Open A-1 Ranch Airport (3LA8) Area Aviation Weather & Runway Winds
Aviation weather near Open A-1 Ranch Airport in Lake Charles, LA, decoded from the nearest reporting station (KLCH) — conditions, runway crosswinds, and free Telegram airport alerts.
Open A-1 Ranch Airport (3LA8) is a general aviation airport serving pilots in and around Lake Charles, LA at 16 ft. 3LA8 has no weather station of its own — conditions here are decoded from KLCH, about 1 nm away, the nearest reporting station, and local conditions can differ. Its 2 runways (16, 34) — longest 2,250 ft — are checked against the current wind in the crosswind table below. The nearest TAF is issued for KLCH. Track it in the ATIS Alerts Telegram bot to get alerts read from KLCH, the station this page is based on.
No weather station at this airport — showing the nearest station KLCH, 0.8 nm away.
Wind from the southwest (230°) at 4 kt, visibility 10+ statute miles, no cloud data, temperature 28°C (82°F), altimeter 29.88 inHg. Conditions are Visual Flight Rules (VFR).
METAR KLCH 290353Z 23004KT 10SM CLR 28/25 A2988 RMK AO2 SLP125 T02780250
What changed at KLCH (nearest station)?
Since the 0253Z (9:53 PM CDT) report — compared automatically against the latest METAR.
No significant changes since the 0253Z report — conditions are holding steady.
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Current pilot readout for 3LA8
Based on the nearest station (KLCH), 3LA8 is currently VFR with winds from 230° at 4 knots, visibility 10+ statute miles, and no ceiling reported. The strongest crosswind component is currently on runway 16, about 3 knots. Density altitude is approximately 1,600 ft (field elevation 16 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 3LA8 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 3LA8. This is intended as a planning aid only and should not replace official performance calculations or pilot judgment.
| Runway | Length | Surface | Head / Tail | Crosswind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16FAV | 2,250 ft | TURF | 3 kt tail | 3 kt left |
| 34 | 2,250 ft | TURF | 3 kt tail | 3 kt left |
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 4→4 kt, ceiling unlimited → unlimited.
3LA8 weather radar
Live NEXRAD + lightning, with a 4-hour future-radar forecast — drag to pan, tap ⚡ to toggle lightning.
Live weather radar around Open A-1 Ranch Airport in Lake Charles, LA: 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 3LA8 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 3LA8
Reported by pilots in flight over the past 6 hours — via aviationweather.gov.
Show raw report
BPT UA /OV BPT340010/TM 2253/FL020/TP P28A/SK FEW025/TB LGT CHOP
BPT UAHeader — reporting station and UA: a routine pilot report.OV BPT340010Location — fix or navaid, optionally with a radial and distance in NM.TM 2253Reported at 22:53 UTC.FL020Altitude: 2,000 ft MSL.TP P28AAircraft type reporting.SK FEW025Sky condition — cloud bases and tops in hundreds of feet MSL.TB LGT CHOPTurbulence: light chop.⚠️ PIREPs are unverified pilot reports. Not for operational use — conditions change between reports.
Recent aviation weather trends at 3LA8
From ATIS Alerts' hourly weather history.
Over the past 24 hours, the nearest station KLCH reported mostly VFR across 24 observations, with 0 flight-category changes. The strongest gust reached 17 kt. Wind most often came from the W.
Most recent change: MVFR → VFR
- 16/34
- 100%
TAF — Terminal Aerodrome Forecast
Issued 2320Z (6:20 PM CDT)
TAF KLCH 282320Z 2900/2924 21008KT P6SM FEW250 FM290100 VRB03KT P6SM SKC FM291200 26007KT P6SM FEW250
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Airport facts
Reference data from the OurAirports dataset.
- Type
- General aviation airport
- FAA LID
- 3LA8
- City
- Lake Charles
- State
- Louisiana
- Country
- United States
- Elevation
- 16 ft
- Coordinates
- 30.1385, -93.2279
- Runways
- 2
- Longest runway
- 2,250 ft
- Weather reporting
- Nearest station KLCH
- TAF
- Nearest KLCH
- Time zone
- America/Chicago
- Next sunset
- 20h 25m
Run a flight school, FBO, or club here? Embed 3LA8'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
8 airports+2 more within 25 NM
25–50 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.
- LARKS Field Hinch Model Airpark — Sulpher, LA · 11 mi
3LA8 weather — frequently asked
What runways are available at 3LA8?+
3LA8 has 2 runways — 16, 34; the longest is 2,250 ft. This page computes the live crosswind for each runway end from the current wind.
Where does the weather shown for 3LA8 come from?+
Open A-1 Ranch Airport does not have its own weather station. Conditions shown here come from the nearest reporting station, KLCH, about 1 nm away — close enough for situational awareness, but local conditions at 3LA8 can differ.
Does 3LA8 have a TAF?+
Yes — the KLCH TAF is shown on this page below the current conditions.
Does 3LA8 broadcast D-ATIS?+
No — 3LA8 does not broadcast D-ATIS. Alerts for 3LA8 from the ATIS Alerts bot (@atisalerts_bot) are based on its METAR (via the nearest reporting station) instead.
Pilot PIREPs for Open A-1 Ranch Airport (3LA8)
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 Open A-1 Ranch 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 3LA8 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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