Hoppe'S Seaplane Base (86AK) Area Aviation Weather & Runway Winds
Aviation weather near Hoppe'S Seaplane Base in Big Lake, AK, decoded from the nearest reporting station (PAWS) — conditions, runway crosswinds, and free Telegram airport alerts.
Hoppe'S Seaplane Base (86AK) is a seaplane base in Big Lake, AK. 86AK has no weather station of its own — conditions here are decoded from PAWS, about 12 nm away, the nearest reporting station, and local conditions can differ. Its 2 runways (18W, 36W) — longest 1,150 ft — are checked against the current wind in the crosswind table below. The nearest TAF is issued for PAED. Track it in the ATIS Alerts Telegram bot to get alerts read from PAWS, the station this page is based on.
No weather station at this airport — showing the nearest station PAWS, 11.7 nm away.
Wind calm, visibility 10+ statute miles, no cloud data, temperature 14°C (58°F), altimeter 29.84 inHg. Conditions are Visual Flight Rules (VFR).
METAR PAWS 290556Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 14/09 A2984 RMK AO2 SLP076 T01440094 10194 20139 53010 $
What changed at PAWS (nearest station)?
Since the 0456Z (8:56 PM AKDT) report — compared automatically against the latest METAR.
- The 8,500 ft ceiling dissipated — no ceiling now.
This is exactly what ATIS Alerts watches for you — get a Telegram message when 86AK's weather changes, free →
Current pilot readout for 86AK
Based on the nearest station (PAWS), 86AK is currently VFR with calm winds, visibility 10+ statute miles, and no ceiling reported. Density altitude is approximately 250 ft (field elevation 180 ft). 86AK does not publish a TAF — the nearest TAF station is PAED, about 18 nm away.
⚠️ 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 86AK 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 86AK. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18W | 1,150 ft | WATER | — | — |
| 36W | 1,150 ft | WATER | — | — |
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 6→0 kt, ceiling 7,000 ft → unlimited.
86AK weather radar
Live NEXRAD + lightning, with a 4-hour future-radar forecast — drag to pan, tap ⚡ to toggle lightning.
Live weather radar around Hoppe'S Seaplane Base in Big Lake, 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 86AK 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.
Recent aviation weather trends at 86AK
From ATIS Alerts' hourly weather history.
Over the past 24 hours, the nearest station PAWS reported mostly VFR across 26 observations, with 2 flight-category changes. The lowest ceiling was 2,000 ft. Wind most often came from the S.
Most recent change: MVFR → VFR
Most recent change: MVFR → VFR
- 18W/36W
- 100%
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We'll message you on Telegram when a new report moves the picture near 86AK (Hoppe'S Seaplane Base) — alerts read from PAWS, the station this page uses.
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Airport facts
Reference data from the OurAirports dataset.
- Type
- Seaplane base
- FAA LID
- 86AK
- City
- Big Lake
- State
- Alaska
- Country
- United States
- Elevation
- 180 ft
- Coordinates
- 61.5514, -149.9458
- Runways
- 2
- Longest runway
- 1,150 ft
- Weather reporting
- Nearest station PAWS
- TAF
- Nearest PAED
- Time zone
- America/Anchorage
- Sunset in
- 11m
Run a flight school, FBO, or club here? Embed 86AK'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
9 airports+3 more within 25 NM
25–50 NM
7 airports+1 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.
- Alaska Radio Control Society - Guernsey Rd Groeschel Field — Wasilla, AK · 11 mi
- Mack Dr. - City of Wasilla — Wasilla, AK · 14 mi
- Alaska Drone Racing League - Peters Creek Christian Church — Chugiak, AK · 19 mi
86AK weather — frequently asked
What runways are available at 86AK?+
86AK has 2 runways — 18W, 36W; the longest is 1,150 ft. This page computes the live crosswind for each runway end from the current wind.
Where does the weather shown for 86AK come from?+
Hoppe'S Seaplane Base does not have its own weather station. Conditions shown here come from the nearest reporting station, PAWS, about 12 nm away — close enough for situational awareness, but local conditions at 86AK can differ.
Does 86AK have a TAF?+
No — 86AK does not publish its own TAF. The nearest TAF station is PAED, about 18 nm away.
Does 86AK broadcast D-ATIS?+
No — 86AK does not broadcast D-ATIS. Alerts for 86AK from the ATIS Alerts bot (@atisalerts_bot) are based on its METAR (via the nearest reporting station) instead.
Pilot PIREPs for Hoppe'S Seaplane Base (86AK)
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 Hoppe'S Seaplane Base, 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 86AK 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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