I asked my (dis)obedient (overlord) servant, ChatGPT:
The following are a series of special METAR observations from a US-based site.
The station identifier (KST1) has been reported to be near Topeka KS but the
observations are not consistent with stations near Topeka, so I believe this
site is located elsewhere. Given the sequence of observations, where might this
station possibly be if you compare it with other meteorological stations METAR
reports from today?
SPECI KST1 110842Z AUTO 08007KT 7SM -RA BKN010 BKN022 OVC046 16/14
SPECI KST1 110851Z AUTO 09007KT 5SM RA BR SCT008 BKN012 OVC045 15/14
SPECI KST1 110939Z AUTO 08011KT 4SM RA BR BKN009 BKN014 OVC022 15/14
SPECI KST1 110952Z AUTO 07009KT 4SM RA BR BKN010 OVC015 15/14 A3018
SPECI KST1 111003Z AUTO 08010KT 4SM RA BR SCT007 OVC012 15/14 A3017
SPECI KST1 111012Z AUTO 10009G17KT 2 1/2SM +RA BR BKN009 OVC013
SPECI KST1 111029Z AUTO 07005KT 3SM RA BR BKN009 OVC012 15/14 A3018
SPECI KST1 111049Z AUTO 08007KT 2 1/2SM RA BR BKN008 OVC012 15/15
SPECI KST1 111117Z AUTO 06007KT 4SM -RA BR BKN008 OVC014 16/15 A3017
SPECI KST1 111218Z AUTO 08007KT 1 3/4SM +RA BR BKN008 OVC013 16/15
SPECI KST1 111232Z AUTO 07007KT 1 1/4SM +RA BR SCT006 BKN013 OVC022
SPECI KST1 111246Z AUTO 04007KT 3SM RA BR SCT007 BKN012 OVC021 16/16
SPECI KST1 111307Z AUTO 05008KT 1 1/4SM +RA BR SCT005 BKN009 OVC022
SPECI KST1 111327Z AUTO 05006KT 3SM -RA BR BKN005 OVC011 15/15 A3013
SPECI KST1 111337Z AUTO 07009KT 2SM RA BR BKN005 BKN011 OVC022 16/15
SPECI KST1 111351Z AUTO 05008KT 5SM -RA BR BKN005 OVC014 16/15 A3012
SPECI KST1 111431Z AUTO 07009G19KT 2 1/2SM RA BR SCT006 BKN009
SPECI KST1 111440Z AUTO 07011G16KT 3SM -RA BR BKN006 BKN012 OVC025
SPECI KST1 111519Z AUTO 08011KT 3SM -RA BR BKN010 OVC015 16/16 A3006
SPECI KST1 111526Z AUTO 08009G17KT 4SM -RA BR BKN008 OVC015 16/16
SPECI KST1 111751Z AUTO 07007KT 2SM +RA BR OVC008 17/16 A2995 RMK
SPECI KST1 111908Z AUTO 02009KT 1 1/4SM BR OVC005 17/16 A2991 RMK
SPECI KST1 111934Z AUTO 02009KT 3SM -RA BR OVC005 16/16 A2991 RMK
SPECI KST1 111949Z AUTO 02009KT 3SM BR OVC004 16/15 A2990 RMK AO2
SPECI KST1 112024Z AUTO 02010KT 3SM BR OVC005 16/15 A2989 RMK AO2
SPECI KST1 112107Z AUTO 04008KT 4SM BR OVC005 16/15 A2986 RMK AO2
SPECI KST1 112121Z AUTO 04010KT 1 3/4SM +RA BR OVC005 16/15 A2986
SPECI KST1 112131Z AUTO 04009KT 3SM RA BR BKN005 BKN009 OVC016 16/15
SPECI KST1 120326Z AUTO 03008KT 9SM SCT007 OVC011 16/16 A2977 RMK
SPECI KST1 120341Z AUTO 03009KT 7SM BKN007 OVC012 16/16 A2976 RMK
SPECI KST1 120509Z AUTO 02009KT 2SM +RA BR BKN008 OVC025 16/15 A2974
SPECI KST1 120524Z AUTO 04011G18KT 3SM +RA BR SCT008 BKN015 OVC025
SPECI KST1 120553Z AUTO VRB06KT 2 1/2SM +RA BR FEW011 OVC020 16/15
SPECI KST1 120626Z AUTO 04009KT 10SM -RA BKN011 BKN020 OVC025 16/14
SPECI KST1 120648Z AUTO 03008KT 10SM -RA OVC009 15/14 A2975 RMK AO2
SPECI KST1 120722Z AUTO 02010KT 5SM RA BR BKN010 OVC015 16/14 A2976
SPECI KST1 120730Z AUTO 02010KT 4SM +RA BR FEW008 SCT012 OVC017
SPECI KST1 120925Z AUTO 04009KT 10SM SCT012 OVC040 16/14 A2980 RMK
SPECI KST1 120951Z AUTO 02010KT 10SM BKN017 OVC038 16/14 A2982 RMK
SPECI KST1 121029Z AUTO 01010G18KT 10SM SCT017 OVC043 16/14 A2983
SPECI KST1 121437Z AUTO 01011G19KT 10SM BKN028 19/14 A2991 RMK AO2
SPECI KST1 130602Z AUTO 00000KT 1 3/4SM BR CLR 13/13 A2996 RMK AO2
SPECI KST1 130611Z AUTO 00000KT 3/4SM BR CLR 12/12 A2996 RMK AO2
SPECI KST1 130631Z AUTO 00000KT 2 1/2SM BR CLR 12/12 A2996 RMK AO2
SPECI KST1 130638Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 13/13 A2996 RMK AO2
SPECI KST1 130653Z AUTO 00000KT 1 3/4SM BR CLR 13/13 A2996 RMK AO2
SPECI KST1 130704Z AUTO 00000KT 3/4SM BR CLR 12/12 A2997 RMK AO2
SPECI KST1 130712Z AUTO 00000KT 1 1/2SM BR CLR 12/12 A2997 RMK AO2
SPECI KST1 130723Z AUTO 31003KT 1/2SM FG CLR 11/11 A2997 RMK AO2
SPECI KST1 130732Z AUTO 29003KT 2SM BR CLR 12/12 A2997 RMK AO2
SPECI KST1 130739Z AUTO 28003KT 10SM CLR 13/13 A2996 RMK AO2
SPECI KST1 130844Z AUTO 00000KT 1 3/4SM BR CLR 10/10 A2996 RMK AO2
