Charleston International Airport (KCHS) Aviation Weather, METAR, TAF & ATIS Alerts
Live aviation weather for Charleston International Airport in Charleston, SC, including METAR, TAF, flight category, wind, visibility, ceiling, altimeter, runway crosswinds, and Telegram airport alerts.
Charleston International Airport (KCHS) is one of the primary air-carrier airports serving Charleston, SC at 46 ft. KCHS reports its own METAR and publishes a TAF, and broadcasts digital ATIS (D-ATIS) — decoded live on this page as flight category, wind, visibility, ceiling and altimeter. Its 4 runways (03, 15, 21, 33) — longest 9,001 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 KCHS in the ATIS Alerts Telegram bot to get a message the moment the ATIS letter changes or the weather drops below your selected minimums.
Wind from the south-southwest (210°) at 9 kt, visibility 10+ statute miles, broken clouds at 20,000 ft, temperature 29°C (85°F), altimeter 29.73 inHg. Conditions are Visual Flight Rules (VFR), ceiling 20,000 ft.
METAR KCHS 290256Z 21009KT 10SM BKN200 29/27 A2973 RMK AO2 SLP067 T02940267 50002
What changed at KCHS?
Since the 0156Z (9:56 PM EDT) report — compared automatically against the latest METAR.
No significant changes since the 0156Z report — conditions are holding steady.
This is exactly what ATIS Alerts watches for you — get a Telegram message when KCHS's ATIS or weather changes, free →
Current pilot readout for KCHS
KCHS is currently VFR with winds from 210° at 9 knots, visibility 10+ statute miles, and a 20,000 ft ceiling. The strongest crosswind component is currently on runway 15, about 8 knots. Density altitude is approximately 2,000 ft (field elevation 46 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 →
Get KCHS weather alerts in Telegram
Stop refreshing aviation weather manually. Track KCHS in ATIS Alerts and get notified when the ATIS changes, the airport drops below VFR, or wind and ceiling conditions move closer to your minimums.
Track KCHS free on TelegramD-ATIS
Digital Automatic Terminal Information Service — the live broadcast.
CHS ATIS INFO X 0256Z. 21007KT 10SM BKN200 29/27 A2973 (TWO NINER SEVEN THREE). SIMUL APCHS TO INT RWYS IN USE, VISUAL APCH RWY 15, VISUAL APCH RWY 21 . ALL ACFT READBACK ALL HOLD SHORT INSTRUCTIONS AND ASGND ALT. RWY 15 OM OTS . RWY 3 REIL OTS . . THE FOLLOWING EQUIPMENT IS OTS, VOR VOICE OTS. . TWY A CLSD BTN TWY, M AND TWY C , . TWY M CLSD BTN TWY, A AND THE RAMP , . AIR CARRIERS BE ADVISED, ALL AIR CARRIERS CALL FOR PUSHBACK. . ATTN ALL ACFT HAZARDOUS WX INFO CNVTV SIGMET FOR THE CHS AREA, CNTR WX ADVZY FOR THE CHS AREA ON FLT SVC FREQ. RUNWAY 33 APPROACH LIGHTS MEDIUM INTENSITY ONLY. UAS ACTIVITY 7 MILE FINAL RWY 21 SFC-700FT. TAXIWAY DELTA NON MOVMT AREA USE EXTREME CAUTION. BIRD ADVISORIES IN EFFECT. UAS ACTIVITY 2 MILES SE OF CHS 200FT AND BELOW. ...ADVS YOU HAVE INFO X.
Runway 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 KCHS. This is intended as a planning aid only and should not replace official performance calculations or pilot judgment.
| Runway | Length | Surface | Head / Tail | Crosswind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21FAV | 7,000 ft | ASP | 9 kt head | 1 kt right |
| 15 | 9,001 ft | CON | 4 kt head | 8 kt right |
| 33 | 9,001 ft | CON | 4 kt tail | 8 kt left |
| 03 | 7,000 ft | ASP | 9 kt tail | 1 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 22 h: wind 5→9 kt, ceiling unlimited → 20,000 ft.
