A code number signifying the present weather conditions is recorded as a standard part of a ship's observation. This code can be used as a proxy for precipitation, as precipitation is rarely measured on ships. Beginning in the early 1980's, the WMO no longer required Present Weather (PW) to be recorded for clear weather observations (S. Woodruff, personal communication). Previously, in clear weather episodes, the observer entered a code number indicating there was no weather observed. When the observations in the 1980's were entered into the COADS interim product, the missing clear weather observations were given the missing flag, just as truly missing PW observations were. Using such observations as they are recorded in COADS would eliminate most if not all clear weather (rainless and snowless) reports. If few clear weather reports are available, the result would be a wet bias in the 1980's precipitation. This effect would be particularly evident in climatologically clear areas, such as below the subtropical highs. In the course of this investigation, it was discovered that there is indeed a sharp increase in the number of missing PW observations beginning in 1982.