Columbus Municipal Airport (KOLU) Aviation Weather: METAR

As of 9:56 PM CDT, Oct 27, KOLU is currently VFR with winds from 170° at 5 knots, visibility 10+ statute miles, and a 3,400 ft ceiling.

Live aviation weather for Columbus Municipal Airport in Columbus, NE, including METAR, flight category, wind, visibility, ceiling, altimeter and runway crosswinds.

Columbus Municipal Airport (KOLU) is a regional airport serving Columbus, NE at a field elevation of 1,447 ft. KOLU reports its own METAR, decoded live on this page as flight category, wind, visibility, ceiling and altimeter. It has 2 physical runways (02/20, 14/32), the longest 6,801 ft. Automated weather is broadcast on 125.525.

Ask ATIS AIAsk anything about KOLU's weather, runways or delays, or search another airport.

VFR

Observed 0256Z (9:56 PM CDT)live · refreshes every 60s

Wind

170° 5 kt

Visibility

10+ sm

Ceiling

3,400 ft

Altimeter

30.05"

Temp / Dew

58°F / 14°C

dew 56°F / 13°C

Wind from the south (170°) at 5 kt, visibility 10+ statute miles, overcast at 3,400 ft, temperature 14°C (58°F), altimeter 30.05 inHg. Conditions are Visual Flight Rules (VFR), ceiling 3,400 ft.

Raw METAR

METAR KOLU 280256Z AUTO 17005KT 10SM OVC034 14/13 A3005 RMK AO2 SLP182 T01440133 51001

What changed at KOLU?

Since the 0207Z (9:07 PM CDT) report, compared automatically against the latest METAR.

No significant changes since the 0207Z (9:07 PM CDT) report, conditions are holding steady.

Current pilot readout for KOLU

KOLU is currently VFR with winds from 170° at 5 knots, visibility 10+ statute miles, and a 3,400 ft ceiling. the wind favors south-facing runway ends (14, 20). Density altitude is approximately 1,550 ft (field elevation 1,447 ft). KOLU does not publish a TAF. The nearest TAF station is KOFK, about 33 nm away.

KOLU by the numbers

What the long-run records say about flying here, computed for this airport alone.

81%

of daylight hours VFR, 2006 to 2025

KOLU reported VFR in 81% of daylight observations over 20 years, about 270 flyable days a year. June is the most reliable month and December the least, with IFR or worse 12% of the time. When conditions drop it is usually low ceilings rather than fog (ceilings under 1,000 ft 6% of hours, visibility under 3 miles 3%).

32%

of windy hours favor runway 32

Over 20 years of hourly winds, runway 32 had the best headwind 32% of the time, runway 14 28%, and winds were calm 12% of hours. Winds most often blow from the south. Crosswind on the best available runway topped 15 kt in under 1% of hours.

thunderstorm days a year

Thunderstorms were reported on about 41 days a year. 58% of storm hours fall in May, June and August, peaking in June when storms were in the air 2% of the time.

snow days a year

Snow fell on about 19 days a year. From December to February KOLU was IFR or worse 11% of the time, against 4% from June to August.

3,295 ft

typical summer-afternoon density altitude

Field elevation is 1,447 ft, but on a median summer afternoon the air performs like 3,295 ft, 1,848 ft higher. Plan for a longer takeoff roll and a weaker climb from June to August.

20%

of hours with gusts

Gusts showed up in 20% of hours, typically 6 kt above the steady wind, and the strongest credible gust on record was 71 kt. April is the windiest month (mean 11 kt) and August the calmest.

Sources: hourly observations 2006 to 2025 and the per-runway wind climatology 2006 to 2025. Historical summaries, not a forecast: check the current METAR, TAF and a briefing before flight.

New to aviation weather? How to read a METAR → · What VFR/MVFR/IFR mean → · Decode any METAR/TAF → · Density altitude calculator →

Runway wind check

Estimated head/tailwind and crosswind for each runway end from the current reported wind.