KCHS weather radar
Live NEXRAD + lightning, with a 4-hour future-radar forecast — drag to pan, tap ⚡ to toggle lightning.
Live weather radar around Charleston International Airport in Charleston, SC: 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 KCHS 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 KCHS
Reported by pilots in flight over the past 6 hours — via aviationweather.gov.
Show raw report
CAE UA /OV CAE/TM 0342/FL370/TP B752/TB LGT
CAE UAHeader — reporting station and UA: a routine pilot report.OV CAELocation — fix or navaid, optionally with a radial and distance in NM.TM 0342Reported at 03:42 UTC.FL370Altitude: 37,000 ft MSL.TP B752Aircraft type reporting.TB LGTTurbulence: light.Show raw report
SAV UA /OV SAV180005/TM 0143/FL300/TP A321/TB NETG
SAV UAHeader — reporting station and UA: a routine pilot report.OV SAV180005Location — fix or navaid, optionally with a radial and distance in NM.TM 0143Reported at 01:43 UTC.FL300Altitude: 30,000 ft MSL.TP A321Aircraft type reporting.TB NETGTurbulence: netg.Show raw report
CHS UA /OV CHS360080/TM 0104/FL170/TP GLEX/SK IMC/TB CONS LGT OCNL MOD/IC NEG
CHS UAHeader — reporting station and UA: a routine pilot report.OV CHS360080Location — fix or navaid, optionally with a radial and distance in NM.TM 0104Reported at 01:04 UTC.FL170Altitude: 17,000 ft MSL.TP GLEXAircraft type reporting.SK IMCSky condition — cloud bases and tops in hundreds of feet MSL.TB CONS LGT OCNL MODTurbulence: continuous light occasional moderate.IC NEGIcing: none reported.Show raw report
CAE UA /OV CAE/TM 0059/FL350/TP A35K/TB OCNL LGT
CAE UAHeader — reporting station and UA: a routine pilot report.OV CAELocation — fix or navaid, optionally with a radial and distance in NM.TM 0059Reported at 00:59 UTC.FL350Altitude: 35,000 ft MSL.TP A35KAircraft type reporting.TB OCNL LGTTurbulence: occasional light.Show raw report
CAE UA /OV CAE045030/TM 0044/FL130/TP PC12/TB OCNL LGT
CAE UAHeader — reporting station and UA: a routine pilot report.OV CAE045030Location — fix or navaid, optionally with a radial and distance in NM.TM 0044Reported at 00:44 UTC.FL130Altitude: 13,000 ft MSL.TP PC12Aircraft type reporting.TB OCNL LGTTurbulence: occasional light.Show raw report
FLO UA /OV FLO/TM 2329/FL220/TP A321/TB INTMT LGT CHOP
FLO UAHeader — reporting station and UA: a routine pilot report.OV FLOLocation — fix or navaid, optionally with a radial and distance in NM.TM 2329Reported at 23:29 UTC.FL220Altitude: 22,000 ft MSL.TP A321Aircraft type reporting.TB INTMT LGT CHOPTurbulence: intermittent light chop.⚠️ PIREPs are unverified pilot reports. Not for operational use — conditions change between reports.
Recent aviation weather trends at KCHS
From ATIS Alerts' hourly weather history.
Over the past 24 hours, KCHS reported mostly VFR across 23 observations, with 0 flight-category changes. The strongest gust reached 15 kt, the lowest ceiling was 18,000 ft. Wind most often came from the SW.
Most recent change: MVFR → VFR
- 21
- 70%
- 15
- 16%
- 03
- 8%
- 33
- 6%
TAF — Terminal Aerodrome Forecast
Issued 2320Z (7:20 PM EDT)
TAF KCHS 282320Z 2900/2924 19013KT P6SM FEW025 FEW150 SCT250 FM290600 25008KT P6SM FEW060 SCT200 FM291200 29008KT P6SM SCT200 FM291500 31008KT P6SM SCT200
New to TAFs? How to read one →
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Airport facts
Reference data from the OurAirports dataset.
