Watertown Regional Airport (KATY) Aviation Weather, METAR, TAF & ATIS Alerts
Live aviation weather for Watertown Regional Airport in Watertown, SD, including METAR, TAF, flight category, wind, visibility, ceiling, altimeter, runway crosswinds, and Telegram airport alerts.
Watertown Regional Airport (KATY) is a regional airport serving Watertown, SD at 1,749 ft. KATY reports its own METAR and publishes a TAF — decoded live on this page as flight category, wind, visibility, ceiling and altimeter. Its 4 runways (12, 17, 30, 35) — longest 6,898 ft — are checked against the current wind in the crosswind table below. The official FAA airport diagram is at the bottom of the page. Track KATY in the ATIS Alerts Telegram bot to get a message when a new METAR changes the picture — flight category, wind, or ceiling past your selected minimums.
Wind from the east-southeast (120°) at 4 kt, visibility 10+ statute miles, no cloud data, temperature 28°C (83°F), altimeter 29.92 inHg. Conditions are Visual Flight Rules (VFR).
METAR KATY 290153Z AUTO 12004KT 10SM CLR 28/20 A2992 RMK AO2 SLP117 T02830200
What changed at KATY?
Since the 0053Z (7:53 PM CDT) report — compared automatically against the latest METAR.
No significant changes since the 0053Z report — conditions are holding steady.
This is exactly what ATIS Alerts watches for you — get a Telegram message when KATY's weather changes, free →
Current pilot readout for KATY
KATY is currently VFR with winds from 120° at 4 knots, visibility 10+ statute miles, and no ceiling reported. The strongest crosswind component is currently on runway 17, about 3 knots. Density altitude is approximately 3,750 ft (field elevation 1,749 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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Stop refreshing aviation weather manually. Track KATY in ATIS Alerts and get notified when a new METAR changes the picture — a category drop, or wind and ceiling moving toward your minimums.
Track KATY 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 KATY. This is intended as a planning aid only and should not replace official performance calculations or pilot judgment.
| Runway | Length | Surface | Head / Tail | Crosswind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12FAV | 6,898 ft | ASP | 4 kt head | 0 kt |
| 17 | 6,893 ft | ASP | 2 kt head | 3 kt left |
| 35 | 6,893 ft | ASP | 2 kt tail | 3 kt right |
| 30 | 6,898 ft | ASP | 4 kt tail | 0 kt |
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 11→4 kt, ceiling unlimited → unlimited.
KATY weather radar
Live NEXRAD + lightning, with a 4-hour future-radar forecast — drag to pan, tap ⚡ to toggle lightning.
Live weather radar around Watertown Regional Airport in Watertown, SD: 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 KATY 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 KATY
Reported by pilots in flight over the past 6 hours — via aviationweather.gov.
Show raw report
RWF UA /OV RWF/TM 0019/FL300/TP B83M/TB CONS LGT CHOP/RM RPTD BY NMURS ACFT
RWF UAHeader — reporting station and UA: a routine pilot report.OV RWFLocation — fix or navaid, optionally with a radial and distance in NM.TM 0019Reported at 00:19 UTC.FL300Altitude: 30,000 ft MSL.TP B83MAircraft type reporting.TB CONS LGT CHOPTurbulence: continuous light chop.RM RPTD BY NMURS ACFTRemarks.Show raw report
FSD UA /OV FSD120008/TM 2243/FL030/TP PRM1/TB MOD-SEV 030
FSD UAHeader — reporting station and UA: a routine pilot report.OV FSD120008Location — fix or navaid, optionally with a radial and distance in NM.TM 2243Reported at 22:43 UTC.FL030Altitude: 3,000 ft MSL.TP PRM1Aircraft type reporting.TB MOD-SEV 030Turbulence: moderate to severe 030.⚠️ PIREPs are unverified pilot reports. Not for operational use — conditions change between reports.
Recent aviation weather trends at KATY
From ATIS Alerts' hourly weather history.
Over the past 24 hours, KATY reported mostly VFR across 39 observations, with 13 flight-category changes. The lowest ceiling was 300 ft. Wind most often came from the N.
Most recent change: MVFR → VFR
Most recent change: LIFR → VFR
- 17
- 60%
- 12
- 18%
- 35
- 15%
- 30
- 7%
TAF — Terminal Aerodrome Forecast
Issued 2320Z (6:20 PM CDT)
TAF KATY 282320Z 2900/2924 VRB03KT P6SM SCT220 FM291400 19007KT 5SM FU SCT190
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Airport facts
Reference data from the OurAirports dataset.