Runway	Length	Surface	Head / Tail	Crosswind
14FAV	6,801 ft	CON	5 kt head	2 kt right
20	4,135 ft	GRS	4 kt head	3 kt left
02	4,135 ft	GRS	4 kt tail	3 kt right
32	6,801 ft	CON	5 kt tail	2 kt left

Open the crosswind calculator to try your own wind and runway numbers →

KOLU runways

2 physical runways · 4 runway ends. Each card opens the runway's intelligence page: equipment and lighting, LAHSO, frequencies, today's configuration, predicted use, history and approaches.

Runway 02/20
4,135 × 150 ft · GRS
Status not monitored
Current use
no stated-runway source at KOLU
Wind
02
4 kt tailwind · 3 kt crosswind from right
20
4 kt headwind · 3 kt crosswind from left
no active equipment NOTAM receivedView Runway Intelligence →
Runway 14/32
6,801 × 100 ft · CON
Restricted (NOTAM)
Current use
no stated-runway source at KOLU
Wind
14
5 kt headwind · 2 kt crosswind from right
32
5 kt tailwind · 2 kt crosswind from left
3 active equipment NOTAMsView Runway Intelligence →

“Current use” is what the facilitystates; wind components are arithmetic on the current METAR against TRUE headings; status reflects NOTAMs received through SWIM, the tower's TFDM record and the D-ATIS — a runway reads “Open” only with a complete NOTAM picture.

24-hour trend

Wind, ceiling and flight category over the last 24 hours.

Wind (kt)Gusts (kt)Bottom strip, flight category:VFRMVFRIFRLIFRNo report

Over the last 23 h: wind 0→5 kt, ceiling 1,300 ft → 3,400 ft.

KOLU weather radar

Live NEXRAD + lightning, with a 4-hour future-radar forecast. Drag to pan, tap ⚡ to toggle lightning.

Loading…

Loading radar…

Radar: NOAA/NWS via IEM · Forecast: NOAA HRRR · Lightning: NOAA · Map © Stadia Maps © OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap

NOAA NEXRAD composite and lightning, updated about every five minutes; amber frames are HRRR model guidance, not observed radar. Not for navigation.

Pilot reports (PIREPs) within 100 NM of KOLU

Reported by pilots in flight over the past 6 hours, via aviationweather.gov.

PIREP0113Z (8:13 PM CDT) · 52 NM SW of KOLU · during climb · B350

Show raw report

GRI UA /OV GRI/TM 0113/FL080/TP B350/SK UNKN026-TOP074/RM DURC KGRI

GRI UAHeader: reporting station and UA: a routine pilot report.

OV GRILocation: fix or navaid, optionally with a radial and distance in NM.

TM 0113Reported at 01:13 UTC.

FL080Altitude: 8,000 ft MSL.

TP B350Aircraft type reporting.

SK UNKN026-TOP074Sky condition: cloud bases and tops in hundreds of feet MSL.

RM DURC KGRIRemarks.

PIREP0052Z (7:52 PM CDT) · 71 NM NE of KOLU · during descent · K35R

Show raw report

SUX UA /OV SUX310003/TM 0052/FL021/TP K35R/SK OVC021-TOPUNKN/RM DURD

SUX UAHeader: reporting station and UA: a routine pilot report.

OV SUX310003Location: fix or navaid, optionally with a radial and distance in NM.

TM 0052Reported at 00:52 UTC.

FL021Altitude: 2,100 ft MSL.

TP K35RAircraft type reporting.

SK OVC021-TOPUNKNSky condition: cloud bases and tops in hundreds of feet MSL.

RM DURDRemarks.

PIREP0034Z (7:34 PM CDT) · 59 NM E of KOLU · 3,000 ft MSL · F2T

Show raw report

OMA UA /OV OMA320010/TM 0034/FL030/TP F2T/SK OVC030

OMA UAHeader: reporting station and UA: a routine pilot report.

