Unusual, creative, and bizarre METAR remarks - 1970s
by Tim Vasquez / Weather Graphics
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Presented here is a collection of unusual weather observation remarks that were extracted from 1970s hourly observations
in the course of developing Global Surface Archives. These were found in an audit of 52 million observations spanning 1971 to 1979.
Most of these observations were written by NWS and CMC weather observers, flight service stations, FAA controllers, and Air Force observers,
and sent over longline teletype circuts instantly to regional weather centers, and printed out at hundreds of weather stations across
North America.
Note that these are repackaged observations, as the original coded airways (SAO) format was compressed to save space, removing much of the
formatting. Instead of rebuilding them as SAOs, they are built as METAR observations for maximum compatibility.
The source of this data is the Global Surface Archives package, available elsewhere on my website (this package is highly discounted until October 1, 2015). If there's interest, I'll do a set for the 1980s and 1990s later this year. |
The wildlife1971-03-14: PATL 140400Z 00000KT 15SM CLR M23/M27 A2947 RMK MOOSE ON RWY ==1974-01-11: KUIL 111800Z 05006KT 10SM SCT120 BKN220 01/M02 A3001 RMK FEW CU NE COYOTE HOWLING== 1975-09-30: CYDB 301100Z 13011KT 50SM SCT120 BKN250 04/00 A2968 RMK AC4CS1 DUE KILLING DOG ATTACKING RAT.-== Guess it's a slow night in Burwash, Yukon. 1975-10-18: CYYQ 182200Z 07002KT 15SM OVC017 06/03 A2966 RMK SC10 3 POLAR BEARS ALNG RNWY== 1975-11-03: CYCO 032100Z 25008KT 2SM -SN FG OVC/// OVC220 M24/M27 A2961 RMK F6CS2 HALO SUN DOGS MOON CATS SUBFIX == Love declarations1976-05-31: KLFI 311700Z 26006KT 7SM CLR 29/19 A2992 RMK CU ALQDS CI N SVN I LOVE YOU CATHY==1977-08-24: KTIK 241800Z 06005KT 10SM SCT040 SCT250 33/23 A2997 RMK I LOVE YOU CINDY== 1978-09-20: CWSA 201000Z 34018KT 10SM BKN030 11/06 A2998 RMK YOU ARE MY SUNSHINE BABY == Live music1977-06-06: KOFF 060300Z 35008KT 20SM BKN250 32/13 A2992 RMK ONE..TWO..THREE..FOUR.. WELL SHE WAS JUST SEVENTEEN%IF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN% AND THE WAY SHE LOOKED WAS WAY BEYOND COMPARE.== Looks like a slow swing shift. Rock along to it here.Typos and coding errors1971-07-15: KCVS 152100Z 06011KT 30SM CLR 33/08 A3006 RMK CU ALQDS WND 030V120 OCNL DSNT DEVILS ALQDS/615 SLP105 8/108 T03280083== Always a good idea to be specific if its a dust devil, just in case it's something else.1974-05-26: KPNE 261700Z 28014KT 10SM BKN030 BKN100 18/05 A//// RMK PNE N87 CLSD AERIAL DEMONS IN PRGS SLPNO T01780050 550/7== Like this. 1973-05-28: KSBN 281942Z 34004KT 2SM TSRA BKN035 OVC070 A2938 RMK / A TORKADO WAS REPORTED BY MARSHALL COUNTY POLICE AT MOVG NE THERE HAVE BEEN REPORTS OF DAMAGE TO SOME BUILDINGS T SE MOVG NE OCNL LTGICCCCG SLPNO 8/902== I wonder what a torkado would look like. 1974-07-03: KTVC 030800Z 20008KT 7SM TS SCT040 OVC100 24/21 A2980 RMK LTGCCCG E-S/ PUBLIC REPORTS TORONADO 0555 22E TVC VCNTY CRAWFORD