Barrows Airport (VA04) Area Aviation Weather & Runway Winds
Aviation weather near Barrows Airport in Fincastle, VA, decoded from the nearest reporting station (KROA): conditions, runway crosswinds, and free Telegram airport alerts.
Barrows Airport (VA04) is a general aviation airport serving pilots in and around Fincastle, VA at 1,100 ft. VA04 has no weather station of its own. Conditions here are decoded from KROA, about 10 nm away, the nearest reporting station, and local conditions can differ. Its 2 runways (08, 26), longest 2,100 ft, are checked against the current wind in the crosswind table below. The nearest TAF is issued for KROA. Track it in the ATIS Alerts Telegram bot to get alerts read from KROA, the station this page is based on.
No weather station at this airport: showing the nearest station KROA, 10.2 nm away.
Wind from the east (090°) at 3 kt, visibility 10+ statute miles, scattered clouds at 500 ft, overcast at 1,000 ft, temperature 22°C (72°F), altimeter 30.01 inHg. Conditions are Marginal VFR (MVFR), ceiling 1,000 ft.
SPECI KROA 130603Z 09003KT 10SM SCT005 OVC010 22/21 A3001 RMK AO2 T02220211 $
What changed at KROA (nearest station)?
Since the 0603Z (2:03 AM EDT) report, compared automatically against the latest METAR.
- Flight category dropped from MVFR to IFR.
- Ceiling dropped from 1,000 ft to 800 ft.
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 VA04's weather changes, free →
Current pilot readout for VA04
Based on the nearest station (KROA), VA04 is currently MVFR with winds from 090° at 3 knots, visibility 10+ statute miles, and a 1,000 ft ceiling. The strongest crosswind component is currently on runway 08, about 3 knots. Density altitude is approximately 2,100 ft (field elevation 1,100 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 →
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Track VA04 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 VA04. This is intended as a planning aid only and should not replace official performance calculations or pilot judgment.
| Runway | Length | Surface | Head / Tail | Crosswind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 08FAV | 2,100 ft | TURF | 0 kt head | 3 kt right |
| 26 | 2,100 ft | TURF | 0 kt head | 3 kt right |
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 24 h: wind 0→3 kt, ceiling 1,400 ft → 800 ft.
VA04 weather radar
Live NEXRAD + lightning, with a 4-hour future-radar forecast. Drag to pan, tap ⚡ to toggle lightning.
Live weather radar around Barrows Airport in Fincastle, 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 VA04 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 VA04
Reported by pilots in flight over the past 6 hours, via aviationweather.gov.
Show raw report
GSO UUA /OV GSO/TM 0153/FLDURD/TP CRJ9/RM LLWS +/- 10KT DURD RY 23R
GSO UUAHeader: reporting station and UUA: an URGENT pilot report (severe conditions, wind shear, or similar).OV GSOLocation: fix or navaid, optionally with a radial and distance in NM.TM 0153Reported at 01:53 UTC.FLDURDReported during descent.TP CRJ9Aircraft type reporting.RM LLWS +/- 10KT DURD RY 23RRemarks.Show raw report
IND UA /OV BLF/TM 0144/FL300/TP B738/TB LGT
IND UAHeader: reporting station and UA: a routine pilot report.OV BLFLocation: fix or navaid, optionally with a radial and distance in NM.TM 0144Reported at 01:44 UTC.FL300Altitude: 30,000 ft MSL.TP B738Aircraft type reporting.TB LGTTurbulence: light.Show raw report
CHO UA /OV CHO200015/TM 0110/FL100/TP E175/WX -RA/TB LGT-MOD CHOP
CHO UAHeader: reporting station and UA: a routine pilot report.OV CHO200015Location: fix or navaid, optionally with a radial and distance in NM.TM 0110Reported at 01:10 UTC.FL100Altitude: 10,000 ft MSL.TP E175Aircraft type reporting.WX -RAWeather and flight visibility observed.TB LGT-MOD CHOPTurbulence: light to moderate chop.⚠️ PIREPs are unverified pilot reports. Not for operational use: conditions change between reports.
Recent aviation weather trends at VA04
From ATIS Alerts' hourly weather history.
Over the past 24 hours, the nearest station KROA reported a mix of conditions, most often marginal VFR across 60 observations, with 22 flight-category changes. The lowest ceiling was 500 ft. Wind most often came from the SE.
Most recent change: MVFR → IFR
Most recent change: VFR → MVFR
- 08/26
- 100%
TAF | Terminal Aerodrome Forecast
Issued 0520Z (1:20 AM EDT)
TAF KROA 130520Z 1306/1406 00000KT P6SM FEW006 BKN035 OVC070 TEMPO 1308/1312 1SM BR BKN008 FM131300 28005KT P6SM SCT060 FM131600 31007KT P6SM FEW150
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Airport facts
Reference data from the OurAirports dataset.
- Type
- General aviation airport
- FAA LID
- VA04
- City
- Fincastle
- State
- Virginia
- Country
- United States
- Elevation
- 1,100 ft
- Coordinates
- 37.4921, -79.9287
- Runways
- 2
- Longest runway
- 2,100 ft
- Weather reporting
- Nearest station KROA
- TAF
- Nearest KROA
- Time zone
- America/New_York
- Next sunset
- 17h 5m
Run a flight school, FBO, or club here? Embed VA04'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.
- RVRC - Roanoke Valley RC Club Inc 1 , Salem, VA · 16 mi
- Virginia Aeromodelers - Falling Creek Rd , Bedford, VA · 27 mi
VA04 weather: frequently asked
What runways are available at VA04?+
VA04 has 2 runways: 08, 26; the longest is 2,100 ft. This page computes the live crosswind for each runway end from the current wind.
Where does the weather shown for VA04 come from?+
Barrows Airport does not have its own weather station. Conditions shown here come from the nearest reporting station, KROA, about 10 nm away, close enough for situational awareness, but local conditions at VA04 can differ.
Does VA04 have a TAF?+
Yes. The KROA TAF is shown on this page below the current conditions.
Does VA04 broadcast D-ATIS?+
No. VA04 does not broadcast D-ATIS. Alerts for VA04 from the ATIS Alerts bot (@atisalerts_bot) are based on its METAR (via the nearest reporting station) instead.
Pilot PIREPs for Barrows Airport (VA04)
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 Barrows 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 VA04 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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