OV OMA320010Location: fix or navaid, optionally with a radial and distance in NM.

TM 0034Reported at 00:34 UTC.

FL030Altitude: 3,000 ft MSL.

TP F2TAircraft type reporting.

SK OVC030Sky condition: cloud bases and tops in hundreds of feet MSL.

PIREP0014Z (7:14 PM CDT) · 87 NM SW of KOLU · during descent · SR22

Show raw report

EAR UA /OV EAR/TM 0014/FL026/TP SR22/SK UNKN026-TOPUNKN/RM DURD

EAR UAHeader: reporting station and UA: a routine pilot report.

OV EARLocation: fix or navaid, optionally with a radial and distance in NM.

TM 0014Reported at 00:14 UTC.

FL026Altitude: 2,600 ft MSL.

TP SR22Aircraft type reporting.

SK UNKN026-TOPUNKNSky condition: cloud bases and tops in hundreds of feet MSL.

RM DURDRemarks.

PIREP2248Z (5:48 PM CDT) · 29 NM SE of KOLU · during descent · C56X

Show raw report

LNK UA /OV LNK340015/TM 2248/FL030/TP C56X/SK TOP030/RM DURD

LNK UAHeader: reporting station and UA: a routine pilot report.

OV LNK340015Location: fix or navaid, optionally with a radial and distance in NM.

TM 2248Reported at 22:48 UTC.

FL030Altitude: 3,000 ft MSL.

TP C56XAircraft type reporting.

SK TOP030Sky condition: cloud bases and tops in hundreds of feet MSL.

RM DURDRemarks.

PIREP2248Z (5:48 PM CDT) · 73 NM E of KOLU · during climb · A318

Show raw report

OMA UA /OV OMA140010/TM 2248/FL030/TP A318/SK OVC020-TOP023/RM DURC

OMA UAHeader: reporting station and UA: a routine pilot report.

OV OMA140010Location: fix or navaid, optionally with a radial and distance in NM.

TM 2248Reported at 22:48 UTC.

FL030Altitude: 3,000 ft MSL.

TP A318Aircraft type reporting.

SK OVC020-TOP023Sky condition: cloud bases and tops in hundreds of feet MSL.

RM DURCRemarks.

PIREP2234Z (5:34 PM CDT) · 82 NM NE of KOLU · during climb · C55B

Show raw report

SXK UA /OV SXK195025/TM 2234/FL170/TP C55B/SK SKC/TA UNKN/IC NEG/RM DURC KSUX

SXK UAHeader: reporting station and UA: a routine pilot report.

OV SXK195025Location: fix or navaid, optionally with a radial and distance in NM.

TM 2234Reported at 22:34 UTC.

FL170Altitude: 17,000 ft MSL.

TP C55BAircraft type reporting.

SK SKCSky condition: cloud bases and tops in hundreds of feet MSL.

TA UNKNOutside air temperature, °C.

IC NEGIcing: none reported.

RM DURC KSUXRemarks.

PIREP2229Z (5:29 PM CDT) · 0 NM N of KOLU · during climb · BE20

Show raw report

OLU UA /OV OLU/TM 2229/FL141/TP BE20/SK UNKN-TOP060/RM DURC

OLU UAHeader: reporting station and UA: a routine pilot report.

OV OLULocation: fix or navaid, optionally with a radial and distance in NM.

TM 2229Reported at 22:29 UTC.

FL141Altitude: 14,100 ft MSL.

TP BE20Aircraft type reporting.

SK UNKN-TOP060Sky condition: cloud bases and tops in hundreds of feet MSL.

RM DURCRemarks.

⚠️ PIREPs are unverified pilot reports. Not for operational use: conditions change between reports.

Recent aviation weather trends at KOLU

From ATIS Alerts' hourly weather history.