LK. MOVMT UNKNTVC7/1 SLP089 T02440206 570/2== Used to see Toronados regularly on the teletype up until the mid 1990s. Creative observations1979-05-12: CYZH 121700Z /////KT 25SM SCT100 SCT300 06/00 A3003 RMK CU1AC1CI HUGE MOTHER TCU NE QUAD SLP187 T00600000=1975-04-08: CYQY 081128Z 24007KT 10SM SCT004 BKN025 A//// RMK SF4SC5 FOR THOSE WHO R CONCERNED THE SUN IS STILL UP THERE SLPNO== 1975-07-01: PAHO 011400Z 20005KT 15SM SCT008 SCT012 OVC021 08/07 A//// RMK 9 6/1VST3ST10ST SHIT WIND 2703 SLP111 T00780067== Thanks, Jim Lahey. 1974-07-05: KSBD 050400Z 29004KT 20SM CLR 24/11 A2992 RMK MULTI COLORED LTG ALQDS HAPPY FOURTH SLPNO T02440106== No way would this be transmitted nowadays due to the confusion it would cause. 1978-09-14: CYYE 142000Z 00000KT 25SM BKN040 BKN090 09/07 A2953 RMK SC6AC2 MAMMATUS OBSERVED PAST HR, TCU EMBDD AT THIS TIME, XTNSV VIRGA, I THINK WE GOTS A TROWAL == 1976-09-06: KBKE 060442Z 33018KT 15SM BKN080 OVC150 A2982 RMK FEQ LTGCGCC DSNT N UA OG LGD ALL PANDEMONIUM TSTM AND POURING == Randomness1978-09-20: CYYY 201000Z 17006KT 30SM CLR 02/00 A3009 RMK MY DAD LOVE S-- AT HOME''==1974-08-15: KPIT 151800Z 30007KT 10SM FEW250 27/14 A3025 RMK PIT8/18 PKB QDICK CALLYOUR WIFE30%10 220/82/60/0504/020/ PKB8/20 SLP236 T02670139 57010== 1975-02-22: KOLU 221600Z 31010KT 10SM SCT050 OVC100 M04/M05 A3022 RMK SUN DMLY VSBL OMA IF U THINK I AM BAD U SHOULD SEE MY BROTHER == 1975-03-31: KRDR 312200Z 33012KT 15SM SCT023 SCT250 M08/M16 A3001 RMK PLEASE EXCUSE ALL OF THE CORRECTIONS BUT OUR TRANSMITTER HAS A HABIT OF TRANSMITTING WHATEVE IT DESIRES AND NOT NECESSARILY WHAT WE PUT ON THE OBS == 1977-03-26: PWAK 260400Z 05020KT 10SM SCT030 BKN050 24/18 A3009 RMK RWU SE PK WND 0531/0253 WHEN DO WE GET TIME TO SEND HOURLY OBS QQQ SLP188 T02390178== 1977-03-28: KJXN 282100Z 14012KT 6SM -RA SCT014 OVC045 14/11 A2946 RMK 737;JXN3/16 LAF BUILDERS MAKE THEIR HOUSES E35 BKN 919/65/47/1919G25/930/ 814/ PK 2%# 1831/22== 1979-11-14: CYHY 140100Z 00000KT 6SM BKN010 OVC015 M02/M02 A2988 RMK ST8SC2FOR YOUR NEXT HOLIDAY WHY NOT TRY BEAUTIFUL HAY RIVER SEE YOUR TRAVEL AGENT = 1978-07-11: KNUW 111000Z 00000KT 7SM SCT015 BKN035 12/11 A3002 RMK I LOVE IT HERE; == 1976-07-04: KNQX 041800Z 09007KT 7SM SCT020 SCT040 BKN300 31/23 A3010 RMK TCU E/ 1776-1976 200 YEARS OF FREEDOM == 1976 was all about the Bicentennial. Sports1975-01-01: KTDO 012200Z 19008KT 10SM SCT006 BKN019 08/03 A3040 RMK TEB IF CATFISH WINS GAMES IN 5 YEARS THAT COMES TO 137000 DOLLA 4' PER GAME ==1979-10-20: CYMA 201000Z /////KT 20SM OVC030 M/M A//// RMK MINUSFOUR/MINUSFIVE/ZEROZEROZEROZERO/NINE SEVENONE/STRATOCUMULUSTEN RMKS THE STRATOCUMULUS LOOKS MALIGNENT AND THE EDMONTON OILERS WIN WAS FLUKY = The Quebec Nordiques lost to the Edmonton Oilers 3 to 6 in a game the previous night. History1977-02-25: PAWG 250700Z 07012KT 15SM BKN018 OVC029 04/03 A2969 RMK 387FOUS8 KNKA 555555 RTD HDNG MOS FCSTS FINAL GUIDANCE 2/25/77 0000 GMT DATE/GMT 25/18 26/00 26/06 26/12 26/18 27/00/12 I like this because it's a broken message that allowed some LFM model output (MOS statistics) to