Pilots Ridge Airport (03NC) Area Aviation Weather & Runway Winds
Aviation weather near Pilots Ridge Airport in Carolina Beach, NC, decoded from the nearest reporting station (KILM) — conditions, runway crosswinds, and free Telegram airport alerts.
Pilots Ridge Airport (03NC) is a general aviation airport serving pilots in and around Carolina Beach, NC at 35 ft. 03NC has no weather station of its own — conditions here are decoded from KILM, about 10 nm away, the nearest reporting station, and local conditions can differ. Its 2 runways (09, 27) — longest 3,000 ft — are checked against the current wind in the crosswind table below. The nearest TAF is issued for KILM. Track it in the ATIS Alerts Telegram bot to get alerts read from KILM, the station this page is based on.
No weather station at this airport — showing the nearest station KILM, 10.1 nm away.
Wind from the south-southwest (210°) at 9 kt, gusting 17 kt, visibility 10+ statute miles, no cloud data, temperature 28°C (83°F), altimeter 29.67 inHg. Conditions are Visual Flight Rules (VFR).
METAR KILM 290253Z 21009G17KT 10SM CLR 28/26 A2967 RMK AO2 SLP048 T02830256 56003
What changed at KILM (nearest station)?
Since the 0153Z (9:53 PM EDT) report — compared automatically against the latest METAR.
No significant changes since the 0153Z report — conditions are holding steady.
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Current pilot readout for 03NC
Based on the nearest station (KILM), 03NC is currently VFR with winds from 210° at 9 knots gusting 17, visibility 10+ statute miles, and no ceiling reported. The strongest crosswind component is currently on runway 09, about 4 knots. Density altitude is approximately 1,950 ft (field elevation 35 ft). Review the latest TAF below for forecast changes before departure.
⚠️ Not for operational use. Always verify with official FAA-approved preflight weather sources before flight.
New to aviation weather? How to read a METAR → · What VFR/MVFR/IFR mean → · Decode any METAR/TAF → · Density altitude calculator →
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Track 03NC free on TelegramRunway wind check
Estimated head/tailwind and crosswind for each runway end from the current reported wind.
Use this section to quickly compare current wind alignment across available runways at 03NC. This is intended as a planning aid only and should not replace official performance calculations or pilot judgment.
| Runway | Length | Surface | Head / Tail | Crosswind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 09FAV | 3,000 ft | ASPH-G | 8 kt tail | 4 kt left (g8) |
| 27 | 3,000 ft | ASPH-G | 8 kt tail | 4 kt left (g8) |
Open the crosswind calculator — try your own wind and runway numbers →
24-hour trend
Wind, ceiling and flight category over the last 24 hours.
Over the last 23 h: wind 0→9 kt, ceiling unlimited → unlimited.
03NC weather radar
Live NEXRAD + lightning, with a 4-hour future-radar forecast — drag to pan, tap ⚡ to toggle lightning.
Live weather radar around Pilots Ridge Airport in Carolina Beach, NC: the NOAA/NWS NEXRAD composite updates about every five minutes, with NOAA lightning strike density overlaid. The loop plays the past 50 minutes, then continues into a future-radar forecast (+1 to +4 hours, NOAA HRRR model) so you can see where precipitation around 03NC is headed.
Radar: NOAA/NWS via IEM · Forecast: NOAA HRRR · Lightning: NOAA · Map © OpenStreetMap © CARTO
Forecast frames (amber label) are HRRR model guidance, not observed radar. Lightning strike density appears as a blue-white glow when strikes are detected in view. Radar and lightning coverage are limited in parts of Alaska, Hawaii, and offshore areas. Not for navigation.
Pilot reports (PIREPs) within 100 NM of 03NC
Reported by pilots in flight over the past 6 hours — via aviationweather.gov.
Show raw report
ILM UA /OV ILM270030/TM 2343/FL290/TP BCS3/TA M31/IC TRACE RIME 290
ILM UAHeader — reporting station and UA: a routine pilot report.OV ILM270030Location — fix or navaid, optionally with a radial and distance in NM.TM 2343Reported at 23:43 UTC.FL290Altitude: 29,000 ft MSL.TP BCS3Aircraft type reporting.TA M31Outside air temperature, °C.IC TRACE RIME 290Icing: trace rime 290.Show raw report
FLO UA /OV FLO/TM 2329/FL220/TP A321/TB INTMT LGT CHOP
FLO UAHeader — reporting station and UA: a routine pilot report.OV FLOLocation — fix or navaid, optionally with a radial and distance in NM.TM 2329Reported at 23:29 UTC.FL220Altitude: 22,000 ft MSL.TP A321Aircraft type reporting.TB INTMT LGT CHOPTurbulence: intermittent light chop.⚠️ PIREPs are unverified pilot reports. Not for operational use — conditions change between reports.
