Mountain Empire Airport (KMKJ) Aviation Weather, METAR, TAF & ATIS Alerts
Live aviation weather for Mountain Empire Airport in Rural Retreat, VA, including METAR, TAF, flight category, wind, visibility, ceiling, altimeter, runway crosswinds, and Telegram airport alerts.
Mountain Empire Airport (KMKJ) is a general aviation airport serving pilots in and around Rural Retreat, VA at 2,558 ft. KMKJ reports its own METAR — decoded live on this page as flight category, wind, visibility, ceiling and altimeter. Its 2 runways (08, 26) — longest 5,252 ft — are checked against the current wind in the crosswind table below. Automated weather is broadcast on 123.875. Track KMKJ 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.
Current pilot readout for KMKJ
A current METAR is not available for KMKJ right now. Check back shortly, review a nearby reporting station, and always confirm with an official briefing before flight.
⚠️ 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 KMKJ weather alerts in Telegram
Stop refreshing aviation weather manually. Track KMKJ 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 KMKJ 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 KMKJ. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 08 | 5,252 ft | ASP | — | — |
| 26 | 5,252 ft | ASP | — | — |
Open the crosswind calculator — try your own wind and runway numbers →
KMKJ weather radar
Live NEXRAD + lightning, with a 4-hour future-radar forecast — drag to pan, tap ⚡ to toggle lightning.
Live weather radar around Mountain Empire Airport in Rural Retreat, VA: 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 KMKJ 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 KMKJ
From ATIS Alerts' hourly weather history.
History is still being collected — check back in a few days.
Most recent change: MVFR → VFR
- 26
- 80%
- 08
- 20%
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Airport facts
Reference data from the OurAirports dataset.
- Type
- General aviation airport
- ICAO
- KMKJ
- FAA LID
- MKJ
- City
- Rural Retreat
- State
- Virginia
- Country
- United States
- Elevation
- 2,558 ft
- Coordinates
- 36.8949, -81.3499
- Runways
- 2
- Longest runway
- 5,252 ft
- Weather reporting
- Reports METAR
- TAF
- Nearest KBLF
- AWOS/ASOS
- 123.875 MHz
- Time zone
- America/New_York
- Next sunset
- 18h 23m
Run a flight school, FBO, or club here? Embed KMKJ'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
6 airports25–50 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.
- Wythe County RC Flyers - W Blue Grass Trl — Bland, VA · 14 mi
- Appalachian RC Association - Old Richlands Airport — Copper Hill, VA · 30 mi
Historical Flying Weather
2006–2025 · ATIS Alerts Flying Weather Index
Based on historical observations from 2006–2025, KMKJ reported VFR conditions during about 70.9% of valid daylight observations, with an estimated 235 VFR flying days a year. April had the most VFR weather; January had the most instrument conditions. Surface winds averaged 5.8 kt, calm 30.2% of the time.
Full historical breakdown
Flight category by month
| Month | VFR % | MVFR % | IFR % | LIFR % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 57.7 | 24.8 | 9.5 | 8.0 |
| Feb | 62.3 | 21.3 | 9.6 | 6.7 |
| Mar | 71.7 | 17.8 | 6.0 | 4.6 |
| Apr | 77.9 | 14.6 | 4.9 | 2.6 |
| May | 70.8 | 16.2 | 6.5 | 6.4 |
| Jun | 73.4 | 14.5 | 6.3 | 5.7 |
| Jul | 69.6 | 16.5 | 6.8 | 7.1 |
| Aug | 64.3 | 17.7 | 8.6 | 9.4 |
| Sep | 62.2 | 19.0 | 8.1 | 10.7 |
| Oct | 67.8 | 18.7 | 7.3 | 6.1 |
| Nov | 71.9 | 17.9 | 5.3 | 4.9 |
| Dec | 58.8 | 23.3 | 8.7 | 9.3 |
Average wind by month
| Month | Mean wind (kt) |
|---|---|
| Jan | 8.6 kt |
| Feb | 8.2 kt |
| Mar | 7.5 kt |
| Apr | 6.7 kt |
| May | 5.1 kt |
| Jun | 4.3 kt |
| Jul | 4.0 kt |
| Aug | 3.4 kt |
| Sep | 3.5 kt |
| Oct | 5.1 kt |
| Nov | 6.2 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.
KMKJ weather — frequently asked
What runways are available at KMKJ?+
KMKJ has 2 runways — 08, 26; the longest is 5,252 ft. This page computes the live crosswind for each runway end from the current wind.
Does KMKJ report its own weather?+
Yes — Mountain Empire Airport has its own weather station and publishes METAR observations, which this page decodes live.
Does KMKJ have a TAF?+
No — KMKJ does not publish its own TAF. The nearest TAF station is KBLF, about 25 nm away.
Does KMKJ broadcast D-ATIS?+
No — KMKJ does not broadcast D-ATIS. Alerts for KMKJ from the ATIS Alerts bot (@atisalerts_bot) are based on its METAR instead.
Pilot PIREPs for Mountain Empire Airport (KMKJ)
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 Mountain Empire 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 KMKJ 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 KMKJ 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. METAR source temporarily unavailable.
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