So we were flying 121, severe clear into an uncontrolled airport in Podunk, Wyoming. The ASOS reported "missing" for everything but the altimeter. Center couldn't supply the local weather, either. We called the airport in sight, but can we legally accept a visual approach from Center?

I remembered something about an NWS approved weather report being required, but does it HAVE to be a METAR? We took off with a current METAR in the release, along with the TAF. But when we arrived for the approach, the release's METAR was over an hour old and the current METAR had the "missing" information. Hmmmm....