This section may explain the ASOS 5 minute running average.
3.1 Ambient and Dew Point
Temperature
Ambient and dew point temperature reports are among
the most widely disseminated of all the weather elements
in the surface observation. Because of keen public interest,
nearly all radio and most television stations report temperature
and humidity at least once an hour. Ambient and
dew point temperature are vital in determining aircraft performance
and loading characteristics and are critical for
accurate weather forecasts. To meet these needs, ASOS
provides a 5-minute average ambient air and dew point
temperature every minute