Kern Field (IA48) Area Aviation Weather & Runway Winds
Aviation weather near Kern Field in Polk City, IA, decoded from the nearest reporting station (KIKV) — conditions, runway crosswinds, and free Telegram airport alerts.
Kern Field (IA48) is a general aviation airport serving pilots in and around Polk City, IA at 900 ft. IA48 has no weather station of its own — conditions here are decoded from KIKV, about 8 nm away, the nearest reporting station, and local conditions can differ. Its 2 runways (N, S) — longest 2,100 ft — are checked against the current wind in the crosswind table below. The nearest TAF is issued for KDSM. Track it in the ATIS Alerts Telegram bot to get alerts read from KIKV, the station this page is based on.
No weather station at this airport — showing the nearest station KIKV, 7.7 nm away.
Wind calm, visibility 10+ statute miles, no cloud data, temperature 25°C (77°F), altimeter 29.93 inHg. Conditions are Visual Flight Rules (VFR).
METAR KIKV 290335Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 25/24 A2993 RMK AO2
What changed at KIKV (nearest station)?
Since the 0315Z (10:15 PM CDT) report — compared automatically against the latest METAR.
No significant changes since the 0315Z report — conditions are holding steady.
This is exactly what ATIS Alerts watches for you — get a Telegram message when IA48's weather changes, free →
Current pilot readout for IA48
Based on the nearest station (KIKV), IA48 is currently VFR with calm winds, visibility 10+ statute miles, and no ceiling reported. Density altitude is approximately 2,300 ft (field elevation 900 ft). IA48 does not publish a TAF — the nearest TAF station is KDSM, about 13 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 IA48 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 IA48. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| N | 2,100 ft | TURF | — | — |
| S | 2,100 ft | TURF | — | — |
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→0 kt, ceiling unlimited → unlimited.
IA48 weather radar
Live NEXRAD + lightning, with a 4-hour future-radar forecast — drag to pan, tap ⚡ to toggle lightning.
Live weather radar around Kern Field in Polk City, IA: 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 IA48 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 IA48
From ATIS Alerts' hourly weather history.
Over the past 24 hours, the nearest station KIKV reported mostly VFR across 71 observations, with 0 flight-category changes. The strongest gust reached 13 kt. Wind most often came from the NE.
Most recent change: IFR → VFR
- N/S
- 100%
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We'll message you on Telegram when a new report moves the picture near IA48 (Kern Field) — alerts read from KIKV, the station this page uses.
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Airport facts
Reference data from the OurAirports dataset.
- Type
- General aviation airport
- FAA LID
- IA48
- City
- Polk City
- State
- Iowa
- Country
- United States
- Elevation
- 900 ft
- Coordinates
- 41.7417, -93.7252
- Runways
- 2
- Longest runway
- 2,100 ft
- Weather reporting
- Nearest station KIKV
- TAF
- Nearest KDSM
- Time zone
- America/Chicago
- Next sunset
- 21h 39m
Run a flight school, FBO, or club here? Embed IA48'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
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.
- R/C West Field — Dallas Center, IA · 11 mi
- Knapp Learning Center @ the Iowa State Fairgrounds — Des Moines, IA · 13 mi
- Des Moines Modelaires - E Paul Johnson RC Field — Bondurant, IA · 14 mi
IA48 weather — frequently asked
What runways are available at IA48?+
IA48 has 2 runways — N, S; the longest is 2,100 ft. This page computes the live crosswind for each runway end from the current wind.
Where does the weather shown for IA48 come from?+
Kern Field does not have its own weather station. Conditions shown here come from the nearest reporting station, KIKV, about 8 nm away — close enough for situational awareness, but local conditions at IA48 can differ.
Does IA48 have a TAF?+
No — IA48 does not publish its own TAF. The nearest TAF station is KDSM, about 13 nm away.
Does IA48 broadcast D-ATIS?+
No — IA48 does not broadcast D-ATIS. Alerts for IA48 from the ATIS Alerts bot (@atisalerts_bot) are based on its METAR (via the nearest reporting station) instead.
Pilot PIREPs for Kern Field (IA48)
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 Kern 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 IA48 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.
Why pilots use ATIS Alerts
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⚠️ Not for operational use. Always verify with official FAA-approved preflight weather sources before flight.
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