Shoals Creek Seaplane Base (AL46) Area Aviation Weather & Runway Winds
Aviation weather near Shoals Creek Seaplane Base in Florence, AL, decoded from the nearest reporting station (KMSL) — conditions, runway crosswinds, and free Telegram airport alerts.
Shoals Creek Seaplane Base (AL46) is a seaplane base in Florence, AL. AL46 has no weather station of its own — conditions here are decoded from KMSL, about 10 nm away, the nearest reporting station, and local conditions can differ. Its 6 runways (02W, 08W, 17W, 20W) — longest 11,000 ft — are checked against the current wind in the crosswind table below. The nearest TAF is issued for KMSL. Track it in the ATIS Alerts Telegram bot to get alerts read from KMSL, the station this page is based on.
No weather station at this airport — showing the nearest station KMSL, 9.5 nm away.
Wind from the northwest (320°) at 3 kt, visibility 10+ statute miles, a few clouds at 4,700 ft, a few clouds at 5,500 ft, scattered clouds at 7,000 ft, temperature 28°C (82°F), altimeter 29.82 inHg. Conditions are Visual Flight Rules (VFR).
METAR KMSL 290653Z AUTO 32003KT 10SM FEW047 FEW055 SCT070 28/26 A2982 RMK AO2 SLP089 T02780261
What changed at KMSL (nearest station)?
Since the 0553Z (12:53 AM CDT) report — compared automatically against the latest METAR.
- Temperature–dewpoint spread narrowed to 2°C — watch for fog or low cloud.
- The 5,000 ft ceiling dissipated — no ceiling now.
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Current pilot readout for AL46
Based on the nearest station (KMSL), AL46 is currently VFR with winds from 320° at 3 knots, visibility 10+ statute miles, and no ceiling reported. The strongest crosswind component is currently on runway 02W, about 2 knots. Density altitude is approximately 2,300 ft (field elevation 510 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 AL46 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 AL46. This is intended as a planning aid only and should not replace official performance calculations or pilot judgment.
| Runway | Length | Surface | Head / Tail | Crosswind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 02WFAV | 6,200 ft | WATER | 2 kt head | 2 kt left |
| 08W | 6,500 ft | WATER | 2 kt head | 2 kt left |
| 17W | 11,000 ft | WATER | 2 kt head | 2 kt left |
| 20W | 6,200 ft | WATER | 2 kt head | 2 kt left |
| 26W | 6,500 ft | WATER | 2 kt head | 2 kt left |
| 35W | 11,000 ft | WATER | 2 kt head | 2 kt left |
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 0→3 kt, ceiling unlimited → unlimited.
AL46 weather radar
Live NEXRAD + lightning, with a 4-hour future-radar forecast — drag to pan, tap ⚡ to toggle lightning.
Live weather radar around Shoals Creek Seaplane Base in Florence, AL: 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 AL46 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 AL46
Reported by pilots in flight over the past 6 hours — via aviationweather.gov.
Show raw report
ATL UA /OV RQZ/TM 0320/FL220/TP SW4/TA M10/IC MOD MX/RM ZTLFD 05
ATL UAHeader — reporting station and UA: a routine pilot report.OV RQZLocation — fix or navaid, optionally with a radial and distance in NM.TM 0320Reported at 03:20 UTC.FL220Altitude: 22,000 ft MSL.TP SW4Aircraft type reporting.TA M10Outside air temperature, °C.IC MOD MXIcing: moderate mx.RM ZTLFD 05Remarks.⚠️ PIREPs are unverified pilot reports. Not for operational use — conditions change between reports.
Recent aviation weather trends at AL46
From ATIS Alerts' hourly weather history.
Over the past 24 hours, the nearest station KMSL reported mostly VFR across 29 observations, with 5 flight-category changes. The strongest gust reached 24 kt, the lowest ceiling was 5,000 ft. Wind most often came from the W.
Most recent change: IFR → VFR
Most recent change: MVFR → VFR
- 02W/08W/17W/20W/26W/35W
- 100%
TAF — Terminal Aerodrome Forecast
Issued 0520Z (12:20 AM CDT)
TAF KMSL 290520Z 2906/3006 VRB05KT P6SM VCSH SCT045 BKN200 FM291000 36005KT P6SM FEW050 BKN200
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Airport facts
Reference data from the OurAirports dataset.
- Type
- Seaplane base
- FAA LID
- AL46
- City
- Florence
- State
- Alabama
- Country
- United States
- Elevation
- 510 ft
- Coordinates
- 34.9026, -87.5872
- Runways
- 6
- Longest runway
- 11,000 ft
- Weather reporting
- Nearest station KMSL
- TAF
- Nearest KMSL
- Time zone
- America/Chicago
- Next sunset
- 17h 57m
Run a flight school, FBO, or club here? Embed AL46'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
5 airports25–50 NM
9 airports+3 more within 50 NM
50–100 NM
7 airports+1 more within 100 NM
RC flying fields nearby
AMA model-aircraft club fields around this airport — live wind, crosswind & flyability on each page.
- Quad Cities Radio Control - Colbert County Landfill — Tuscumbia, AL · 15 mi
AL46 weather — frequently asked
What runways are available at AL46?+
AL46 has 6 runways — 02W, 08W, 17W, 20W, 26W, 35W; the longest is 11,000 ft. This page computes the live crosswind for each runway end from the current wind.
Where does the weather shown for AL46 come from?+
Shoals Creek Seaplane Base does not have its own weather station. Conditions shown here come from the nearest reporting station, KMSL, about 10 nm away — close enough for situational awareness, but local conditions at AL46 can differ.
Does AL46 have a TAF?+
Yes — the KMSL TAF is shown on this page below the current conditions.
Does AL46 broadcast D-ATIS?+
No — AL46 does not broadcast D-ATIS. Alerts for AL46 from the ATIS Alerts bot (@atisalerts_bot) are based on its METAR (via the nearest reporting station) instead.
Pilot PIREPs for Shoals Creek Seaplane Base (AL46)
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 Shoals Creek 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 AL46 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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