Wallops Flight Facility Airport (KWAL) Aviation Weather, METAR, TAF & ATIS Alerts
Live aviation weather for Wallops Flight Facility Airport in Wallops Island, VA, including METAR, TAF, flight category, wind, visibility, ceiling, altimeter, runway crosswinds, and Telegram airport alerts.
Wallops Flight Facility Airport (KWAL) is a general aviation airport serving pilots in and around Wallops Island, VA at 40 ft. KWAL reports its own METAR — decoded live on this page as flight category, wind, visibility, ceiling and altimeter. Its 6 runways (04, 10, 17, 22) — longest 8,748 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 KWAL 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 northeast (040°) at 4 kt, visibility 5 statute miles, broken clouds at 1,900 ft, overcast at 3,200 ft, temperature 20°C (68°F), altimeter 29.63 inHg. Conditions are Marginal VFR (MVFR), ceiling 1,900 ft.
SPECI KWAL 290201Z AUTO 04004KT 5SM -TSRA BR BKN019 OVC032 20/19 A2963 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT ALQDS P0000 T02000194
What changed at KWAL?
Since the 0154Z (9:54 PM EDT) report — compared automatically against the latest METAR.
- Flight category improved from IFR to MVFR.
- Visibility improved from 2.5 SM to 5 SM.
- Gusts are no longer reported.
The latest report is an off-schedule special (SPECI) — issued because conditions changed significantly. What is a SPECI? →
This is exactly what ATIS Alerts watches for you — get a Telegram message when KWAL's weather changes, free →
Current pilot readout for KWAL
KWAL is currently MVFR with winds from 040° at 4 knots, visibility 5 statute miles, and a 1,900 ft ceiling. The strongest crosswind component is currently on runway 17, about 4 knots. Density altitude is approximately 1,000 ft (field elevation 40 ft). KWAL does not publish a TAF — the nearest TAF station is KSBY, about 24 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 →
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Stop refreshing aviation weather manually. Track KWAL 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 KWAL 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 KWAL. This is intended as a planning aid only and should not replace official performance calculations or pilot judgment.
| Runway | Length | Surface | Head / Tail | Crosswind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 04FAV | 8,748 ft | PEM | 4 kt head | 0 kt |
| 10 | 8,005 ft | ASP | 3 kt head | 3 kt left |
| 35 | 4,808 ft | ASP | 2 kt head | 4 kt right |
| 17 | 4,808 ft | ASP | 2 kt tail | 4 kt left |
| 28 | 8,005 ft | ASP | 3 kt tail | 3 kt right |
| 22 | 8,748 ft | PEM | 4 kt tail | 0 kt |
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 23 h: wind 6→4 kt, ceiling unlimited → 1,900 ft.
KWAL weather radar
Live NEXRAD + lightning, with a 4-hour future-radar forecast — drag to pan, tap ⚡ to toggle lightning.
Live weather radar around Wallops Flight Facility Airport in Wallops Island, 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 KWAL 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 KWAL
Reported by pilots in flight over the past 6 hours — via aviationweather.gov.
Show raw report
DCA UA /OV BRV120015/TM 0008/FL090/TP BCS1/TB MOD/RM +- 15 KTS +- 100 FT
DCA UAHeader — reporting station and UA: a routine pilot report.OV BRV120015Location — fix or navaid, optionally with a radial and distance in NM.TM 0008Reported at 00:08 UTC.FL090Altitude: 9,000 ft MSL.TP BCS1Aircraft type reporting.TB MODTurbulence: moderate.RM +- 15 KTS +- 100 FTRemarks.Show raw report
ADW UA /OV 1L ARRIVAL/TM 2338/FLDURD/TP GLF5/WX 9 MILES
ADW UAHeader — reporting station and UA: a routine pilot report.OV 1L ARRIVALLocation — fix or navaid, optionally with a radial and distance in NM.TM 2338Reported at 23:38 UTC.FLDURDReported during descent.TP GLF5Aircraft type reporting.WX 9 MILESWeather and flight visibility observed.Show raw report
DCA UA /OV 2 N DCA /TM 2306/FL050/TP B38M/SK OVC 027
DCA UAHeader — reporting station and UA: a routine pilot report.OV 2 N DCALocation — fix or navaid, optionally with a radial and distance in NM.TM 2306Reported at 23:06 UTC.FL050Altitude: 5,000 ft MSL.TP B38MAircraft type reporting.SK OVC 027Sky condition — cloud bases and tops in hundreds of feet MSL.Show raw report
BWI UA /OV BAL280010/TM 2253/FL070/TP B737/TB LIGHT/RM DURC TERPZ8 SID
BWI UAHeader — reporting station and UA: a routine pilot report.OV BAL280010Location — fix or navaid, optionally with a radial and distance in NM.TM 2253Reported at 22:53 UTC.FL070Altitude: 7,000 ft MSL.TP B737Aircraft type reporting.TB LIGHTTurbulence: light.RM DURC TERPZ8 SIDRemarks.Show raw report
WWD UA /OV SIE30015/TM 2250/FL360/TP BCS3/TB LGT
WWD UAHeader — reporting station and UA: a routine pilot report.OV SIE30015Location — fix or navaid, optionally with a radial and distance in NM.TM 2250Reported at 22:50 UTC.FL360Altitude: 36,000 ft MSL.TP BCS3Aircraft type reporting.TB LGTTurbulence: light.Show raw report
BWI UA /OV 270007 /TM 2114/FL025/TP B738/WX VMC/TB SMOOTH/RM VECTORS TO FINAL WEST OF BWI
BWI UAHeader — reporting station and UA: a routine pilot report.OV 270007Location — fix or navaid, optionally with a radial and distance in NM.TM 2114Reported at 21:14 UTC.FL025Altitude: 2,500 ft MSL.TP B738Aircraft type reporting.WX VMCWeather and flight visibility observed.TB SMOOTHTurbulence: smooth.RM VECTORS TO FINAL WEST OF …Remarks.Show raw report
BWI UA /OV DUKPN/TM 2012/FL045/TP C560/TB -CHOP/RM DURC
BWI UAHeader — reporting station and UA: a routine pilot report.OV DUKPNLocation — fix or navaid, optionally with a radial and distance in NM.TM 2012Reported at 20:12 UTC.FL045Altitude: 4,500 ft MSL.TP C560Aircraft type reporting.TB -CHOPTurbulence: -chop.RM DURCRemarks.⚠️ PIREPs are unverified pilot reports. Not for operational use — conditions change between reports.