spill over. None of those old bulletins have been saved, so this is of obscure historical interest.The real WTFThis is probably one of the weirdest things I've seen to date in the archives. The couple of lines is lifted from this article in October 1979 Time Magazine. The others are maybe just random lines from novels lying around the weather station (Watson Lake, Yukon). Some of it was cut off as the NOAA WSMC tapes weren't geared for handling a lot of characters.1979-10-20: CYQH 200000Z 36003KT 15SM BKN030 OVC050 M01/M05 A2967 RMK SC6ST4 REMARKS THERE RECORDED WEATHER= 1979-10-20: CYQH 200100Z 35005KT 15SM BKN030 OVC050 M/M A2968 RMK SC6ST4 REMARKS NORTH AMERICALS HAVE BUILT HANDSOM CITIES AND GROWN TIRED OF THEM AS CHILDREN GROW TIRED OF THEIR PRESENTS AFTER CHRISTMAS.= 1979-10-20: CYQH 200200Z 34003KT 15SM BKN030 OVC050 M/M A2969 RMK SC6ST4 REMARKS A PRIME EXAMPLE OF ICE SCULPTURE SHE WAS , THE GLACIAL BEAUTY IN THE= 1979-10-20: CYQH 200300Z 00000KT 15SM OVC030 M/M A2969 RMK SC10 REMARKS ESP FOR YHY PRETTY PIN HE SAID HER BACK WENT RIGID, AND SHE TOUCHED THE PIN LIGHTLY WITH A CORAL= 1979-10-20: CYQH 200400Z 35002KT 15SM OVC025 M/M A2969 RMK SC10 REMARKS IM NOT A SPY. THE G )92 $9:8356 8$ - $548:5)6 048-53 94&-,8+-589,. IT DATES BACK TO L928, AND OF NECESSITY IT MUST MAINTAIN ABSOLUTE= 1979-10-20: CYQH 200500Z 03002KT 15SM SCT025 OVC030 M/M A2968 RMK SC2SC8 REMARKS CHAP 3 BUT HOW DO YOU QUALIFY WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO, SWIM THE HELLESPVT= 1979-10-20: CYQH 200600Z 11005KT 15SM OVC030 M/M A2967 RMK SC10 REMARKS CONCLUSION I GOT IT, HE SAID WITH DEADLY CALM. BUT I STILL WANT TO SEE YOU. ARE YOU FREE FOR LUNCH THERE WAS A MOMENTARY LIP-CHEWI ,&= Christmas & New Years greetings from years past1973-01-01: CYEV 010700Z 30007KT 15SM BKN070 M31/M34 A3047 RMK AS3 HAVE A HAPPY NEW YEAR GUYS WORKING GRAVEYARDS TONIGHT......... ==1973-12-25: CYXZ 250600Z 12003KT 15SM OVC016 M12/M14 A3008 RMK SC10 MOOSE-DRWN SLGH MVNG E TO W PST HR == 1974-01-01: CYXJ 010700Z 26012KT 40SM CLR M14/M17 A3046 RMK WX DLAD DUE OLD MAN WITH LONG WHITE BEARD AND ARMED WITH SCYTHE TRY 8 TO CHOP DWN STEVENSON SCREEN. PUT UP HECK OF A FIGHT TOO. == 1974-12-25: CYFS 250600Z 33008KT 15SM -SN BKN010 BKN250 M19/M21 A2938 RMK ST6CI1 MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY DRUNK == 1975-01-01: CYFB 010600Z 29007KT 15SM CLR M31/M36 A3000 RMK BONNE ANNEE HAPPY NEW YEAR == 1976-01-01: CYWA 010500Z 32006KT 10SM OVC015 M01/M04 A3000 RMK SC10 HAPPY NEW YEAR FRON THE DISNEYLAND OF THE CF == 1976-01-01: KAND 010500Z 25015KT 25SM SCT015 08/04 A2979 RMK HAPPY NEW YEAR AND ALL THAT JAZZ == 1976-01-01: CYOC 010600Z 18002KT 40SM OVC015 M24/M32 A3033 RMK SC10 END THE NEWS FOR 1975. HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM OLD CROW% Y.T. == 1977-01-01: KBZN 010700Z 31006KT 15SM SCT015 BKN070 M14/M18 A2996 RMK ISOLD SW- OMTNS/HAPPY NEW YEAR DO NOT DISTURB== 1979-12-25: KHLR 250500Z 26008KT 11/2SM -RA FG BKN008 OVC012 03/01 A//// RMK 226/REINDEER ON RWY VSBY E 2 ARCFT MISHAP SANTA IS DRUNK = |