Large Transport; Low Wing; 2 Turbojet Eng
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 9
Confusion
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
General None Reported / Taken
Human Factors; Procedure
The weather at the time of the event caused a lot of factors for controllers at ATCT tonight. The visibility was 1/4 SM; OVC 003 and wind fluctuating between 10008KTS - 110012KTS. The Command Center; [Company A] airlines and [Company B] operations decided we should turn the airport from an east configuration (in favor of the winds) to a west configuration to accommodate getting the aircraft back to ATL. This caused the pilots to land in low visibility weather with construction and a tailwind. Pilots also had to depart with an 8-12 knot tailwind on a shortened runway.Another situation; our SOP states if the weather is below 300 and/or visibility is less than 1 mile; you should not depart RWY 26L with aircraft on the VICTOR end around taxiway. There were numerous aircraft that departed with planes on the Victor taxiway.If the winds favor an operation; stay with the safest possible situation. Safety is a 10; or that's what the FAA likes to make us believe.Change the SOP weather requirements if it's deemed aircraft are safe to be on taxiway Victor when the visibility is low.
ATL Tower Controller questioned SOP requirements during weather operations at their facility.