Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 120; Flight Crew Type 10000
Communication Breakdown
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
General None Reported / Taken
Company Policy
Upon initial review of our weather package and Dispatch Release; it appeared we were not legal to land at destination based on the weather forecast.   The wind forecast placed us out of limits for a runway that was planned and forecast to be wet-fair.   When I called Dispatch to inquire; I experienced a confrontational Dispatcher and seemingly not sharing any care about my concern for legality.  Only upon my request did he update the forecast.  His new forecast changed the wind speed by a one knot crosswind component and that was enough to make us legal.  I am concerned that I can be presented paperwork that essentially tells me we were not legal to go (but only after a complete review of all the planning material) and the Dispatcher not having any awareness of that.  Then when I sought support; I instead received a confrontational attitude that even later morphed into questioning my judgment if the need to divert was likely (as the weather clearly indicated a higher likelihood than normal).  The Dispatcher also did not express any concern nor acknowledge my concern for being so close to a limit with real safety implications (landing on an icy runway in blowing snow conditions) outside of the legal question.
A B737 Captain questions the legality of forecasted arrival weather. He is met with confrontation and attitude upon contacting the Dispatcher to receive an updated forecast and discuss the paperwork.