French Field (81ME) Area Aviation Weather & Runway Winds
Aviation weather near French Field in Ellsworth, ME, decoded from the nearest reporting station (KBGR): conditions, runway crosswinds, and free Telegram airport alerts.
French Field (81ME) is a general aviation airport serving pilots in and around Ellsworth, ME at 338 ft. 81ME has no weather station of its own. Conditions here are decoded from KBGR, about 15 nm away, the nearest reporting station, and local conditions can differ. Its 2 runways (15, 33), longest 1,668 ft, are checked against the current wind in the crosswind table below. The nearest TAF is issued for KBGR. Track it in the ATIS Alerts Telegram bot to get alerts read from KBGR, the station this page is based on.
No weather station at this airport: showing the nearest station KBGR, 14.9 nm away.
Wind from the south-southwest (200°) at 5 kt, visibility 10+ statute miles, a few clouds at 25,000 ft, temperature 13°C (56°F), altimeter 30.10 inHg. Conditions are Visual Flight Rules (VFR).
METAR KBGR 130153Z 20005KT 10SM FEW250 13/10 A3010 RMK AO2 SLP191 T01330100
What changed at KBGR (nearest station)?
Since the 0053Z (8:53 PM EDT) report, compared automatically against the latest METAR.
No significant changes since the 0053Z report, conditions are holding steady.
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Current pilot readout for 81ME
Based on the nearest station (KBGR), 81ME is currently VFR with winds from 200° at 5 knots, visibility 10+ statute miles, and no ceiling reported. The strongest crosswind component is currently on runway 15, about 2 knots. Density altitude is approximately -0 ft (field elevation 338 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 81ME 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 81ME. This is intended as a planning aid only and should not replace official performance calculations or pilot judgment.
| Runway | Length | Surface | Head / Tail | Crosswind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15FAV | 1,668 ft | Asphalt/Turf | 5 kt tail | 2 kt left |
| 33 | 1,668 ft | Asphalt/Turf | 5 kt tail | 2 kt left |
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 3→5 kt, ceiling unlimited → unlimited.
81ME weather radar
Live NEXRAD + lightning, with a 4-hour future-radar forecast. Drag to pan, tap ⚡ to toggle lightning.
Live weather radar around French Field in Ellsworth, ME: 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 81ME 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.
Pilot reports (PIREPs) within 100 NM of 81ME
Reported by pilots in flight over the past 6 hours, via aviationweather.gov.
Show raw report
HKY UA /OV BXM/TM 0005/FL380/TP B737/TB NEG/RM ZTLFD 15
HKY UAHeader: reporting station and UA: a routine pilot report.OV BXMLocation: fix or navaid, optionally with a radial and distance in NM.TM 0005Reported at 00:05 UTC.FL380Altitude: 38,000 ft MSL.TP B737Aircraft type reporting.TB NEGTurbulence: none reported.RM ZTLFD 15Remarks.Show raw report
BGR UA /OV BGR185075/TM 0001/FL390/TP B788/TB CONS LGT
BGR UAHeader: reporting station and UA: a routine pilot report.OV BGR185075Location: fix or navaid, optionally with a radial and distance in NM.TM 0001Reported at 00:01 UTC.FL390Altitude: 39,000 ft MSL.TP B788Aircraft type reporting.TB CONS LGTTurbulence: continuous light.⚠️ PIREPs are unverified pilot reports. Not for operational use: conditions change between reports.
Recent aviation weather trends at 81ME
From ATIS Alerts' hourly weather history.
Over the past 24 hours, the nearest station KBGR reported mostly VFR across 24 observations, with 0 flight-category changes. The strongest gust reached 22 kt, the lowest ceiling was 20,000 ft. Wind most often came from the S.
Most recent change: MVFR → VFR
- 15/33
- 100%
TAF | Terminal Aerodrome Forecast
Issued 2338Z (7:38 PM EDT)
TAF KBGR 122338Z 1300/1324 18009KT P6SM SKC FM131100 18007KT P6SM BKN025 FM131600 18012G21KT 6SM -SHRA OVC007
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Airport facts
Reference data from the OurAirports dataset.
- Type
- General aviation airport
- FAA LID
- 81ME
- City
- Ellsworth
- State
- Maine
- Country
- United States
- Elevation
- 338 ft
- Coordinates
- 44.6199, -68.5946
- Runways
- 2
- Longest runway
- 1,668 ft
- Weather reporting
- Nearest station KBGR
- TAF
- Nearest KBGR
- Time zone
- America/New_York
- Next sunset
- 20h 22m
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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.
- Mid Coast Radio Control Club - Bryant Lane , Swanville, ME · 20 mi
81ME weather: frequently asked
What runways are available at 81ME?+
81ME has 2 runways: 15, 33; the longest is 1,668 ft. This page computes the live crosswind for each runway end from the current wind.
Where does the weather shown for 81ME come from?+
French Field does not have its own weather station. Conditions shown here come from the nearest reporting station, KBGR, about 15 nm away, close enough for situational awareness, but local conditions at 81ME can differ.
Does 81ME have a TAF?+
Yes. The KBGR TAF is shown on this page below the current conditions.
Does 81ME broadcast D-ATIS?+
No. 81ME does not broadcast D-ATIS. Alerts for 81ME from the ATIS Alerts bot (@atisalerts_bot) are based on its METAR (via the nearest reporting station) instead.
Pilot PIREPs for French Field (81ME)
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 French Field, 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 81ME 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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