Fort Madison Municipal Airport (KFSW) Aviation Weather, METAR, TAF & ATIS Alerts
Live aviation weather for Fort Madison Municipal Airport in Fort Madison, IA, including METAR, TAF, flight category, wind, visibility, ceiling, altimeter, runway crosswinds, and Telegram airport alerts.
Fort Madison Municipal Airport (KFSW) is a general aviation airport serving pilots in and around Fort Madison, IA at 724 ft. KFSW reports its own METAR — decoded live on this page as flight category, wind, visibility, ceiling and altimeter. Its 2 runways (17, 35) — longest 4,000 ft — are checked against the current wind in the crosswind table below. Automated weather is broadcast on 120.925. Track KFSW 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 north-northeast (030°) at 1 kt, visibility 4 statute miles, no cloud data, temperature 23°C (73°F), altimeter 29.92 inHg. Conditions are Marginal VFR (MVFR).
METAR KFSW 290355Z AUTO 03001KT 4SM BR CLR 23/22 A2992 RMK AO2
What changed at KFSW?
Since the 0335Z (10:35 PM CDT) report — compared automatically against the latest METAR.
- Flight category dropped from VFR to MVFR.
- Visibility dropped from 6 SM to 4 SM.
This is exactly what ATIS Alerts watches for you — get a Telegram message when KFSW's weather changes, free →
Current pilot readout for KFSW
KFSW is currently MVFR with winds from 030° at 1 knots, visibility 4 statute miles, and no ceiling reported. The strongest crosswind component is currently on runway 17, about 1 knots. Density altitude is approximately 1,850 ft (field elevation 724 ft). KFSW does not publish a TAF — the nearest TAF station is KBRL, about 12 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 →
Get KFSW weather alerts in Telegram
Stop refreshing aviation weather manually. Track KFSW 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 KFSW 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 KFSW. This is intended as a planning aid only and should not replace official performance calculations or pilot judgment.
| Runway | Length | Surface | Head / Tail | Crosswind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 35FAV | 4,000 ft | CON | 1 kt head | 1 kt right |
| 17 | 4,000 ft | CON | 1 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 24 h: wind 8→1 kt, ceiling unlimited → unlimited.
KFSW weather radar
Live NEXRAD + lightning, with a 4-hour future-radar forecast — drag to pan, tap ⚡ to toggle lightning.
Live weather radar around Fort Madison Municipal Airport in Fort Madison, 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 KFSW 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 KFSW
Reported by pilots in flight over the past 6 hours — via aviationweather.gov.
Show raw report
MLI UA /OV MZV/TM 0207/FL430/TP G280/TB NEG
MLI UAHeader — reporting station and UA: a routine pilot report.OV MZVLocation — fix or navaid, optionally with a radial and distance in NM.TM 0207Reported at 02:07 UTC.FL430Altitude: 43,000 ft MSL.TP G280Aircraft type reporting.TB NEGTurbulence: none reported.Show raw report
C75 UA /OV BDF/TM 0206/FL330/TP B739/TB NEG
C75 UAHeader — reporting station and UA: a routine pilot report.OV BDFLocation — fix or navaid, optionally with a radial and distance in NM.TM 0206Reported at 02:06 UTC.FL330Altitude: 33,000 ft MSL.TP B739Aircraft type reporting.TB NEGTurbulence: none reported.⚠️ PIREPs are unverified pilot reports. Not for operational use — conditions change between reports.
Recent aviation weather trends at KFSW
From ATIS Alerts' hourly weather history.
Over the past 24 hours, KFSW reported mostly VFR across 72 observations, with 9 flight-category changes. The lowest ceiling was 1,600 ft. Wind most often came from the N.
Most recent change: VFR → MVFR
Most recent change: MVFR → VFR
- 17
- 55%
- 35
- 45%
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Airport facts
Reference data from the OurAirports dataset.
- Type
- General aviation airport
- ICAO
- KFSW
- IATA
- FMS
- FAA LID
- FSW
- City
- Fort Madison
- State
- Iowa
- Country
- United States
- Elevation
- 724 ft
- Coordinates
- 40.6591, -91.3278
- Runways
- 2
- Longest runway
- 4,000 ft
- Weather reporting
- Reports METAR
- TAF
- Nearest KBRL
- AWOS/ASOS
- 120.925 MHz
- Time zone
- America/Chicago
- Next sunset
- 21h 25m
Run a flight school, FBO, or club here? Embed KFSW'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.
- Burlington Model Airplane Club - North 3rd Street — Burlington, IA · 16 mi
- Burlington Model Airplane Club - Big Hollow Recreation Park — Sperry, IA · 21 mi
Historical Flying Weather
2006–2025 · ATIS Alerts Flying Weather Index
Based on historical observations from 2006–2025, KFSW reported VFR conditions during about 79.8% of valid daylight observations, with an estimated 262 VFR flying days a year. June had the most VFR weather; December had the most instrument conditions. Surface winds averaged 6.5 kt, calm 14.8% of the time.
Full historical breakdown
Flight category by month
| Month | VFR % | MVFR % | IFR % | LIFR % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 68.3 | 16.9 | 8.6 | 6.2 |
| Feb | 74.4 | 14.0 | 6.3 | 5.2 |
| Mar | 75.0 | 12.6 | 6.1 | 6.2 |
| Apr | 81.2 | 10.0 | 4.0 | 4.8 |
| May | 86.2 | 8.9 | 3.5 | 1.4 |
| Jun | 90.1 | 6.2 | 2.3 | 1.5 |
| Jul | 85.1 | 6.5 | 2.3 | 6.1 |
| Aug | 85.5 | 6.6 | 2.1 | 5.8 |
| Sep | 82.5 | 7.6 | 3.8 | 6.2 |
| Oct | 82.5 | 8.7 | 3.3 | 5.5 |
| Nov | 80.0 | 12.4 | 4.3 | 3.2 |
| Dec | 67.2 | 19.2 | 8.2 | 5.4 |
Average wind by month
| Month | Mean wind (kt) |
|---|---|
| Jan | 7.6 kt |
| Feb | 7.7 kt |
| Mar | 8.0 kt |
| Apr | 8.3 kt |
| May | 6.5 kt |
| Jun | 5.6 kt |
| Jul | 4.2 kt |
| Aug | 4.0 kt |
| Sep | 4.5 kt |
| Oct | 6.1 kt |
| Nov | 7.5 kt |
| Dec | 7.2 kt |
Historical summary of past observations — not a forecast or safety rating. Always check the current METAR, TAF, and a weather briefing before flight.
KFSW weather — frequently asked
What runways are available at KFSW?+
KFSW has 2 runways — 17, 35; the longest is 4,000 ft. This page computes the live crosswind for each runway end from the current wind.
Does KFSW report its own weather?+
Yes — Fort Madison Municipal Airport has its own weather station and publishes METAR observations, which this page decodes live.
Does KFSW have a TAF?+
No — KFSW does not publish its own TAF. The nearest TAF station is KBRL, about 12 nm away.
Does KFSW broadcast D-ATIS?+
No — KFSW does not broadcast D-ATIS. Alerts for KFSW from the ATIS Alerts bot (@atisalerts_bot) are based on its METAR instead.
Pilot PIREPs for Fort Madison Municipal Airport (KFSW)
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 Fort Madison Municipal 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 KFSW 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
Free aviation weather and ATIS change alerts for GA pilots, delivered on Telegram — so a change catches your eye before it catches you off guard.
- Get pinged the moment KFSW drops below VFR or a new report moves your numbers.
- Live METAR, TAF, crosswinds, and FAA delays — one link, always current.
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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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