DC-9 10
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Confusion; Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
General None Reported / Taken
Airport; ATC Equipment / Nav Facility / Buildings; Human Factors; Weather; Procedure
I was pilot flying on the leg when my First Officer accessed ATIS which; according to the chart; is AWOS when the Tower is closed. The weather we got was 230@5; 10 SM; 4;500 BKN; 29/23; 29.96. My approach suggested that the wind was not quite as reported; but the landing was uneventful. After taxiing in and shutting down; I checked the ATIS/AWOS again; and we'd copied down the weather correctly. The problem was that it was not AWOS; but rather; it was ATIS Zulu. Tower evidently forgot to switch it over to AWOS when they closed. The weather was from XA45Z; and we were landing almost 7 hours later. The actual weather (we were able to get it afterwards on my First Officer's phone) was 350@11G18; 10 SM; 3;900 OVC; 20/17; 30.05. We thought we had current weather; but due to what probably was Tower's mistake; we did not.If both pilots independently listened to the weather; one of us might have noticed that it was ATIS and not AWOS; at a time when the Tower normally is closed. It was a short flight; and I was trying to avoid areas of lightning. Also; if the pilot who copies the ATIS/AWOS routinely includes the Zulu Time which is broadcast with it; that might have alerted us that something wasn't quite right. Also; if the Tower personnel do not have a departure checklist that includes switching the ATIS to AWOS; adding such a checklist/procedure might prevent a recurrence.
His approach made the winds seem to be a lot higher than the called for winds and I commented about the possibility of a shear on the approach.  Next time; I will include the time stamp in the ATIS report to the other pilot. I will also review the weather page from the Flight Followers that is given to the Captain before we take off so that I can back up the Captain and have a better idea of the weather we should expect at the arrival airport.
When ATC apparently forgot to make the switch from ATIS to AWOS weather reporting the flight crew of an air carrier flight failed to note the error and landed utilizing a report some seven hours old which differed significantly; especially with respect to wind direction and velocity.