Chemistry - Why is nitrous acid prepared in situ?

Well, if you don't make it in situ, you would have to add the nitrous acid you have already kept in your laboratory shelf, and surprise! It's not there! Because, it has already decomposed.

Nitrous acid ($\ce{HNO2}$) has an intermediate oxidation state of +3, and hence, it tends to disproportionate into more stable oxidation states:

$$\ce{2HNO2 -> NO2 + NO + H2O}$$

$\ce{NO2}$ itself dissolves in water to give $\ce{HNO3}$ and $\ce{HNO2}$. This gives an overall reaction in aqueous solution as:

$$\ce{3HNO2 -> HNO3 + 2NO + H2O}$$

This should give you a good idea on why we make nitrous acid within the reaction mixture. You can't store it beforehand. It must be made when it's time to use it.