However, the NWS will work to support backup requirements of other agencies. The availability of official wind measuring equipment or a wind recorder is not a prerequisite for reporting severe thunderstorms at NWS staffed sites. Water equivalent of snow on the ground - once daily. 6-hourly reports at main synoptic reporting times. The following elements will be reported with content similar to that contained in synoptic messages. .
Total cloud cover .
Snowfall amount and snow depth. . Volcanic ash when observed. These data will be communicated as messages separate from the ASOS report and will not be appended to the ASOS observation. NWS staffed sites which are not destined to become WFO's may function as members of these supplementary data networks while staff are available at the sites. The observational information provided by supplementary networks will not be appended to ASOS observations.