Over the past 24 hours, KOLU reported a mix of conditions, most often IFR across 43 observations, with 11 flight-category changes. The lowest ceiling was 300 ft. Wind most often came from the NW.

Last 24 hours

VFR 9%MVFR 35%IFR 40%LIFR 16%

Wind avg/max: 6/11 kt

Max gust: -

Lowest ceiling: 300 ft

Lowest vis: -

Prevailing wind: NW

Category changes: 11

Most recent change: MVFR → VFR

Last 7 days

VFR 77%MVFR 8%IFR 10%LIFR 5%

Wind avg/max: 8/19 kt

Max gust: 28 kt

Lowest ceiling: 300 ft

Lowest vis: 0.25 sm

Prevailing wind: S

Category changes: 21

Most recent change: MVFR → VFR

Wind-favored runway - past 30 days

Share of hours each runway had the most headwind. From wind reports, not ATC assignments.

14: 39%
02: 22%
20: 22%
32: 17%

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Live KOLU Weather

Live crosswind meter

Measured by KOLU's own weather station.

Headwind

5 kt

Crosswind (from the right)

2 kt

Wind is 20° off runway 14, the end with the most headwind right now.

Concrete · 6,801 ft. Headings from FAA runway data. Not for navigation.

Field aerial

North up

Aerial photo of Columbus Municipal Airport (KOLU) with runway 02/20, 14/32 marked

N ↑

Runway 02/20, 14/32 drawn from FAA threshold coordinates.

Imagery: USGS The National Map (public domain). Something off? ✏️ Suggest an edit

Airport info

From the FAA airport record (cycle 2026-10-01) and OurAirports.

Services

Fuel: 100LL · Jet A
Attended: Daily DALGT local
Repairs: Airframe & engine, major
Transient parking: Tie-downs · Hangars
Landing fee: No
Other services: Air freight · Flight instruction · Aircraft rental
Control tower: None
Wind indicator: Lighted

Airport

Type: Regional airport
ICAO: KOLU
IATA: OLU
FAA LID: OLU
City: Columbus
State: Nebraska
Country: United States
Elevation: 1,447 ft
Coordinates: 41.4481, -97.3402
Runways: 2 physical runways · 4 runway ends
Longest runway: 6,801 ft
Weather reporting: Reports METAR
TAF: Nearest KOFK
AWOS/ASOS: 125.525 MHz
CTAF: 123.05 MHz
Time zone: America/Chicago
Next sunset: 19h 59m

Run a flight school, FBO, or club here? Embed KOLU's live status on your website, free →

Nearby airports

Compare nearby METAR/TAF stations within 25, 50 and 100 NM before departure or arrival.

VFRMVFRIFRLIFRNo report

Within 25 NM

5 airports

K93YDavid City Municipal AirportDavid City, NE16 nm SE 97YGenoa Municipal AirportGenoa, NE17 nm W 78NEStava AirportBrainard, NE22 nm SE 28NEBig Thunder AirportClarkson, NE23 nm NE 9NE4Johnston FieldLindsay, NE24 nm NW

25–50 NM

9 airports

KOFKKarl Stefan Memorial AirportNorfolk, NE33 nm NIFR METAR · TAF KJYRYork Municipal AirportYork, NE36 nm SVFR METAR KAHQWahoo Municipal AirportWahoo, NE36 nm EVFR METAR KBVNAlbion Municipal AirportAlbion, NE36 nm NWIFR METAR KFETFremont Municipal AirportFremont, NE37 nm EVFR METAR KAUHAurora Municipal Al Potter FieldAurora, NE45 nm SWVFR METAR

+3 more within 50 NM

50–100 NM

7 airports

KGRICentral Nebraska Regional AirportGrand Island, NE52 nm SWLIFR METAR · TAF KBTABlair Executive AirportBlair, NE56 nm EVFR METAR KTQETekamah Municipal AirportTekamah, NE56 nm EVFR METAR KMLEMillard AirportOmaha, NE57 nm EVFR METAR KOMAEppley AirfieldOmaha, NE66 nm EVFR METAR · TAF KOFFOffutt Air Force BaseOmaha, NE68 nm EVFR METAR · TAF

+1 more within 100 NM

RC flying fields nearby

AMA model-aircraft club fields around this airport: live wind, crosswind & flyability on each page.

