Best I can tell, and going back some decades concerning P28, these sites
are
not co-located. I would caution using AI query for stuff like this, as I
have
found they often conflate things and make odd assumptions, even when
clear documentation exists that should make it easy for AI.
By convention, an airport location can not have two seperate 3 or 4 letter
IDs.
KP28 was an ASOS installed in the 90s to replace the legacy AMOS equipment,
which was not located at the airport. Its WMO ID is 72572. I checked this
against a couple of different databases, and KP28 is located at:
37.299722, -98.583056 469m
https://www.ogimet.com/display_metars2.php?lang=en&lugar=kp28
KK51 is location at:
37.265411,-98.547906 472m
https://www.airnav.com/airport/K51
So they are actually about 2.8 mi apart.
Is this a big deal? Yes, esp. for aviation operations and forensic
meteorology.
If there were an accident at the airport, getting wx obs at the exact
location
are paramount. Also, when preparing TAFs, a current observation is needed
at the airport in question.
*"It also includes extra federal data fields like Sea Level Pressure
(SLP102) and *
*hourly precise temperature decimals (T02500211)."*
Concerning hourly precise temp decimals, this is not exclusive to ASOS.
AWOS can
have this, it just depends on the type of AWOS. There are at least 8 types
of AWOS
out there, tiers that give different amounts of wx data.
KP28 may indeed be decommissioned (I'll check w/ the DDC WFO). A number of
NWS
ASOS not at airports have beeb decommissioned in the last several years.
KMQE,
KGDP, and KP92 are among them. The reason apparently is that there enough
privately-owned/run wx obs sites now at these locations that can serve as a
more
cost-effective replacement. All these non-airport ASOS were installed at a
time
when wx stations were much fewer overall. Now, that is not an issue.
Boris
On Fri, Sep 4, 2026 at 1:42 PM Tyle, Kevin R <ktyle@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Here’s what Gemini has to say about this:
>
>
>
> *The observations are indeed distinct because KK51 and KP28 actually
> represent two completely separate, co-located weather stations operating at
> the Medicine Lodge Airport. [1 <https://weathercams.faa.gov/stations>]*
>
> *Even though they share the same airfield, they are managed under
> different programs, utilize different hardware, and broadcast
> independently. [1 <https://weathercams.faa.gov/stations>]*
>
> *Here is exactly why those METAR strings look so different:*
>
> *1. Federal ASOS vs. Non-Federal AWOS*
>
> - *KP28 is a Federal ASOS (Automated Surface Observing System)**. It
> is managed federally and generates standard hourly routine observations
> (typically at 56 minutes past the hour, as seen in your 040956Z, 041056Z,
> etc. stamps). [1 <https://weathercams.faa.gov/stations>]*
> - *KK51 is a Non-Federal AWOS-3P (Automated Weather Observing System)**.
> It is a state- or locally-owned station that broadcasts updates much more
> frequently—roughly every 20 minutes (stamped at :15, :35, and :55 past the
> hour). [1 <https://weathercams.faa.gov/stations>]*
>
> *2. Different Sensor Capabilities (AO1 vs. AO2)*
>
> *If you look closely at the remarks (RMK) at the end of each log, you will
> find the smoking gun for why the data varies:*
>
> - *KP28 reports AO1**: This means the federal station does not have a
> precipitation discriminator sensor. It cannot automatically tell the
> difference between rain and snow. It also includes extra federal data
> fields like Sea Level Pressure (SLP102) and hourly precise temperature
> decimals (T02500211).*
> - *KK51 reports AO2**: The local AWOS system does feature a
> precipitation discriminator sensor. Because the hardware setups are
> different and sit at slightly different physical spots on the field, their
> calibrated sensors will register tiny micro-climate differences in wind
> gusts, dew point calculations, and altimeter settings (A2991 vs A2990).*
>
>
>
>
>
> Best regards,
>
>
>
> Kevin
>
> <https://www.google.com/maps/search/1220+Washington+Ave,+Room+419+%0D%0A+Albany,+NY+12226?entry=gmail&source=g>
>
>
>
> _________________________________________________
> Kevin Tyle, M.S.; Manager of Departmental Computing
>
> NSF ACCESS Campus Champion
> Dept. of Atmospheric & Environmental Sciences
>
> UAlbany ETEC Bldg - Harriman Campus
>
> 1220 Washington Ave, Room 419
> <https://www.google.com/maps/search/1220+Washington+Ave,+Room+419+%0D%0A+Albany,+NY+12226?entry=gmail&source=g>
>
> Albany, NY 12226
> <https://www.google.com/maps/search/1220+Washington+Ave,+Room+419+%0D%0A+Albany,+NY+12226?entry=gmail&source=g>
>
> ktyle@xxxxxxxxxx | 518-442-4578 <(518)%20442-4578> | @nywxguy |
> he/him/his
> _________________________________________________
>
>
>
> *From:* data-curation <data-curation-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> *On Behalf
> Of *Stephen Adams
> *Sent:* Friday, September 4, 2026 1:34 PM
> *To:* Boris A. Konon <trwplusa@xxxxxxxxx>
> *Cc:* data-curation <data-curation@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> *Subject:* Re: [data-curation] New Wx Reporting Sites
>
>
>
> Boris,
>
> A question on KK51 Medicine Lodge. I'm showing an ICAO for that airport as
> KP28. Still getting metars for KP28. Also getting metars for KK51, but
> they're different than KP28. Can you explain?
>
>
>
>
> *Steve Adams | AWIS Weather Services*
>
> 888.798.9955 <(888)%20798-9955> | sadams@xxxxxxxx | www.awis.com
>
>
>
>
>
> On Fri, Sep 4, 2026 at 7:06 AM Boris A. Konon <trwplusa@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> *METAR:*
> K4MD - Baltimore/Pier 7 US MD
> https://www.airnav.com/airport/4MD
>
> KCHT - Chillicothe US MO
> https://www.airnav.com/airport/KCHT
>
> KK51 - Medicine Lodge US KS
> https://www.airnav.com/airport/K51
>
> KM46 - Colstrip US MT
> https://www.airnav.com/airport/M46
>
> PACE - Central US AK
> https://www.airnav.com/airport/PACE
>
> PACI - Chalkyitsik US AK
> https://www.airnav.com/airport/PACI
>
> METAR Site ID Change:
> K2V5 to KRYA - Wray US CO
>
>
> *SYNOP:*
> 35129 - Kandyagash KZ
>
> https://oscar.wmo.int/surface/#/search/station/stationReportDetails/0-398-0-35129
>
> 42364 - Etawah IN
> https://www.ogimet.com/display_synops2.php?lang=en&lugar=42364
>
> 42878 - unknown IN
>
> 63726 - Kabale UG
>
> https://oscar.wmo.int/surface/#/search/station/stationReportDetails/0-20000-0-63726
>
> 63735 - Ukerewe TZ
>
> https://oscar.wmo.int/surface/#/search/station/stationReportDetails/0-834-20000-63735
>
> 83004 - San Paulo/IAG BR (previously unknown)
>
> https://oscar.wmo.int/surface/#/search/station/stationReportDetails/0-76-0-3550308000W83004
>
> 85312 - Monteagudo BO (previously unknown)
>
> https://oscar.wmo.int/surface/#/search/station/stationReportDetails/0-20000-0-85312
>
> _________________________________________________________
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