Recent aviation weather trends at 03NC
From ATIS Alerts' hourly weather history.
Over the past 24 hours, the nearest station KILM reported mostly VFR across 24 observations, with 0 flight-category changes. The strongest gust reached 21 kt, the lowest ceiling was 4,800 ft. Wind most often came from the SW.
Most recent change: MVFR → VFR
- 09/27
- 100%
TAF — Terminal Aerodrome Forecast
Issued 0313Z (11:13 PM EDT)
TAF KILM 290313Z 2903/2924 22011G18KT P6SM SCT060 BKN120 TEMPO 2904/2906 VRB25G40KT 3SM TSRA BKN025 OVC045CB FM290600 25010KT P6SM BKN080 PROB30 2906/2908 6SM -TSRA OVC040CB FM290800 28009KT P6SM BKN120 FM291300 32008KT P6SM SCT120 FM292000 24008KT P6SM SCT250
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We'll message you on Telegram when a new report moves the picture near 03NC (Pilots Ridge Airport) — alerts read from KILM, the station this page uses.
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Airport facts
Reference data from the OurAirports dataset.
- Type
- General aviation airport
- FAA LID
- 03NC
- City
- Carolina Beach
- State
- North Carolina
- Country
- United States
- Elevation
- 35 ft
- Coordinates
- 34.1042, -77.9059
- Runways
- 2
- Longest runway
- 3,000 ft
- Weather reporting
- Nearest station KILM
- TAF
- Nearest KILM
- Time zone
- America/New_York
- Next sunset
- 20h 26m
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Nearby airports
Compare nearby METAR/TAF stations within 25, 50 and 100 NM before departure or arrival.
Within 25 NM
4 airports25–50 NM
8 airports+2 more within 50 NM
50–100 NM
8 airports+2 more within 100 NM
RC flying fields nearby
AMA model-aircraft club fields around this airport — live wind, crosswind & flyability on each page.
- Cape Fear Quiet Flyers 2 — Wilmington, NC · 8 mi
- Cape Fear Quiet Flyers 1 — Wilmington, NC · 9 mi
- Flying G RC LLC - River Ridge Field — Rocky Point, NC · 25 mi
03NC weather — frequently asked
What runways are available at 03NC?+
03NC has 2 runways — 09, 27; the longest is 3,000 ft. This page computes the live crosswind for each runway end from the current wind.
Where does the weather shown for 03NC come from?+
Pilots Ridge Airport does not have its own weather station. Conditions shown here come from the nearest reporting station, KILM, about 10 nm away — close enough for situational awareness, but local conditions at 03NC can differ.
Does 03NC have a TAF?+
Yes — the KILM TAF is shown on this page below the current conditions.
Does 03NC broadcast D-ATIS?+
No — 03NC does not broadcast D-ATIS. Alerts for 03NC from the ATIS Alerts bot (@atisalerts_bot) are based on its METAR (via the nearest reporting station) instead.
Pilot PIREPs for Pilots Ridge Airport (03NC)
Community-submittedCommunity-submitted airport notes from pilots about runway conditions, wildlife, FBOs, fuel, turbulence, ramp access, and local tips.
Read recent community-submitted pilot notes for Pilots Ridge Airport, including runway conditions, wildlife activity, FBO/fuel notes, turbulence, ramp access, and local airport tips.
⚠️ Pilot PIREPs on ATIS Alerts are community-submitted airport notes for situational awareness only. They are not official FAA PIREPs, NOTAMs, weather briefings, airport advisories, or flight-planning guidance. Always verify with official FAA/NWS sources, airport management, ATC, and current publications.
No Pilot PIREPs have been submitted for 03NC yet. Recently flew here? Help the next pilot by leaving a quick airport note.
Pilot PIREPs are community pilot notes for situational awareness only — not official FAA PIREPs or advisories. Verify with official sources. Notes are moderated before they appear; helpful marks and reports help us keep them useful.
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⚠️ Not for operational use. Always verify with official FAA-approved preflight weather sources before flight.
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