Bon Secour Seaplane Base (AL96) Area Aviation Weather & Runway Winds
Aviation weather near Bon Secour Seaplane Base in Gulf Shores, AL, decoded from the nearest reporting station (KJKA) — conditions, runway crosswinds, and free Telegram airport alerts.
Bon Secour Seaplane Base (AL96) is a seaplane base in Gulf Shores, AL. AL96 has no weather station of its own — conditions here are decoded from KJKA, about 4 nm away, the nearest reporting station, and local conditions can differ. Its 2 runways (05W, 23W) — longest 3,000 ft — are checked against the current wind in the crosswind table below. The nearest TAF is issued for KJKA. Track it in the ATIS Alerts Telegram bot to get alerts read from KJKA, the station this page is based on.
No weather station at this airport — showing the nearest station KJKA, 3.6 nm away.
Wind from the west-northwest (290°) at 5 kt, visibility 10+ statute miles, no cloud data, temperature 30°C (86°F), altimeter 29.81 inHg. Conditions are Visual Flight Rules (VFR).
METAR KJKA 290715Z AUTO 29005KT 10SM CLR 30/26 A2981 RMK AO2
What changed at KJKA (nearest station)?
Since the 0655Z (1:55 AM CDT) report — compared automatically against the latest METAR.
No significant changes since the 0655Z report — conditions are holding steady.
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Current pilot readout for AL96
Based on the nearest station (KJKA), AL96 is currently VFR with winds from 290° at 5 knots, visibility 10+ statute miles, and no ceiling reported. The strongest crosswind component is currently on runway 05W, about 5 knots. Density altitude is approximately 1,950 ft (field elevation 0 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 AL96 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 AL96. This is intended as a planning aid only and should not replace official performance calculations or pilot judgment.
| Runway | Length | Surface | Head / Tail | Crosswind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 05WFAV | 3,000 ft | WATER | 2 kt head | 5 kt left |
| 23W | 3,000 ft | WATER | 2 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 24 h: wind 5→5 kt, ceiling unlimited → unlimited.
AL96 weather radar
Live NEXRAD + lightning, with a 4-hour future-radar forecast — drag to pan, tap ⚡ to toggle lightning.
Live weather radar around Bon Secour Seaplane Base in Gulf Shores, 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 AL96 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 AL96
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 AL96
From ATIS Alerts' hourly weather history.
Over the past 24 hours, the nearest station KJKA reported mostly VFR across 42 observations, with 0 flight-category changes. The strongest gust reached 20 kt, the lowest ceiling was 4,900 ft. Wind most often came from the W.
Most recent change: MVFR → VFR
- 05W/23W
- 100%
TAF — Terminal Aerodrome Forecast
Issued 0520Z (12:20 AM CDT)
TAF KJKA 290520Z 2906/3006 28006KT P6SM SKC FM291300 29011G17KT P6SM FEW050 FM291800 25011G17KT P6SM SCT050 PROB30 2918/2924 VRB15G25KT 2SM TSRA BR BKN030CB FM300100 26006KT P6SM SCT040
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Airport facts
Reference data from the OurAirports dataset.
- Type
- Seaplane base
- FAA LID
- AL96
- City
- Gulf Shores
- State
- Alabama
- Country
- United States
- Elevation
- 0 ft
- Coordinates
- 30.2983, -87.7408
- Runways
- 2
- Longest runway
- 3,000 ft
- Weather reporting
- Nearest station KJKA
- TAF
- Nearest KJKA
- Time zone
- America/Chicago
- Next sunset
- 17h 18m
Run a flight school, FBO, or club here? Embed AL96'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.
- South Alabama RC Modelers - S Cedar St — Foley, AL · 7 mi
- Bay Area RC Society BARCS - Magnolia Landfill — Summerdale, AL · 11 mi
- Fly Boyz RC Club - Horak Field — Elberta, AL · 17 mi
AL96 weather — frequently asked
What runways are available at AL96?+
AL96 has 2 runways — 05W, 23W; the longest is 3,000 ft. This page computes the live crosswind for each runway end from the current wind.
Where does the weather shown for AL96 come from?+
Bon Secour Seaplane Base does not have its own weather station. Conditions shown here come from the nearest reporting station, KJKA, about 4 nm away — close enough for situational awareness, but local conditions at AL96 can differ.
Does AL96 have a TAF?+
Yes — the KJKA TAF is shown on this page below the current conditions.
Does AL96 broadcast D-ATIS?+
No — AL96 does not broadcast D-ATIS. Alerts for AL96 from the ATIS Alerts bot (@atisalerts_bot) are based on its METAR (via the nearest reporting station) instead.
Pilot PIREPs for Bon Secour Seaplane Base (AL96)
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 Bon Secour 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 AL96 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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