Carson Field (MT53) Area Aviation Weather & Runway Winds
As of 2:55 AM MDT, Oct 28, based on the nearest station (KGPI), MT53 is currently VFR with calm winds, visibility 10+ statute miles, and a 3,700 ft ceiling.
Aviation weather near Carson Field in Kalispell, MT, decoded from the nearest reporting station (KGPI): conditions and runway crosswinds.
Carson Field (MT53) is a general aviation airport serving pilots in and around Kalispell, MT at a field elevation of 3,550 ft. MT53 has no weather station of its own. Conditions here are decoded from KGPI, about 27 nm away, the nearest reporting station, and local conditions can differ. It has one runway (12/30), the longest 3,650 ft. The nearest TAF is issued for KGPI.
No weather station at this airport: showing the nearest station KGPI, 27.1 nm away.
Wind calm, visibility 10+ statute miles, broken clouds at 3,700 ft, broken clouds at 7,000 ft, overcast at 8,000 ft, temperature 3°C (38°F), altimeter 29.88 inHg. Conditions are Visual Flight Rules (VFR), ceiling 3,700 ft.
METAR KGPI 280855Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM -RA BKN037 BKN070 OVC080 03/02 A2988 RMK AO2 RAB53 SLP130 P0000 60000 T00330017 51003
What changed at KGPI (nearest station)?
Since the 0755Z (1:55 AM MDT) report, compared automatically against the latest METAR.
- Rain began (-RA).
Current pilot readout for MT53
Based on the nearest station (KGPI), MT53 is currently VFR with calm winds, visibility 10+ statute miles, and a 3,700 ft ceiling. Density altitude is approximately 3,050 ft (field elevation 3,550 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.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | 3,650 ft | TURF | - | - |
| 30 | 3,650 ft | TURF | - | - |
Open the crosswind calculator to try your own wind and runway numbers →
MT53 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.
- Status not monitoredRunway 12/303,650 × 24 ft · TURFCurrent useno stated-runway source at MT53Wind
- 12
- no steady wind
- 30
- no steady wind
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.
Over the last 22 h: wind 3→0 kt, ceiling 3,000 ft → 3,700 ft.
MT53 weather radar
Live NEXRAD + lightning, with a 4-hour future-radar forecast. Drag to pan, tap ⚡ to toggle lightning.
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.
Recent aviation weather trends at MT53
From ATIS Alerts' hourly weather history.
Over the past 24 hours, the nearest station KGPI reported mostly VFR across 26 observations, with 1 flight-category change. The lowest ceiling was 3,000 ft. Wind most often came from the S.
Most recent change: MVFR → VFR
Most recent change: MVFR → VFR
Share of hours each runway had the most headwind. From wind reports, not ATC assignments.
- 30
- 57%
- 12
- 43%
TAF | Terminal Aerodrome Forecast
Issued 0520Z (11:20 PM MDT)
TAF KGPI 280520Z 2806/2906 16007KT P6SM VCSH SCT040 BKN150 FM281300 19003KT P6SM OVC050 FM281700 19008KT P6SM VCSH BKN025 BKN100
New to TAFs? How to read one →
Get MT53 weather alerts in Telegram
Stop refreshing aviation weather manually. Track MT53 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 MT53 free on TelegramNo live weather from MT53
Live crosswind meter
MT53 has no weather feed online, so the wind comes from KGPI, 27 nm away.
Wind is calm or variable. Either end works.
Have a weather station at MT53? Help us make your field's weather available to every pilot, free. Add your field's wx station →Turf · 3,650 ft. Headings from FAA runway data. Not for navigation.
Field aerial
North up
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
- Apr-Nov Daily all day; Dec-Mar Sat-Sun all day
- Landing fee
- No
- Control tower
- None
- Wind indicator
- Unlighted
Airport
- Type
- General aviation airport
- FAA LID
- MT53
- City
- Kalispell
- State
- Montana
- Country
- United States
- Elevation
- 3,550 ft
- Coordinates
- 48.0947, -114.8520
- Runways
- 1 physical runway · 2 runway ends
- Longest runway
- 3,650 ft
- Weather reporting
- Nearest station KGPI
- TAF
- Nearest KGPI
- Time zone
- America/Denver
- Next sunset
- 14h 32m
Run a flight school, FBO, or club here? Embed MT53'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
9 airports+3 more within 25 NM
25–50 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.
- Glacier R/Cers 2 , Kalispell, MT · 25 mi
Pilot PIREPs for Carson Field (MT53)
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 Carson Field, 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 MT53 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.
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