Shields Airport (AL55) Area Aviation Weather & Runway Winds
Aviation weather near Shields Airport in Elberta, AL, decoded from the nearest reporting station (KNPA) — conditions, runway crosswinds, and free Telegram airport alerts.
Shields Airport (AL55) is a general aviation airport serving pilots in and around Elberta, AL at 95 ft. AL55 has no weather station of its own — conditions here are decoded from KNPA, about 9 nm away, the nearest reporting station, and local conditions can differ. Its 2 runways (09, 27) — longest 2,175 ft — are checked against the current wind in the crosswind table below. The nearest TAF is issued for KNPA. Track it in the ATIS Alerts Telegram bot to get alerts read from KNPA, the station this page is based on.
No weather station at this airport — showing the nearest station KNPA, 8.7 nm away.
Wind from the west (280°) at 5 kt, visibility 10+ statute miles, no cloud data, temperature 29°C (84°F), altimeter 29.81 inHg. Conditions are Visual Flight Rules (VFR).
METAR KNPA 290656Z AUTO 28005KT 10SM CLR 29/25 A2981 RMK AO2 SLP096 T02890250 $
What changed at KNPA (nearest station)?
Since the 0556Z (12:56 AM CDT) report — compared automatically against the latest METAR.
No significant changes since the 0556Z report — conditions are holding steady.
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Current pilot readout for AL55
Based on the nearest station (KNPA), AL55 is currently VFR with winds from 280° at 5 knots, visibility 10+ statute miles, and no ceiling reported. The strongest crosswind component is currently on runway 09, about 5 knots. Density altitude is approximately 1,900 ft (field elevation 95 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 AL55 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 AL55. This is intended as a planning aid only and should not replace official performance calculations or pilot judgment.
| Runway | Length | Surface | Head / Tail | Crosswind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 09FAV | 2,175 ft | TURF-G | 1 kt head | 5 kt left |
| 27 | 2,175 ft | TURF-G | 1 kt head | 5 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 3→5 kt, ceiling unlimited → unlimited.
AL55 weather radar
Live NEXRAD + lightning, with a 4-hour future-radar forecast — drag to pan, tap ⚡ to toggle lightning.
Live weather radar around Shields Airport in Elberta, 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 AL55 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 AL55
Reported by pilots in flight over the past 6 hours — via aviationweather.gov.
Show raw report
PNS UA /OV PNS350009/TM 0519/FL017/TP CJR9/WX 10SM
PNS UAHeader — reporting station and UA: a routine pilot report.OV PNS350009Location — fix or navaid, optionally with a radial and distance in NM.TM 0519Reported at 05:19 UTC.FL017Altitude: 1,700 ft MSL.TP CJR9Aircraft type reporting.WX 10SMWeather and flight visibility observed.Show raw report
PNS UA /OV PNS150015/TM 0519/FL030/TP DA42/SK CLR/WX 10SM
PNS UAHeader — reporting station and UA: a routine pilot report.OV PNS150015Location — fix or navaid, optionally with a radial and distance in NM.TM 0519Reported at 05:19 UTC.FL030Altitude: 3,000 ft MSL.TP DA42Aircraft type reporting.SK CLRSky condition — cloud bases and tops in hundreds of feet MSL.WX 10SMWeather and flight visibility observed.Show raw report
CEW UA /OV CEW090040/TM 0222/FL370/TP B738/TB CONS LGT
CEW UAHeader — reporting station and UA: a routine pilot report.OV CEW090040Location — fix or navaid, optionally with a radial and distance in NM.TM 0222Reported at 02:22 UTC.FL370Altitude: 37,000 ft MSL.TP B738Aircraft 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 AL55
From ATIS Alerts' hourly weather history.
Over the past 24 hours, the nearest station KNPA reported mostly VFR across 26 observations, with 0 flight-category changes. The strongest gust reached 19 kt, the lowest ceiling was 5,000 ft. Wind most often came from the NW.
History is still being collected — check back in a few days.
TAF — Terminal Aerodrome Forecast
Issued 0030Z (7:30 PM CDT)
TAF KNPA AMD 2900/2923 VRB05KT 9999 VCSH SCT050 BKN280 QNH2978INS TEMPO 2900/2902 VRB15G25KT 8000 -TSRA BKN030CB FM290200 VRB03KT 9999 FEW050 FEW280 QNH2979INS FM291200 30006KT 9999 SCT280 QNH2979INS FM292100 21008G18KT 9999 VCSH SCT050 BKN280 QNH2977INS AUTOMATED SENSOR METWATCH 2903 TIL 2911 TX36/2920Z TN28/2911Z AMD 0005Z FN20034
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Airport facts
Reference data from the OurAirports dataset.
- Type
- General aviation airport
- FAA LID
- AL55
- City
- Elberta
- State
- Alabama
- Country
- United States
- Elevation
- 95 ft
- Coordinates
- 30.4339, -87.4572
- Runways
- 2
- Longest runway
- 2,175 ft
- Weather reporting
- Nearest station KNPA
- TAF
- Nearest KNPA
- Time zone
- America/Chicago
- Next sunset
- 17h 18m
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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
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.
- Fly Boyz RC Club - Horak Field — Elberta, AL · 6 mi
- NFMI - Northwest Florida Modelers, Inc. - Fritz Field — Pensacola, FL · 9 mi
- South Alabama RC Modelers - S Cedar St — Foley, AL · 14 mi
AL55 weather — frequently asked
What runways are available at AL55?+
AL55 has 2 runways — 09, 27; the longest is 2,175 ft. This page computes the live crosswind for each runway end from the current wind.
Where does the weather shown for AL55 come from?+
Shields Airport does not have its own weather station. Conditions shown here come from the nearest reporting station, KNPA, about 9 nm away — close enough for situational awareness, but local conditions at AL55 can differ.
Does AL55 have a TAF?+
Yes — the KNPA TAF is shown on this page below the current conditions.
Does AL55 broadcast D-ATIS?+
No — AL55 does not broadcast D-ATIS. Alerts for AL55 from the ATIS Alerts bot (@atisalerts_bot) are based on its METAR (via the nearest reporting station) instead.
Pilot PIREPs for Shields Airport (AL55)
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 Shields 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 AL55 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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