SPECI KST1 130914Z AUTO 00000KT 3/4SM BR CLR 11/11 A2998 RMK AO2
SPECI KST1 130927Z AUTO 00000KT 1SM BR CLR 11/11 A2998 RMK AO2
SPECI KST1 130934Z AUTO 00000KT 3/4SM BR CLR 10/10 A2998 RMK AO2
SPECI KST1 130952Z AUTO 00000KT 1/2SM FG VV001 11/11 A2999 RMK AO2
SPECI KST1 131019Z AUTO 00000KT 1SM BR CLR 10/10 A2999 RMK AO2
SPECI KST1 131031Z AUTO 00000KT 1/2SM FG VV002 10/10 A2999 RMK AO2
SPECI KST1 131040Z AUTO 00000KT 1 1/4SM BR FEW002 10/10 A3000 RMK
SPECI KST1 131044Z AUTO 00000KT 3SM BR FEW002 11/11 A3000 RMK AO2
SPECI KST1 131134Z AUTO 00000KT 3/4SM BR CLR 11/11 A3001 RMK AO2
SPECI KST1 131143Z AUTO 00000KT 2 1/2SM BR CLR 11/11 A3001 RMK AO2
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sterling, Virginia, near Washington Dulles Airport, is the strongest
match-specifically the National Weather Service's Sterling Field Support Center
ASOS test site. There is direct documentary evidence: an NWS technical report,
page 89, explicitly identifies "KST1 ASOS at SFSC, Virginia." The center's
address is 43741 Weather Service Road, Sterling, VA.
Assuming your reports are from October 11-13, 2026, nearby observations support
that identification:
Station and UTC time on October 13 Wind Temperature/dew point
Altimeter Visibility/sky
Your KST1, 0952 Calm 11/11°C 29.99 ½ mile, fog, VV001
Dulles KIAD, 0952 Calm 11/11°C 30.00 10 miles, clear
Leesburg KJYO, 0955 Calm 12/12°C 30.01 10 miles, clear
Dulles observations and Leesburg observations show nearly identical
temperature, saturation, wind, and pressure. The visibility difference is
compatible with localized radiation fog; your sensor repeatedly switches
between fog and clear visibility within minutes.
The preceding weather also fits: Dulles recorded 1.92 inches of rain in the 24
hours ending October 12 at 1152 UTC, followed by improving conditions and
overnight cooling. That agrees with your prolonged rain, clearing, and
subsequent fog sequence. NWS Dulles summary
Topeka looks substantially different: early October 12, KTOP reported
approximately 24-25°C with southerly winds, while your station had 15-16°C,
northeasterly winds, and heavy rain. NWS Topeka observations
The Topeka attribution may stem from an identifier collision: NOAA's geodetic
inventory lists KST1 as a decommissioned "TOPEKA 1" GPS reference station. That
is a separate observing network. NOAA CORS inventory
My confidence is high in the Sterling identification. The nearby weather
comparison supports it, and the NWS document directly associates that
identifier with the Sterling test facility; I did not obtain a complete
neighboring METAR archive for every timestamp in your sequence.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Best regards,
Kevin
_________________________________________________
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
Albany, NY 12226
ktyle@xxxxxxxxxx | 518-442-4578 | @nywxguy | he/him/his
_________________________________________________
-----Original Message-----
From: data-curation <data-curation-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> On Behalf Of
Herzmann, Daryl E [AGRON]
Sent: Tuesday, October 13, 2026 6:42 AM
To: data-curation <data-curation@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [data-curation] KST1 ?
Greetings,
Anybody have ideas on who KST1 is?
SPXX99 KWBC 130704
SPECI KST1 130704Z AUTO 00000KT 3/4SM BR CLR 12/12 A2997 RMK AO2
T01170117 TSNO $
and as an aside, always be careful not to point your METAR ingest at too wide
of WMO headers. This one from the West Texas Mesonet is full of K*** IDs,
including KST1 :)
AXUS44 KLUB 130706
MISWTM
METAR KARS 130650Z 18008KT 22/19 A2998 RMK A01 T02150187 SLP103 RH84% DA4800
METAR KAB1 130650Z 17008KT 26/21 A2992 RMK A01 T02600206 SLP102 RH72% DA3400
...snipped...
METAR KST1 130650Z 17012KT 24/19 A2995 RMK A01 T02420191 SLP097 RH73% DA4400
dary;
_________________________________________________________
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