affecting airports in California with LIDs starting with S.
 
N1120A said:
It is apparently a known issue having to do with a burned out memory card. KSBA, a Class C, isn't uploading theirs either. Seems to be affecting airports in California with LIDs starting with S.
Click to expand...
Thanks for letting me know. I hadn't noticed that KSBA METARs aren't available either. And I never would have guessed that the problem is with a memory card. However, I did wonder whether -- as JScarry suggested -- it was the result of something Santa Monica did to make KSMO even less attractive to plane owners than it's become.
 
As of 1:22 on Sept 26th KSMO is not online. KSBP and KVBG are online. KSBA and KSZP offline. I think Santa Paula KSZP usually reports METARS and it is offliine. Whiteman KWHP is 147 minutes old. Travis AFB KSUU is 145 minutes old so I don’t think it only affects LIDs starting with S.

ForeFlight is having trouble displaying the flight category for lots of airports even though the METAR is available.
 
JScarry said:
As of 1:22 on Sept 26th KSMO is not online. KSBP and KVBG are online. KSBA and KSZP offline. I think Santa Paula KSZP usually reports METARS and it is offliine. Whiteman KWHP is 147 minutes old. Travis AFB KSUU is 145 minutes old so I don’t think it only affects LIDs starting with S.

ForeFlight is having trouble displaying the flight category for lots of airports even though the METAR is available.
Click to expand...

Santa Paula does not report a METAR, nor does it even have a AWOS.
 
I've seen the same thing recently, ended up having to call the AWOS telephone number.
 
I sent an email to the address EdFred posted, and got this response, almost immediately, on a Saturday no less:
"There is an FAA communications issue in the area that is resulting in some METARs not being transmitted electronically. Unfortunately we do not have an estimated time for return to service."​
I'm disappointed that there isn't even an estimated time for return to service. But I was pleasantly surprised and impressed by how quickly the response was sent.
 
I noticed recently that KSBP was either not reporting them or getting them with a very long delay. I assumed it was a foreflight issue
 
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