Banks Airport (ME5) Area Aviation Weather & Runway Winds
Aviation weather near Banks Airport in Swans Island, ME, decoded from the nearest reporting station (KRKD): conditions, runway crosswinds, and free Telegram airport alerts.
Banks Airport (ME5) is a general aviation airport serving pilots in and around Swans Island, ME at 100 ft. ME5 has no weather station of its own. Conditions here are decoded from KRKD, about 30 nm away, the nearest reporting station, and local conditions can differ. Its 2 runways (10, 28), longest 1,500 ft, are checked against the current wind in the crosswind table below. The nearest TAF is issued for KRKD. Track it in the ATIS Alerts Telegram bot to get alerts read from KRKD, the station this page is based on.
No weather station at this airport: showing the nearest station KRKD, 29.6 nm away.
Wind from the southwest (230°) at 3 kt, visibility 10+ statute miles, no cloud data, temperature 13°C (55°F), altimeter 30.12 inHg. Conditions are Visual Flight Rules (VFR).
METAR KRKD 130156Z AUTO 23003KT 10SM CLR 13/12 A3012 RMK AO2 SLP200 T01280122
What changed at KRKD (nearest station)?
Since the 0056Z (8:56 PM EDT) report, compared automatically against the latest METAR.
No significant changes since the 0056Z report, conditions are holding steady.
This is exactly what ATIS Alerts watches for you: get a Telegram message when ME5's weather changes, free →
Current pilot readout for ME5
Based on the nearest station (KRKD), ME5 is currently VFR with winds from 230° at 3 knots, visibility 10+ statute miles, and no ceiling reported. The strongest crosswind component is currently on runway 10, about 2 knots. Density altitude is approximately -400 ft (field elevation 100 ft). Review the latest TAF below for forecast changes before departure.
⚠️ 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 ME5 weather alerts in Telegram
Stop refreshing aviation weather manually. Track ME5 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 ME5 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 ME5. This is intended as a planning aid only and should not replace official performance calculations or pilot judgment.
| Runway | Length | Surface | Head / Tail | Crosswind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10FAV | 1,500 ft | GRVL | 2 kt tail | 2 kt left |
| 28 | 1,500 ft | GRVL | 2 kt tail | 2 kt left |
Open the crosswind calculator to 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 3→3 kt, ceiling unlimited → unlimited.
ME5 weather radar
Live NEXRAD + lightning, with a 4-hour future-radar forecast. Drag to pan, tap ⚡ to toggle lightning.
Live weather radar around Banks Airport in Swans Island, ME: 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 ME5 is headed.
Radar: NOAA/NWS via IEM · Forecast: NOAA HRRR · Lightning: NOAA · Map © Stadia Maps © OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap
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 ME5
Reported by pilots in flight over the past 6 hours, via aviationweather.gov.
Show raw report
HKY UA /OV BXM/TM 0005/FL380/TP B737/TB NEG/RM ZTLFD 15
HKY UAHeader: reporting station and UA: a routine pilot report.OV BXMLocation: fix or navaid, optionally with a radial and distance in NM.TM 0005Reported at 00:05 UTC.FL380Altitude: 38,000 ft MSL.TP B737Aircraft type reporting.TB NEGTurbulence: none reported.RM ZTLFD 15Remarks.Show raw report
BOS UA /OV BOS090130/TM 0004/FL370/TP A346/TB LGT-MOD CHOP
BOS UAHeader: reporting station and UA: a routine pilot report.OV BOS090130Location: fix or navaid, optionally with a radial and distance in NM.TM 0004Reported at 00:04 UTC.FL370Altitude: 37,000 ft MSL.TP A346Aircraft type reporting.TB LGT-MOD CHOPTurbulence: light to moderate chop.Show raw report
BGR UA /OV BGR185075/TM 0001/FL390/TP B788/TB CONS LGT
BGR UAHeader: reporting station and UA: a routine pilot report.OV BGR185075Location: fix or navaid, optionally with a radial and distance in NM.TM 0001Reported at 00:01 UTC.FL390Altitude: 39,000 ft MSL.TP B788Aircraft 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 ME5
From ATIS Alerts' hourly weather history.
Over the past 24 hours, the nearest station KRKD reported mostly VFR across 24 observations, with 0 flight-category changes. Wind most often came from the SW.
Most recent change: MVFR → VFR
- 10/28
- 100%
TAF | Terminal Aerodrome Forecast
Issued 2320Z (7:20 PM EDT)
TAF KRKD 122320Z 1300/1324 23003KT P6SM SKC FM130900 VRB03KT 3/4SM BR BKN050 FM131100 VRB04KT 5SM BR BKN025 FM131500 20008KT P6SM -SHRA BKN008 FM132300 00000KT 2SM BR BKN003
New to TAFs? How to read one →
Want forecast changes pushed to you? Start free on Telegram → TAF heads-ups are part of Premium · see what Premium includes
Get free ATIS alerts for ME5
We'll message you on Telegram when a new report moves the picture near ME5 (Banks Airport): alerts read from KRKD, the station this page uses.
Track ME5 on TelegramFree • no app to install • unsubscribe anytime
Airport facts
Reference data from the OurAirports dataset.
- Type
- General aviation airport
- FAA LID
- ME5
- City
- Swans Island
- State
- Maine
- Country
- United States
- Elevation
- 100 ft
- Coordinates
- 44.1654, -68.4278
- Runways
- 2
- Longest runway
- 1,500 ft
- Weather reporting
- Nearest station KRKD
- TAF
- Nearest KRKD
- Time zone
- America/New_York
- Next sunset
- 20h 34m
Run a flight school, FBO, or club here? Embed ME5'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
7 airports+1 more within 25 NM
25–50 NM
9 airports+3 more within 50 NM
50–100 NM
7 airports+1 more within 100 NM
ME5 weather: frequently asked
What runways are available at ME5?+
ME5 has 2 runways: 10, 28; the longest is 1,500 ft. This page computes the live crosswind for each runway end from the current wind.
Where does the weather shown for ME5 come from?+
Banks Airport does not have its own weather station. Conditions shown here come from the nearest reporting station, KRKD, about 30 nm away, close enough for situational awareness, but local conditions at ME5 can differ.
Does ME5 have a TAF?+
Yes. The KRKD TAF is shown on this page below the current conditions.
Does ME5 broadcast D-ATIS?+
No. ME5 does not broadcast D-ATIS. Alerts for ME5 from the ATIS Alerts bot (@atisalerts_bot) are based on its METAR (via the nearest reporting station) instead.
Pilot PIREPs for Banks Airport (ME5)
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 Banks 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 ME5 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 ME5 drops below VFR or a new report moves your numbers.
- Live METAR, TAF, crosswinds, and FAA delays: one link, always current.
- Free, no app to install, and you can track any US airport. Unsubscribe anytime.
⚠️ Not for operational use. Always verify with official FAA-approved preflight weather sources before flight.
Spotted incorrect airport info? ✏️ Suggest an edit