Recent aviation weather trends at KWAL
From ATIS Alerts' hourly weather history.
Over the past 24 hours, KWAL reported a mix of conditions, most often VFR across 41 observations, with 11 flight-category changes. The strongest gust reached 30 kt, the lowest ceiling was 400 ft. Wind most often came from the S.
Most recent change: IFR → MVFR
Most recent change: VFR → MVFR
- 22
- 27%
- 10
- 24%
- 17
- 22%
- 28
- 15%
- 04
- 9%
- 35
- 3%
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Airport facts
Reference data from the OurAirports dataset.
- Type
- General aviation airport
- ICAO
- KWAL
- IATA
- WAL
- FAA LID
- WAL
- City
- Wallops Island
- State
- Virginia
- Country
- United States
- Elevation
- 40 ft
- Coordinates
- 37.9408, -75.4623
- Runways
- 6
- Longest runway
- 8,748 ft
- Weather reporting
- Reports METAR
- TAF
- Nearest KSBY
- AWOS/ASOS
- 119.175 MHz
- CTAF
- 126.5 MHz
- Time zone
- America/New_York
- Next sunset
- 22h 10m
Run a flight school, FBO, or club here? Embed KWAL'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
8 airports+2 more within 25 NM
25–50 NM
8 airports+2 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.
- Midatlantic Radio Kontrol Society - Waybright Field — Salisbury, MD · 23 mi
Historical Flying Weather
2006–2025 · ATIS Alerts Flying Weather Index
Based on historical observations from 2006–2025, KWAL reported VFR conditions during about 81.0% of valid daylight observations, with an estimated 269 VFR flying days a year. July had the most VFR weather; May had the most instrument conditions. Surface winds averaged 7.8 kt, calm 8.3% of the time.
Full historical breakdown
Flight category by month
| Month | VFR % | MVFR % | IFR % | LIFR % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 80.5 | 8.0 | 5.3 | 6.3 |
| Feb | 80.4 | 7.4 | 6.2 | 6.0 |
| Mar | 80.0 | 9.0 | 5.6 | 5.4 |
| Apr | 82.3 | 7.7 | 5.0 | 4.9 |
| May | 77.0 | 9.3 | 7.0 | 6.7 |
| Jun | 81.8 | 10.0 | 5.0 | 3.2 |
| Jul | 84.9 | 12.1 | 2.1 | 0.9 |
| Aug | 84.0 | 12.1 | 2.9 | 0.9 |
| Sep | 79.2 | 13.4 | 5.5 | 1.9 |
| Oct | 79.6 | 11.2 | 6.4 | 2.9 |
| Nov | 83.8 | 8.3 | 4.1 | 3.8 |
| Dec | 78.8 | 9.8 | 4.9 | 6.5 |
Average wind by month
| Month | Mean wind (kt) |
|---|---|
| Jan | 7.9 kt |
| Feb | 8.3 kt |
| Mar | 9.1 kt |
| Apr | 9.0 kt |
| May | 8.3 kt |
| Jun | 7.8 kt |
| Jul | 7.0 kt |
| Aug | 6.7 kt |
| Sep | 7.7 kt |
| Oct | 7.5 kt |
| Nov | 7.3 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.
KWAL airport diagram
Official FAA taxiway and runway layout. Tap to zoom.
The FAA airport diagram for Wallops Flight Facility Airport in Wallops Island, VA shows the runway and taxiway layout across 6 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 ↗
KWAL weather — frequently asked
What runways are available at KWAL?+
KWAL has 6 runways — 04, 10, 17, 22, 28, 35; the longest is 8,748 ft. This page computes the live crosswind for each runway end from the current wind.
Does KWAL report its own weather?+
Yes — Wallops Flight Facility Airport has its own weather station and publishes METAR observations, which this page decodes live.
Does KWAL have a TAF?+
No — KWAL does not publish its own TAF. The nearest TAF station is KSBY, about 24 nm away.
Does KWAL broadcast D-ATIS?+
No — KWAL does not broadcast D-ATIS. Alerts for KWAL from the ATIS Alerts bot (@atisalerts_bot) are based on its METAR instead.
Where can I find the KWAL airport diagram?+
The official FAA airport diagram for Wallops Flight Facility Airport (KWAL) 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 Wallops Flight Facility Airport (KWAL)
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 Wallops Flight Facility 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 KWAL 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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⚠️ 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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