Castle Mountain Airstrip (48AK) Area Aviation Weather & Runway Winds
Aviation weather near Castle Mountain Airstrip in Sutton/Chickaloon, AK, decoded from the nearest reporting station (PAAQ) — conditions, runway crosswinds, and free Telegram airport alerts.
Castle Mountain Airstrip (48AK) is a general aviation airport serving pilots in and around Sutton/Chickaloon, AK at 1,010 ft. 48AK has no weather station of its own — conditions here are decoded from PAAQ, about 21 nm away, the nearest reporting station, and local conditions can differ. Its 2 runways (12, 30) — longest 1,320 ft — are checked against the current wind in the crosswind table below. The nearest TAF is issued for PAAQ. Track it in the ATIS Alerts Telegram bot to get alerts read from PAAQ, the station this page is based on.
No weather station at this airport — showing the nearest station PAAQ, 20.8 nm away.
Wind from the north-northeast (030°) at 3 kt, visibility 10+ statute miles, broken clouds at 6,500 ft, overcast at 8,500 ft, temperature 16°C (61°F), altimeter 29.79 inHg. Conditions are Visual Flight Rules (VFR), ceiling 6,500 ft.
METAR PAAQ 290353Z AUTO 03003KT 10SM -RA BKN065 OVC085 16/12 A2979 RMK AO2 RAB24 SLP088 P0000 T01610117 TSNO $
What changed at PAAQ (nearest station)?
Since the 0253Z (6:53 PM AKDT) report — compared automatically against the latest METAR.
- Rain began (-RA).
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Current pilot readout for 48AK
Based on the nearest station (PAAQ), 48AK is currently VFR with winds from 030° at 3 knots, visibility 10+ statute miles, and a 6,500 ft ceiling. The strongest crosswind component is currently on runway 12, about 1 knots. Density altitude is approximately 1,550 ft (field elevation 1,010 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 48AK 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 48AK. This is intended as a planning aid only and should not replace official performance calculations or pilot judgment.
| Runway | Length | Surface | Head / Tail | Crosswind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12FAV | 1,320 ft | TURF-P | 3 kt head | 1 kt right |
| 30 | 1,320 ft | TURF-P | 3 kt head | 1 kt right |
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 18→3 kt, ceiling 8,500 ft → 6,500 ft.
48AK weather radar
Live NEXRAD + lightning, with a 4-hour future-radar forecast — drag to pan, tap ⚡ to toggle lightning.
Live weather radar around Castle Mountain Airstrip in Sutton/Chickaloon, 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 48AK 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 48AK
Reported by pilots in flight over the past 6 hours — via aviationweather.gov.
Show raw report
ANC UA /OV TED330008/TM 2312/FL021/TP B777/SK FEW 024/RM DURD
ANC UAHeader — reporting station and UA: a routine pilot report.OV TED330008Location — fix or navaid, optionally with a radial and distance in NM.TM 2312Reported at 23:12 UTC.FL021Altitude: 2,100 ft MSL.TP B777Aircraft type reporting.SK FEW 024Sky condition — cloud bases and tops in hundreds of feet MSL.RM DURDRemarks.⚠️ PIREPs are unverified pilot reports. Not for operational use — conditions change between reports.
Recent aviation weather trends at 48AK
From ATIS Alerts' hourly weather history.
Over the past 24 hours, the nearest station PAAQ reported mostly VFR across 28 observations, with 4 flight-category changes. The strongest gust reached 29 kt, the lowest ceiling was 2,600 ft. Wind most often came from the SW.
Most recent change: MVFR → VFR
Most recent change: MVFR → VFR
- 12/30
- 100%
TAF — Terminal Aerodrome Forecast
Issued 2340Z (3:40 PM AKDT)
TAF PAAQ 282340Z 2900/2924 22005KT P6SM VCSH SCT035 BKN100 FM290600 VRB04KT P6SM SCT050
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Airport facts
Reference data from the OurAirports dataset.
- Type
- General aviation airport
- FAA LID
- 48AK
- City
- Sutton/Chickaloon
- State
- Alaska
- Country
- United States
- Elevation
- 1,010 ft
- Coordinates
- 61.7960, -148.4942
- Runways
- 2
- Longest runway
- 1,320 ft
- Weather reporting
- Nearest station PAAQ
- TAF
- Nearest PAAQ
- Time zone
- America/Anchorage
- Sunset in
- 2h 6m
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Nearby airports
Compare nearby METAR/TAF stations within 25, 50 and 100 NM before departure or arrival.
Within 25 NM
10 airports+4 more within 25 NM
25–50 NM
6 airports50–100 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.
- Jim Creek RC Park — Palmer, AK · 25 mi
- Mat-Su RC Modelers Club - Moffit Field — Palmer, AK · 25 mi
- Alaska Raceway Park — Palmer, AK · 26 mi
48AK weather — frequently asked
What runways are available at 48AK?+
48AK has 2 runways — 12, 30; the longest is 1,320 ft. This page computes the live crosswind for each runway end from the current wind.
Where does the weather shown for 48AK come from?+
Castle Mountain Airstrip does not have its own weather station. Conditions shown here come from the nearest reporting station, PAAQ, about 21 nm away — close enough for situational awareness, but local conditions at 48AK can differ.
Does 48AK have a TAF?+
Yes — the PAAQ TAF is shown on this page below the current conditions.
Does 48AK broadcast D-ATIS?+
No — 48AK does not broadcast D-ATIS. Alerts for 48AK from the ATIS Alerts bot (@atisalerts_bot) are based on its METAR (via the nearest reporting station) instead.
Pilot PIREPs for Castle Mountain Airstrip (48AK)
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 Castle Mountain Airstrip, 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 48AK 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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