- Type
- Large airport
- ICAO
- KCHS
- IATA
- CHS
- FAA LID
- CHS
- City
- Charleston
- State
- South Carolina
- Country
- United States
- Elevation
- 46 ft
- Coordinates
- 32.8962, -80.0382
- Runways
- 4
- Longest runway
- 9,001 ft
- Weather reporting
- METAR · D-ATIS
- TAF
- Published
- ATIS
- 124.75 MHz
- Time zone
- America/New_York
- Next sunset
- 20h 27m
Run a flight school, FBO, or club here? Embed KCHS'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
10 airports+4 more within 25 NM
25–50 NM
7 airports+1 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.
- Low Country RC Flyers - Blackground Rd — Johns Island, SC · 18 mi
- Bravo Dog RC Club - Bravo Dog Lane — Bonneau, SC · 20 mi
- Charleston RC Society - Hwy 27 — Ridgeville, SC · 20 mi
Historical Flying Weather
2006–2025 · ATIS Alerts Flying Weather Index
Based on historical observations from 2006–2025, KCHS reported VFR conditions during about 85.8% of valid daylight observations, with an estimated 289 VFR flying days a year. July had the most VFR weather; December had the most instrument conditions. Surface winds averaged 6.6 kt, calm 12.3% of the time.
Full historical breakdown
Flight category by month
| Month | VFR % | MVFR % | IFR % | LIFR % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 81.4 | 8.9 | 5.2 | 4.5 |
| Feb | 80.0 | 9.9 | 6.0 | 4.1 |
| Mar | 84.5 | 9.1 | 4.6 | 1.8 |
| Apr | 88.5 | 7.6 | 2.7 | 1.1 |
| May | 88.3 | 8.7 | 2.1 | 0.9 |
| Jun | 91.3 | 6.9 | 1.4 | 0.3 |
| Jul | 92.3 | 6.0 | 1.3 | 0.4 |
| Aug | 88.7 | 8.1 | 2.4 | 0.9 |
| Sep | 86.3 | 9.8 | 3.0 | 0.8 |
| Oct | 85.3 | 9.1 | 3.9 | 1.8 |
| Nov | 82.2 | 10.2 | 5.0 | 2.6 |
| Dec | 77.5 | 10.8 | 7.0 | 4.8 |
Average wind by month
| Month | Mean wind (kt) |
|---|---|
| Jan | 6.8 kt |
| Feb | 7.1 kt |
| Mar | 7.6 kt |
| Apr | 7.7 kt |
| May | 7.3 kt |
| Jun | 6.5 kt |
| Jul | 6.0 kt |
| Aug | 5.6 kt |
| Sep | 6.1 kt |
| Oct | 6.1 kt |
| Nov | 6.3 kt |
| Dec | 6.2 kt |
Historical summary of past observations — not a forecast or safety rating. Always check the current METAR, TAF, and a weather briefing before flight.
KCHS airport diagram
Official FAA taxiway and runway layout. Tap to zoom.
The FAA airport diagram for Charleston International Airport in Charleston, SC 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 ↗
KCHS weather — frequently asked
What runways are available at KCHS?+
KCHS has 4 runways — 03, 15, 21, 33; the longest is 9,001 ft. This page computes the live crosswind for each runway end from the current wind.
Does KCHS report its own weather?+
Yes — Charleston International Airport has its own weather station and publishes METAR observations, which this page decodes live.
Does KCHS have a TAF?+
Yes — the TAF is shown on this page below the current conditions.
Does KCHS broadcast D-ATIS?+
Yes — KCHS publishes digital ATIS, and the live broadcast text with its current information letter is shown on this page. The ATIS Alerts bot (@atisalerts_bot) can message you the moment the letter changes.
Where can I find the KCHS airport diagram?+
The official FAA airport diagram for Charleston International Airport (KCHS) 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 Charleston International Airport (KCHS)
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 Charleston International 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 KCHS 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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