Upper Loon Creek US Forest Service Airport (U72) Area Aviation Weather & Runway Winds
Aviation weather near Upper Loon Creek US Forest Service Airport in Challis, ID, decoded from the nearest reporting station (KLLJ) — conditions, runway crosswinds, and free Telegram airport alerts.
Upper Loon Creek US Forest Service Airport (U72) is a general aviation airport serving pilots in and around Challis, ID at 5,500 ft. U72 has no weather station of its own — conditions here are decoded from KLLJ, about 26 nm away, the nearest reporting station, and local conditions can differ. Its 2 runways (04, 22) — longest 2,500 ft — are checked against the current wind in the crosswind table below. The nearest TAF is issued for KSMN. Track it in the ATIS Alerts Telegram bot to get alerts read from KLLJ, the station this page is based on.
No weather station at this airport — showing the nearest station KLLJ, 26.3 nm away.
Wind from the west (270°) at 12 kt, visibility 10+ statute miles, no cloud data, temperature 28°C (83°F), altimeter 29.95 inHg. Conditions are Visual Flight Rules (VFR).
METAR KLLJ 290255Z AUTO 27012KT 10SM CLR 28/M01 A2995 RMK AO2 SLP069 T02831011 55003
What changed at KLLJ (nearest station)?
Since the 0155Z (7:55 PM MDT) report — compared automatically against the latest METAR.
- Gusts are no longer reported.
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Current pilot readout for U72
Based on the nearest station (KLLJ), U72 is currently VFR with winds from 270° at 12 knots, visibility 10+ statute miles, and no ceiling reported. The strongest crosswind component is currently on runway 04, about 12 knots. Density altitude is approximately 8,400 ft (field elevation 5,500 ft). U72 does not publish a TAF — the nearest TAF station is KSMN, about 51 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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Track U72 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 U72. 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 | 2,500 ft | TURF-DIRT-F | 0 kt head | 12 kt left |
| 22 | 2,500 ft | TURF-DIRT-F | 0 kt head | 12 kt left |
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 5→12 kt, ceiling unlimited → unlimited.
U72 weather radar
Live NEXRAD + lightning, with a 4-hour future-radar forecast — drag to pan, tap ⚡ to toggle lightning.
Live weather radar around Upper Loon Creek US Forest Service Airport in Challis, ID: 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 U72 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 U72
Reported by pilots in flight over the past 6 hours — via aviationweather.gov.
Show raw report
BOI UA /OV BOI360015/TM 2205/FL085/TP BN2P/WV MTN WAVE +/-20KTS
BOI UAHeader — reporting station and UA: a routine pilot report.OV BOI360015Location — fix or navaid, optionally with a radial and distance in NM.TM 2205Reported at 22:05 UTC.FL085Altitude: 8,500 ft MSL.TP BN2PAircraft type reporting.WV MTN WAVE +/-20KTSWind (direction/speed) or wind-shear remarks.Show raw report
LWS UA /OV KBZN-LWS /TM 2134 /FL100 /TP C182 /TB CONS LGT
LWS UAHeader — reporting station and UA: a routine pilot report.OV KBZN-LWSLocation — fix or navaid, optionally with a radial and distance in NM.TM 2134Reported at 21:34 UTC.FL100Altitude: 10,000 ft MSL.TP C182Aircraft type reporting.TB CONS LGTTurbulence: continuous light.Show raw report
IDA UA /OV DBS300035/TM 2124/FL320/TP A321/SK TOP 320/ZLC
IDA UAHeader — reporting station and UA: a routine pilot report.OV DBS300035Location — fix or navaid, optionally with a radial and distance in NM.TM 2124Reported at 21:24 UTC.FL320Altitude: 32,000 ft MSL.TP A321Aircraft type reporting.SK TOP 320/ZLCSky condition — cloud bases and tops in hundreds of feet MSL.⚠️ PIREPs are unverified pilot reports. Not for operational use — conditions change between reports.
Recent aviation weather trends at U72
From ATIS Alerts' hourly weather history.
Over the past 24 hours, the nearest station KLLJ reported mostly VFR across 24 observations, with 0 flight-category changes. The strongest gust reached 26 kt. Wind most often came from the W.
- 04/22
- 100%
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We'll message you on Telegram when a new report moves the picture near U72 (Upper Loon Creek US Forest Service Airport) — alerts read from KLLJ, the station this page uses.
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Airport facts
Reference data from the OurAirports dataset.
- Type
- General aviation airport
- FAA LID
- U72
- City
- Challis
- State
- Idaho
- Country
- United States
- Elevation
- 5,500 ft
- Coordinates
- 44.5912, -114.8248
- Runways
- 2
- Longest runway
- 2,500 ft
- Weather reporting
- Nearest station KLLJ
- TAF
- Nearest KSMN
- Time zone
- America/Boise
- Sunset in
- 13m
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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
U72 weather — frequently asked
What runways are available at U72?+
U72 has 2 runways — 04, 22; the longest is 2,500 ft. This page computes the live crosswind for each runway end from the current wind.
Where does the weather shown for U72 come from?+
Upper Loon Creek US Forest Service Airport does not have its own weather station. Conditions shown here come from the nearest reporting station, KLLJ, about 26 nm away — close enough for situational awareness, but local conditions at U72 can differ.
Does U72 have a TAF?+
No — U72 does not publish its own TAF. The nearest TAF station is KSMN, about 51 nm away.
Does U72 broadcast D-ATIS?+
No — U72 does not broadcast D-ATIS. Alerts for U72 from the ATIS Alerts bot (@atisalerts_bot) are based on its METAR (via the nearest reporting station) instead.
Pilot PIREPs for Upper Loon Creek US Forest Service Airport (U72)
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 Upper Loon Creek US Forest Service 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 U72 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.
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⚠️ Not for operational use. Always verify with official FAA-approved preflight weather sources before flight.
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