Butler Aviation Airport (6AK3) Area Aviation Weather & Runway Winds
Aviation weather near Butler Aviation Airport in Nikiski, AK, decoded from the nearest reporting station (PAEN): conditions, runway crosswinds, and free Telegram airport alerts.
Butler Aviation Airport (6AK3) is a general aviation airport serving pilots in and around Nikiski, AK at 185 ft. 6AK3 has no weather station of its own. Conditions here are decoded from PAEN, about 10 nm away, the nearest reporting station, and local conditions can differ. Its 2 runways (15, 33), longest 1,900 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, 9.5 nm away.
Wind calm, visibility 3 statute miles, no cloud data, temperature 6°C (42°F), altimeter 30.13 inHg. Conditions are Marginal VFR (MVFR).
SPECI PAEN 130800Z AUTO 00000KT 3SM BR CLR 06/05 A3013 RMK AO2 T00560050
What changed at PAEN (nearest station)?
Since the 0753Z (11:53 PM AKDT) report, compared automatically against the latest METAR.
- Flight category improved from LIFR to MVFR.
- Visibility improved from 0.75 SM to 3 SM.
- The 300 ft ceiling dissipated, no ceiling now.
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 6AK3's weather changes, free →
Current pilot readout for 6AK3
Based on the nearest station (PAEN), 6AK3 is currently MVFR with calm winds, visibility 3 statute miles, and no ceiling reported. Density altitude is approximately -1,150 ft (field elevation 185 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 6AK3 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 6AK3. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | 1,900 ft | GRAVEL | - | - |
| 33 | 1,900 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 23 h: wind 0→0 kt, ceiling unlimited → unlimited.
6AK3 weather radar
Live NEXRAD + lightning, with a 4-hour future-radar forecast. Drag to pan, tap ⚡ to toggle lightning.
Live weather radar around Butler Aviation Airport in Nikiski, 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 6AK3 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 6AK3
From ATIS Alerts' hourly weather history.
Over the past 24 hours, the nearest station PAEN reported mostly VFR across 32 observations, with 9 flight-category changes. The strongest gust reached 23 kt, the lowest ceiling was 300 ft. Wind most often came from the SW.
Most recent change: LIFR → MVFR
Most recent change: VFR → MVFR
- 15/33
- 100%
TAF | Terminal Aerodrome Forecast
Issued 0526Z (9:26 PM AKDT)
TAF PAEN 130526Z 1306/1406 VRB03KT P6SM SCT100 FM130800 VRB02KT P6SM VCFG SCT002 FM131900 33006KT P6SM SCT080
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Airport facts
Reference data from the OurAirports dataset.
- Type
- General aviation airport
- FAA LID
- 6AK3
- City
- Nikiski
- State
- Alaska
- Country
- United States
- Elevation
- 185 ft
- Coordinates
- 60.7278, -151.2778
- Runways
- 2
- Longest runway
- 1,900 ft
- Weather reporting
- Nearest station PAEN
- TAF
- Nearest PAEN
- Time zone
- America/Anchorage
- Next sunset
- 20h 24m
Run a flight school, FBO, or club here? Embed 6AK3'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.
- Peninsula Modelers Association - Redoubt Dr , Kenai, AK · 10 mi
6AK3 weather: frequently asked
What runways are available at 6AK3?+
6AK3 has 2 runways: 15, 33; the longest is 1,900 ft. This page computes the live crosswind for each runway end from the current wind.
Where does the weather shown for 6AK3 come from?+
Butler Aviation Airport does not have its own weather station. Conditions shown here come from the nearest reporting station, PAEN, about 10 nm away, close enough for situational awareness, but local conditions at 6AK3 can differ.
Does 6AK3 have a TAF?+
Yes. The PAEN TAF is shown on this page below the current conditions.
Does 6AK3 broadcast D-ATIS?+
No. 6AK3 does not broadcast D-ATIS. Alerts for 6AK3 from the ATIS Alerts bot (@atisalerts_bot) are based on its METAR (via the nearest reporting station) instead.
Pilot PIREPs for Butler Aviation Airport (6AK3)
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 Butler Aviation 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 6AK3 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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