Skip to content
Know before you taxi

All Products

Aviation Intelligence

Alerts & Airspace

Free Pilot Tools & Widgets

RC Aviation

Games & Learning

Weather Research & More

Pilot Resources

My Airports

Your shortcuts, saved on this device. Search to add an airport.

No airports saved yet. Add the fields you visit most.

Ask ATIS

Ellsworth Air Force Base (KRCA) Aviation Weather: METAR & ATIS

As of 5:55 PM MDT, Oct 28, KRCA is currently VFR with winds from 130° at 3 knots, visibility 10+ statute miles, and no ceiling reported. The FAA lists no ground stop or delay program for KRCA right now.

Live aviation weather for Ellsworth Air Force Base in Rapid City, SD, including METAR, ATIS, flight category, wind, visibility, ceiling, altimeter and runway crosswinds.

Ellsworth Air Force Base (KRCA) is a regional airport serving Rapid City, SD at a field elevation of 3,276 ft. KRCA reports its own METAR, decoded live on this page as flight category, wind, visibility, ceiling and altimeter. It has one runway (13/31), the longest 13,497 ft. The official FAA airport diagram is at the bottom of the page.

Ask ATIS AIAsk anything about KRCA's weather, runways or delays, or search another airport.
VFR
Observed 2355Z (5:55 PM MDT)live · refreshes every 60s
Wind
130° 3 kt
Visibility
10+ sm
Ceiling
Unlimited
Altimeter
29.99"
Temp / Dew
53°F / 12°C
dew 26°F / -4°C

Wind from the southeast (130°) at 3 kt, visibility 10+ statute miles, no cloud data, temperature 12°C (53°F), altimeter 29.99 inHg. Conditions are Visual Flight Rules (VFR).

Raw METAR
METAR KRCA 282355Z AUTO 13003KT 10SM CLR 12/M04 A2999 RMK AO2 SLP158 T01181036 10158 20110 52012

What changed at KRCA?

Since the 2255Z (4:55 PM MDT) report, compared automatically against the latest METAR.

  • Temperature down 3°C.

Current pilot readout for KRCA

KRCA is currently VFR with winds from 130° at 3 knots, visibility 10+ statute miles, and no ceiling reported. the wind favors southeast-facing runway ends (13). Density altitude is approximately 3,600 ft (field elevation 3,276 ft). Review the latest TAF below for forecast changes before departure.

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.

RunwayHead / TailCrosswind
13FAV3 kt head0 kt
313 kt tail0 kt

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

KRCA runways

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

  • Runway 13/31
    13,497 × 300 ft · CON
    Closed (NOTAM)
    Current use
    no stated-runway source at KRCA
    Wind
    13
    3 kt headwind · 0 kt crosswind
    31
    3 kt tailwind · 0 kt crosswind
    no active equipment NOTAM receivedView 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
0163200Z12Z23Z

Over the last 23 h: wind 5→3 kt, ceiling unlimited → unlimited.

KRCA 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 KRCA

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

PIREP2024Z (2:24 PM MDT) · 81 NM S of KRCA · 43,000 ft MSL · C25B
Show raw report
CDR UA /OV TST045030/TM 2024/FL430/TP C25B/RM MTN WAVE +/-5KTS 40-50FT ZDVWC-32
CDR UAHeader: reporting station and UA: a routine pilot report.
OV TST045030Location: fix or navaid, optionally with a radial and distance in NM.
TM 2024Reported at 20:24 UTC.
FL430Altitude: 43,000 ft MSL.
TP C25BAircraft type reporting.
RM MTN WAVE +/-5KTS 40-50FT …Remarks.
PIREP1944Z (1:44 PM MDT) · 82 NM NE of KRCA · 37,000 ft MSL · B738
continuous light turbulence
Show raw report
MBG UA /OV DPR/TM 1944/FL370/TP B738/TB CONS LGT
MBG UAHeader: reporting station and UA: a routine pilot report.
OV DPRLocation: fix or navaid, optionally with a radial and distance in NM.
TM 1944Reported at 19:44 UTC.
FL370Altitude: 37,000 ft MSL.
TP B738Aircraft type reporting.
TB CONS LGTTurbulence: continuous light.

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

Recent aviation weather trends at KRCA

From ATIS Alerts' hourly weather history.

Over the past 24 hours, KRCA reported a mix of conditions, most often low IFR across 82 observations, with 25 flight-category changes. The strongest gust reached 28 kt, the lowest ceiling was 100 ft. Wind most often came from the S.

Last 24 hours
VFR 27%MVFR 4%IFR 34%LIFR 35%
Wind avg/max: 13/22 kt
Max gust: 28 kt
Lowest ceiling: 100 ft
Lowest vis: -
Prevailing wind: S
Category changes: 25

Most recent change: IFR → VFR

Last 7 days
VFR 71%MVFR 2%IFR 14%LIFR 12%
Wind avg/max: 9/32 kt
Max gust: 43 kt
Lowest ceiling: 100 ft
Lowest vis: 0.25 sm
Prevailing wind: S
Category changes: 19

Most recent change: IFR → VFR

Wind-favored runway - past 30 days

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

13
57%
31
43%

TAF | Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Issued 1900Z (1:00 PM MDT)

TAF KRCA 281900Z 2819/3001 36012G20KT 9999 SKC QNH2995INS BECMG 2823/2824 VRB06KT 9999 SKC QNH3002INS TX15/2820Z TN02/2913Z

New to TAFs? How to read one →

Get KRCA weather alerts in Telegram

Stop refreshing aviation weather manually. Track KRCA 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 KRCA free on Telegram

Live KRCA Weather

Live crosswind meter

Measured by KRCA's own weather station.

N13313 kt
Headwind
3 kt
Crosswind
0 kt

Wind is 8° off runway 13, the end with the most headwind right now.

Concrete · 13,497 ft. Headings from FAA runway data. Not for navigation.

Field aerial

North up

Aerial photo of Ellsworth Air Force Base (KRCA) with runway 13/31 marked
N ↑

Runway 13/31 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

Attended
Mon-Thu 1400-0730Z++ local; Fri 1400-0100Z++ local
Repairs
Airframe & engine, major
Oxygen
Bulk, low pressure
Pattern altitude
7,776 ft MSL (4,500 AGL)
Control tower
Yes

Airport

Type
Regional airport
ICAO
KRCA
IATA
RCA
FAA LID
RCA
City
Rapid City
State
South Dakota
Country
United States
Elevation
3,276 ft
Coordinates
44.1450, -103.1040
Runways
1 physical runway · 2 runway ends
Longest runway
13,497 ft
Weather reporting
Reports METAR
TAF
Published
ATIS
120.625 MHz
Time zone
America/Denver
Next sunset
23h 8m

Is there a ground stop at RCA today? Delay status and history →

Run a flight school, FBO, or club here? Embed KRCA'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

RC flying fields nearby

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

All RC flying fields →

See all South Dakota airports →

KRCA airport diagram

Official FAA taxiway and runway layout. Tap to zoom.

Official FAA airport diagram · d-TPP cycle 2611 · Not for navigation. Download the official FAA PDF ↗

Customize your RCA shirt or mug

RCA's real runway layout on the back, elevation and tower frequency on the front. Add your tail number on the sleeve.

Shop RCA merch

Pilot PIREPs for Ellsworth Air Force Base (KRCA)

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 Ellsworth Air Force Base, 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 KRCA 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.

Spotted incorrect airport info? ✏️ Suggest an edit

How ATIS Alerts works · All US airports · South Dakota airports