What does an Automatic Weather Station (AWS) primarily monitor?

An Automatic Weather Station (AWS) primarily monitors key meteorological parameters that are essential for understanding local weather conditions. The primary focus of an AWS includes atmospheric pressure, surface wind, and precipitation, which are fundamental to weather observation and forecasting.

Atmospheric pressure readings help in understanding weather patterns, as changes in pressure are often associated with different weather systems. Surface wind measurements are crucial for assessing wind speed and direction, which can affect everything from aviation operations to local climate conditions. Additionally, precipitation monitoring provides data on rainfall or snowfall, which is vital for both weather predictions and assessing water resources.

The other choices include important meteorological elements, but they either focus on specialized aspects (such as visibility and cloud heights) or parameters that are less immediate for general weather monitoring. While visibility and cloud cover are also important, they are not the primary focus of an AWS. The same goes for temperature, humidity, and atmospheric composition, which, while critical, are secondary compared to the core functions of pressure, wind, and precipitation monitoring as offered by the typical AWS setup.