Open A-1 Ranch Airport (3LA8) Area Aviation Weather & Runway Winds
As of 7:53 AM CDT, Oct 28, based on the nearest station (KLCH), 3LA8 is currently MVFR with winds from 070° at 4 knots, visibility 5 statute miles, and no ceiling reported.
Aviation weather near Open A-1 Ranch Airport in Lake Charles, LA, decoded from the nearest reporting station (KLCH): conditions and runway crosswinds.
Open A-1 Ranch Airport (3LA8) is a general aviation airport serving pilots in and around Lake Charles, LA at a field elevation of 11 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. It has one runway (16/34), the longest 2,250 ft. The nearest TAF is issued for KLCH.
No weather station at this airport: showing the nearest station KLCH, 0.8 nm away.
Wind from the east-northeast (070°) at 4 kt, visibility 5 statute miles, scattered clouds at 5,500 ft, temperature 17°C (63°F), altimeter 30.18 inHg. Conditions are Marginal VFR (MVFR).
METAR KLCH 281253Z 07004KT 5SM BR SCT055 17/17 A3018 RMK AO2 SLP226 T01720172
What changed at KLCH (nearest station)?
Since the 1153Z (6:53 AM CDT) report, compared automatically against the latest METAR.
- Pressure rising: altimeter 30.16 → 30.18 inHg.
Current pilot readout for 3LA8
Based on the nearest station (KLCH), 3LA8 is currently MVFR with winds from 070° at 4 knots, visibility 5 statute miles, and no ceiling reported. Density altitude is approximately -50 ft (field elevation 11 ft). Review the latest TAF below for forecast changes before departure.
New to aviation weather? How to read a METAR → · What VFR/MVFR/IFR mean → · Decode any METAR/TAF → · Density altitude calculator →
Runway wind check
Estimated head/tailwind and crosswind for each runway end from the current reported wind.
| Runway | Length | Surface | Head / Tail | Crosswind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16FAV | 2,250 ft | TURF | 0 kt head | 4 kt left |
| 34 | 2,250 ft | TURF | 0 kt head | 4 kt right |
Open the crosswind calculator to try your own wind and runway numbers →
3LA8 runways
1 physical runway · 2 runway ends. Each card opens the runway's intelligence page: equipment and lighting, LAHSO, frequencies, today's configuration, predicted use, history and approaches.
- Status not monitoredRunway 16/342,250 × 75 ft · TURFCurrent useno stated-runway source at 3LA8Wind
- 16
- 0 kt headwind · 4 kt crosswind from left
- 34
- 0 kt headwind · 4 kt crosswind from right
no active equipment NOTAM receivedView Runway Intelligence →
“Current use” is what the facilitystates; wind components are arithmetic on the current METAR against TRUE headings; status reflects NOTAMs received through SWIM, the tower's TFDM record and the D-ATIS — a runway reads “Open” only with a complete NOTAM picture.
24-hour trend
Wind, ceiling and flight category over the last 24 hours.
Over the last 23 h: wind 9→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.
Radar: NOAA/NWS via IEM · Forecast: NOAA HRRR · Lightning: NOAA · Map © Stadia Maps © OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap
NOAA NEXRAD composite and lightning, updated about every five minutes; amber frames are HRRR model guidance, not observed radar. Not for navigation.
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 26 observations, with 3 flight-category changes. The lowest ceiling was 2,900 ft. Wind most often came from the SE.
Most recent change: VFR → MVFR
Most recent change: VFR → MVFR
Share of hours each runway had the most headwind. From wind reports, not ATC assignments.
- 34
- 52%
- 16
- 48%
TAF | Terminal Aerodrome Forecast
Issued 1131Z (6:31 AM CDT)
TAF KLCH 281131Z 2812/2912 VRB03KT 6SM BR SCT250 FM281300 12007KT P6SM BKN250
New to TAFs? How to read one →
Get 3LA8 weather alerts in Telegram
Stop refreshing aviation weather manually. Track 3LA8 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 3LA8 free on TelegramNo live weather from 3LA8
Live crosswind meter
3LA8 has no weather feed online, so the wind comes from KLCH, 0.8 nm away.
Wind is 95° off runway 16, the end with the most headwind right now.
Have a weather station at 3LA8? Help us make your field's weather available to every pilot, free. Add your field's wx station →Turf · 2,250 ft. Headings from FAA runway data. Not for navigation.
Field aerial
North up
Runway 16/34 drawn from FAA threshold coordinates.
Imagery: USGS The National Map (public domain). Something off? ✏️ Suggest an edit
Airport info
From the FAA airport record (cycle 2026-10-01) and OurAirports.
Services
- Attended
- Unattended
- Landing fee
- No
- Control tower
- None
Airport
- Type
- General aviation airport
- FAA LID
- 3LA8
- City
- Lake Charles
- State
- Louisiana
- Country
- United States
- Elevation
- 11 ft
- Coordinates
- 30.1385, -93.2279
- Runways
- 1 physical runway · 2 runway ends
- Longest runway
- 2,250 ft
- Weather reporting
- Nearest station KLCH
- TAF
- Nearest KLCH
- Time zone
- America/Chicago
- Sunset in
- 10h 16m
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
Customize your 3LA8 shirt or mug
3LA8's real runway layout on the back, elevation and tower frequency on the front. Add your tail number on the sleeve.
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.
⚠️ Not for operational use. Always verify with official FAA-approved preflight weather sources before flight.
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