- Type
- Regional airport
- ICAO
- KATY
- IATA
- ATY
- FAA LID
- ATY
- City
- Watertown
- State
- South Dakota
- Country
- United States
- Elevation
- 1,749 ft
- Coordinates
- 44.9140, -97.1547
- Runways
- 4
- Longest runway
- 6,898 ft
- Weather reporting
- Reports METAR
- TAF
- Published
- AWOS/ASOS
- 126.625 MHz
- Time zone
- America/Chicago
- Next sunset
- 23h 53m
Run a flight school, FBO, or club here? Embed KATY'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
2 airports25–50 NM
8 airports+2 more within 50 NM
50–100 NM
8 airports+2 more within 100 NM
Historical Flying Weather
2006–2025 · ATIS Alerts Flying Weather Index
Based on historical observations from 2006–2025, KATY reported VFR conditions during about 77.7% of valid daylight observations, with an estimated 253 VFR flying days a year. July had the most VFR weather; December had the most instrument conditions. Surface winds averaged 9.0 kt, calm 8.3% of the time.
Full historical breakdown
Flight category by month
| Month | VFR % | MVFR % | IFR % | LIFR % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 63.1 | 15.3 | 11.3 | 10.3 |
| Feb | 69.7 | 14.4 | 9.3 | 6.5 |
| Mar | 68.5 | 14.6 | 9.3 | 7.6 |
| Apr | 75.6 | 11.5 | 8.1 | 4.8 |
| May | 81.1 | 11.3 | 5.5 | 2.2 |
| Jun | 88.2 | 6.7 | 3.3 | 1.8 |
| Jul | 91.9 | 5.0 | 2.1 | 0.9 |
| Aug | 85.2 | 8.1 | 3.7 | 3.0 |
| Sep | 84.0 | 8.0 | 5.3 | 2.7 |
| Oct | 78.8 | 11.6 | 6.4 | 3.2 |
| Nov | 74.2 | 14.3 | 7.3 | 4.3 |
| Dec | 61.7 | 14.5 | 12.3 | 11.5 |
Average wind by month
| Month | Mean wind (kt) |
|---|---|
| Jan | 9.4 kt |
| Feb | 9.3 kt |
| Mar | 9.8 kt |
| Apr | 10.6 kt |
| May | 9.4 kt |
| Jun | 8.2 kt |
| Jul | 7.4 kt |
| Aug | 7.3 kt |
| Sep | 8.3 kt |
| Oct | 9.4 kt |
| Nov | 9.4 kt |
| Dec | 9.3 kt |
Historical summary of past observations — not a forecast or safety rating. Always check the current METAR, TAF, and a weather briefing before flight.
KATY airport diagram
Official FAA taxiway and runway layout. Tap to zoom.
The FAA airport diagram for Watertown Regional Airport in Watertown, SD shows the runway and taxiway layout across 4 runways, ramp areas, and hold-short positions — review it before taxiing at an unfamiliar field.
Official FAA airport diagram · d-TPP cycle 2608 · Not for navigation. Download the official FAA PDF ↗
KATY weather — frequently asked
What runways are available at KATY?+
KATY has 4 runways — 12, 17, 30, 35; the longest is 6,898 ft. This page computes the live crosswind for each runway end from the current wind.
Does KATY report its own weather?+
Yes — Watertown Regional Airport has its own weather station and publishes METAR observations, which this page decodes live.
Does KATY have a TAF?+
Yes — the TAF is shown on this page below the current conditions.
Does KATY broadcast D-ATIS?+
No — KATY does not broadcast D-ATIS. Alerts for KATY from the ATIS Alerts bot (@atisalerts_bot) are based on its METAR instead.
Where can I find the KATY airport diagram?+
The official FAA airport diagram for Watertown Regional Airport (KATY) is shown on this page — it maps the runway and taxiway layout, ramps, and hold-short lines. Tap it to zoom, or download the official FAA PDF free from the link under the diagram (updated every 28-day FAA charting cycle).
Pilot PIREPs for Watertown Regional Airport (KATY)
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 Watertown Regional 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 KATY 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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- Get pinged the moment KATY drops below VFR or a new report moves your numbers.
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⚠️ Not for operational use. Always verify with official FAA-approved preflight weather sources before flight.
No D-ATIS at this airport — showing METAR.
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