Air cargo often depends on tight handoffs, and local airport weather can change those handoffs quickly.
METAR observations are useful because they give the latest reported aviation weather conditions at or near the airport. Visibility, flight category, wind and weather remarks can explain why a visitor should check airline, integrator or airport notices.
The signal should be treated as context. A VFR observation does not guarantee normal freight movement, and a poor observation does not prove a specific shipment is delayed.
For air-cargo research, the value is speed: check the airport observation, confirm the source time and compare it with the cargo node involved.