Norfalcon Radio Control Club Inc - Don Sucha Field , Leigh, NE · 21 mi

All RC flying fields →

See all Nebraska airports →

Historical Flying Weather at KOLU

2006–2025 · ATIS Alerts Flying Weather Index

Based on historical observations from 2006–2025, KOLU reported VFR conditions during about 81.4% of valid daylight observations, with an estimated 270 VFR flying days a year. June had the most VFR weather; December had the most instrument conditions. Surface winds averaged 8.2 kt, calm 10.4% of the time.

VFR Score

Wind Score

Reliability Score

National VFR rank

#613 of 1,400

Regional rank

#59

State rank

#25

Full historical breakdown

Daylight VFR

81.4%

MVFR

11.6%

IFR

4.4%

LIFR

2.6%

Est. VFR days/yr

270

Most VFR month

June

Fewest VFR month

December

Median ceiling

2,800 ft

Median visibility

10 sm

Calm wind

10.4%

Median wind

7 kt

Gusty hours

20.3%

Crosswind >15 kt

0.3%

Fog/mist days/yr

Thunderstorm days/yr

Summer density alt

3,295 ft

Flight category by month

VFRMVFRIFRLIFR

KOLU monthly flight-category distribution, 2006–2025
Month	VFR %	MVFR %	IFR %	LIFR %
Jan	74.6	13.1	6.9	5.4
Feb	77.0	14.5	5.4	3.1
Mar	74.8	15.1	6.6	3.4
Apr	80.4	12.8	4.5	2.3
May	81.2	13.2	4.1	1.5
Jun	89.5	8.0	1.7	0.8
Jul	88.6	8.0	2.0	1.4
Aug	84.9	10.3	2.9	1.9
Sep	86.0	8.6	3.4	2.0
Oct	83.0	9.8	4.5	2.6
Nov	84.4	10.4	3.3	1.9
Dec	72.9	14.9	7.2	5.0

Average wind by month

KOLU average wind by month, 2006–2025
Month	Mean wind (kt)
Jan	8.5 kt
Feb	8.8 kt
Mar	9.9 kt
Apr	10.5 kt
May	8.8 kt
Jun	7.9 kt
Jul	6.4 kt
Aug	6.2 kt
Sep	6.9 kt
Oct	8.1 kt
Nov	8.3 kt
Dec	8.3 kt

Central Plains flying weather Most VFR airports Windiest airports Flying Weather Index

Historical summary of past observations: not a forecast or safety rating. Always check the current METAR, TAF, and a weather briefing before flight.

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Pilot PIREPs for Columbus Municipal Airport (KOLU)

Community-submitted

Community-submitted airport notes from pilots about runway conditions, wildlife, FBOs, fuel, turbulence, ramp access, and local tips.

Read recent community-submitted pilot notes for Columbus 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 KOLU 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.

⚠️ 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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Columbus Municipal Airport (KOLU) Aviation Weather: METAR

What changed at KOLU?

Current pilot readout for KOLU

KOLU by the numbers

Runway wind check

KOLU runways

24-hour trend

KOLU weather radar

Pilot reports (PIREPs) within 100 NM of KOLU

Recent aviation weather trends at KOLU

Get KOLU weather alerts in Telegram

Live crosswind meter

Field aerial

Airport info

Services

Airport

Nearby airports

Within 25 NM

25–50 NM

50–100 NM

RC flying fields nearby

Historical Flying Weather at KOLU

Flight category by month

Average wind by month

Customize your OLU shirt or mug

Pilot PIREPs for Columbus Municipal Airport (KOLU)