What type of weather report provides surface observations at select airports?

The type of weather report that provides surface observations at select airports is METAR. A METAR report contains essential meteorological information, including temperature, dew point, wind speed and direction, visibility, significant weather, and cloud cover. This data is crucial for pilots and air traffic controllers as it helps in understanding current weather conditions at specific locations.

In contrast, AIRMETs are advisory reports that provide information on potentially hazardous weather conditions that may affect aircraft but are not as detailed as METARs regarding specific surface conditions. TAFs, or Terminal Aerodrome Forecasts, offer forecasts for expected weather conditions over a period at an airport but do not provide current surface observation data. SPECI reports are special weather reports issued when there are significant changes in conditions, but they are typically updates to existing METAR reports rather than independent surface observation reports. Hence, METAR is the best choice for obtaining surface observations directly from selected airports.