Drift River Airport (3AK5) Area Aviation Weather & Runway Winds
Aviation weather near Drift River Airport in Kenai, AK, decoded from the nearest reporting station (PAEN): conditions, runway crosswinds, and free Telegram airport alerts.
Drift River Airport (3AK5) is a general aviation airport serving pilots in and around Kenai, AK at 30 ft. 3AK5 has no weather station of its own. Conditions here are decoded from PAEN, about 27 nm away, the nearest reporting station, and local conditions can differ. Its 3 runways (05, 23, H1), longest 4,100 ft, are checked against the current wind in the crosswind table below. The nearest TAF is issued for PAEN. Track it in the ATIS Alerts Telegram bot to get alerts read from PAEN, the station this page is based on.
No weather station at this airport: showing the nearest station PAEN, 27.1 nm away.
What changed at PAEN (nearest station)?
Since the 0922Z (1:22 AM AKDT) report, compared automatically against the latest METAR.
- Flight category dropped from IFR to LIFR.
- A ceiling formed at 200 ft.
The latest report is an off-schedule special (SPECI), issued because conditions changed significantly. What is a SPECI? →
This is exactly what ATIS Alerts watches for you: get a Telegram message when 3AK5's weather changes, free →
Current pilot readout for 3AK5
A current METAR is not available for 3AK5 right now. The nearest reporting station is PAEN. Check back shortly, review a nearby reporting station, and always confirm with an official briefing before flight.
⚠️ 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 →
Get 3AK5 weather alerts in Telegram
Stop refreshing aviation weather manually. Track 3AK5 in ATIS Alerts and get notified when a new METAR changes the picture: a category drop, or wind and ceiling moving toward your minimums.
Track 3AK5 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 3AK5. This is intended as a planning aid only and should not replace official performance calculations or pilot judgment.
Current wind is calm: calm wind is not a factor for runway selection, and with no wind there is no head/tail or crosswind component to compute. Live numbers return automatically once a report includes a wind direction.
| Runway | Length | Surface | Head / Tail | Crosswind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 05 | 4,100 ft | GRAVEL | - | - |
| 23 | 4,100 ft | GRAVEL | - | - |
| H1 | 40 ft | GRAVEL | - | - |
Open the crosswind calculator to try your own wind and runway numbers →
24-hour trend
Wind, ceiling and flight category over the last 24 hours.
Over the last 24 h: wind 3→3 kt, ceiling 10,000 ft → 200 ft.
3AK5 weather radar
Live NEXRAD + lightning, with a 4-hour future-radar forecast. Drag to pan, tap ⚡ to toggle lightning.
Live weather radar around Drift River Airport in Kenai, AK: 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 3AK5 is headed.
Radar: NOAA/NWS via IEM · Forecast: NOAA HRRR · Lightning: NOAA · Map © Stadia Maps © OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap
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.
Recent aviation weather trends at 3AK5
From ATIS Alerts' hourly weather history.
Over the past 24 hours, the nearest station PAEN reported a mix of conditions, most often VFR across 37 observations, with 13 flight-category changes. The strongest gust reached 23 kt, the lowest ceiling was 200 ft. Wind most often came from the SW.
Most recent change: IFR → LIFR
Most recent change: MVFR → LIFR
- 23
- 71%
- 05/H1
- 29%
TAF | Terminal Aerodrome Forecast
Issued 0940Z (1:40 AM AKDT)
TAF PAEN 130940Z 1310/1406 VRB02KT P6SM VCFG SCT002 TEMPO 1310/1314 1/2SM FG VV002 FM131900 33006KT P6SM SCT080
New to TAFs? How to read one →
Want forecast changes pushed to you? Start free on Telegram → TAF heads-ups are part of Premium · see what Premium includes
Get free ATIS alerts for 3AK5
We'll message you on Telegram when a new report moves the picture near 3AK5 (Drift River Airport): alerts read from PAEN, the station this page uses.
Track 3AK5 on TelegramFree • no app to install • unsubscribe anytime
Airport facts
Reference data from the OurAirports dataset.
- Type
- General aviation airport
- IATA
- DRF
- FAA LID
- 3AK5
- City
- Kenai
- State
- Alaska
- Country
- United States
- Elevation
- 30 ft
- Coordinates
- 60.5889, -152.1620
- Runways
- 3
- Longest runway
- 4,100 ft
- Weather reporting
- Nearest station PAEN
- TAF
- Nearest PAEN
- Time zone
- America/Anchorage
- Next sunset
- 18h 53m
Run a flight school, FBO, or club here? Embed 3AK5's live status on your website, free →
Nearby airports
Compare nearby METAR/TAF stations within 25, 50 and 100 NM before departure or arrival.
Within 25 NM
3 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.
- Peninsula Modelers Association - Redoubt Dr , Kenai, AK · 29 mi
3AK5 weather: frequently asked
What runways are available at 3AK5?+
3AK5 has 3 runways: 05, 23, H1; the longest is 4,100 ft. This page computes the live crosswind for each runway end from the current wind.
Where does the weather shown for 3AK5 come from?+
Drift River Airport does not have its own weather station. Conditions shown here come from the nearest reporting station, PAEN, about 27 nm away, close enough for situational awareness, but local conditions at 3AK5 can differ.
Does 3AK5 have a TAF?+
Yes. The PAEN TAF is shown on this page below the current conditions.
Does 3AK5 broadcast D-ATIS?+
No. 3AK5 does not broadcast D-ATIS. Alerts for 3AK5 from the ATIS Alerts bot (@atisalerts_bot) are based on its METAR (via the nearest reporting station) instead.
Pilot PIREPs for Drift River Airport (3AK5)
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 Drift River 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 3AK5 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.
Why pilots use ATIS Alerts
Free aviation weather and ATIS change alerts for GA pilots, delivered on Telegram, so a change catches your eye before it catches you off guard.
- Get pinged the moment 3AK5 drops below VFR or a new report moves your numbers.
- Live METAR, TAF, crosswinds, and FAA delays: one link, always current.
- Free, no app to install, and you can track any US airport. Unsubscribe anytime.
⚠️ Not for operational use. Always verify with official FAA-approved preflight weather sources before flight.
METAR source temporarily unavailable.
Spotted incorrect airport info? ✏️ Suggest an edit