A present weather and visibility sensor is designed to detect, classify, and quantify atmospheric conditions that impact visibility and operational safety. Using advanced optical measurement techniques—most commonly infrared forward-scatter technology—the sensor continuously evaluates particles in the air to determine visibility range (MOR) and identify weather phenomena such as fog, mist, rain, drizzle, and snow. These sensors provide real-time, automated observations without the need for human intervention, making them ideal for both stand-alone deployments and integration with automatic weather stations (AWS).