Ralph Wien Memorial Airport (PAOT) Aviation Weather, METAR, TAF & ATIS Alerts
Live aviation weather for Ralph Wien Memorial Airport in Kotzebue, AK, including METAR, TAF, flight category, wind, visibility, ceiling, altimeter, runway crosswinds, and Telegram airport alerts.
Ralph Wien Memorial Airport (PAOT) is a regional airport serving Kotzebue, AK at 14 ft. PAOT reports its own METAR and publishes a TAF — decoded live on this page as flight category, wind, visibility, ceiling and altimeter. Its 4 runways (09, 17, 27, 35) — longest 6,300 ft — are checked against the current wind in the crosswind table below. ATIS is broadcast on 135.45. Track PAOT 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 south (180°) at 9 kt, visibility 10+ statute miles, broken clouds at 11,000 ft, temperature 14°C (57°F), altimeter 29.79 inHg. Conditions are Visual Flight Rules (VFR), ceiling 11,000 ft.
METAR PAOT 290353Z AUTO 18009KT 10SM BKN110 14/04 A2979 RMK AO2 SLP086 T01390039 TSNO
What changed at PAOT?
Since the 0253Z (6:53 PM AKDT) report — compared automatically against the latest METAR.
- A ceiling formed at 11,000 ft.
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Current pilot readout for PAOT
PAOT is currently VFR with winds from 180° at 9 knots, visibility 10+ statute miles, and a 11,000 ft ceiling. The strongest crosswind component is currently on runway 09, about 9 knots. Density altitude is approximately 50 ft (field elevation 14 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 PAOT weather alerts in Telegram
Stop refreshing aviation weather manually. Track PAOT 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 PAOT 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 PAOT. This is intended as a planning aid only and should not replace official performance calculations or pilot judgment.
| Runway | Length | Surface | Head / Tail | Crosswind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17FAV | 3,800 ft | GVL | 9 kt head | 2 kt left |
| 09 | 6,300 ft | ASPH-G | 2 kt head | 9 kt right |
| 27 | 6,300 ft | ASPH-G | 2 kt tail | 9 kt left |
| 35 | 3,800 ft | GVL | 9 kt tail | 2 kt right |
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 24→9 kt, ceiling unlimited → 11,000 ft.
PAOT weather radar
Live NEXRAD + lightning, with a 4-hour future-radar forecast — drag to pan, tap ⚡ to toggle lightning.
Live weather radar around Ralph Wien Memorial Airport in Kotzebue, AK: 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 PAOT 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.
Recent aviation weather trends at PAOT
From ATIS Alerts' hourly weather history.
Over the past 24 hours, PAOT reported a mix of conditions, most often VFR across 29 observations, with 5 flight-category changes. The strongest gust reached 21 kt, the lowest ceiling was 300 ft. Wind most often came from the W.
Most recent change: MVFR → VFR
Most recent change: IFR → VFR
- 27
- 51%
- 09
- 20%
- 17
- 15%
- 35
- 14%
TAF — Terminal Aerodrome Forecast
Issued 2320Z (3:20 PM AKDT)
TAF PAOT 282320Z 2900/2924 17008KT P6SM SCT008 SCT100 FM290900 23014G22KT P6SM BKN100 FM291500 24016G24KT P6SM BKN025 OVC050 FM292000 24010KT 6SM -RA BR OVC007
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Airport facts
Reference data from the OurAirports dataset.
- Type
- Regional airport
- ICAO
- PAOT
- IATA
- OTZ
- FAA LID
- OTZ
- City
- Kotzebue
- State
- Alaska
- Country
- United States
- Elevation
- 14 ft
- Coordinates
- 66.8847, -162.5990
- Runways
- 4
- Longest runway
- 6,300 ft
- Weather reporting
- Reports METAR
- TAF
- Published
- ATIS
- 135.45 MHz
- AWOS/ASOS
- 135.45 MHz
- CTAF
- 123.6 MHz
- Time zone
- America/Nome
- Sunset in
- 4h 0m
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Nearby airports
Compare nearby METAR/TAF stations within 25, 50 and 100 NM before departure or arrival.
25–50 NM
3 airports50–100 NM
8 airports+2 more within 100 NM
Historical Flying Weather
2006–2025 · ATIS Alerts Flying Weather Index
Based on historical observations from 2006–2025, PAOT reported VFR conditions during about 75.6% of valid daylight observations, with an estimated 184 VFR flying days a year. June had the most VFR weather; February had the most instrument conditions. Surface winds averaged 9.7 kt, calm 7.9% of the time.
Full historical breakdown
Flight category by month
| Month | VFR % | MVFR % | IFR % | LIFR % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 74.2 | 15.4 | 7.2 | 3.1 |
| Feb | 71.0 | 15.2 | 8.3 | 5.5 |
| Mar | 73.7 | 14.3 | 7.0 | 5.0 |
| Apr | 77.5 | 12.3 | 6.0 | 4.2 |
| May | 75.6 | 9.6 | 5.9 | 8.9 |
| Jun | 83.0 | 7.5 | 3.0 | 6.5 |
| Jul | 73.1 | 17.3 | 5.7 | 3.9 |
| Aug | 71.8 | 21.4 | 4.6 | 2.2 |
| Sep | 78.5 | 17.6 | 2.7 | 1.2 |
| Oct | 74.3 | 17.3 | 6.2 | 2.3 |
| Nov | 74.8 | 15.6 | 6.1 | 3.5 |
| Dec | 73.4 | 15.6 | 7.3 | 3.6 |
Average wind by month
| Month | Mean wind (kt) |
|---|---|
| Jan | 10.1 kt |
| Feb | 10.8 kt |
| Mar | 9.4 kt |
| Apr | 8.8 kt |
| May | 8.0 kt |
| Jun | 8.8 kt |
| Jul | 9.3 kt |
| Aug | 9.5 kt |
| Sep | 9.7 kt |
| Oct | 11.1 kt |
| Nov | 10.3 kt |
| Dec | 11.1 kt |
Historical summary of past observations — not a forecast or safety rating. Always check the current METAR, TAF, and a weather briefing before flight.
PAOT weather — frequently asked
What runways are available at PAOT?+
PAOT has 4 runways — 09, 17, 27, 35; the longest is 6,300 ft. This page computes the live crosswind for each runway end from the current wind.
Does PAOT report its own weather?+
Yes — Ralph Wien Memorial Airport has its own weather station and publishes METAR observations, which this page decodes live.
Does PAOT have a TAF?+
Yes — the TAF is shown on this page below the current conditions.
Does PAOT broadcast D-ATIS?+
No — PAOT does not broadcast D-ATIS. Alerts for PAOT from the ATIS Alerts bot (@atisalerts_bot) are based on its METAR instead.
Pilot PIREPs for Ralph Wien Memorial Airport (PAOT)
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 Ralph Wien Memorial 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 PAOT 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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- Get pinged the moment PAOT drops below VFR or a new report moves your numbers.
- Live METAR, TAF, crosswinds, and FAA delays — one link, always current.
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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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