Central Plains Flying Weather
NE · KS · IA · MO · 2006–2025 · 135 eligible airports
Continental plains regime dominated by the spring severe-weather season: dryline and frontal supercells with large hail and tornadoes peak April through June, fed by a strong southerly low-level jet that also produces gusty spring surface winds. Summers are hot with airmass thunderstorms and rising density altitude at the higher western Kansas and Nebraska airports. Winters bring occasional blizzards on the northwest flank of Plains cyclones and notable ice storms on their southeast flank. Outside convective and winter events the region is strongly VFR, and fall offers long stretches of benign flying weather.
- Daylight VFR
- 81.8%
- VFR days/yr
- 274
- Mean wind
- 8.0 kt
- Most VFR month
- June
- Fewest VFR month
- December
- VFR Score
- 50
Regional standouts
Best VFRKBFFWestern Neb. Rgnl/William B. Heilig Airport89.1%Most IFRKFXYForest City Municipal Airport12.3%CalmestKBBGBranson AirportWind Score 76WindiestKDDCDodge City Regional Airport10.9 ktFoggiestKTKXKennett Memorial Airport208 days/yrBest visibilityKHQGHugoton Municipal Airport93.4%Most crosswindsKIBMKimball Municipal Robert E Arraj Field4.4%
VFR conditions by month
Regional average across eligible airports
| Month | VFR % |
|---|---|
| Jan | 72.3% |
| Feb | 75.6% |
| Mar | 75.6% |
| Apr | 81.2% |
| May | 82.2% |
| Jun | 90.8% |
| Jul | 90.7% |
| Aug | 88.6% |
| Sep | 86.7% |
| Oct | 83.5% |
| Nov | 81.3% |
| Dec | 70.5% |
Average wind by month
Regional average sustained wind
| Month | Mean wind (kt) |
|---|---|
| Jan | 8.5 kt |
| Feb | 8.8 kt |
| Mar | 9.5 kt |
| Apr | 10.0 kt |
| May | 8.4 kt |
| Jun | 7.6 kt |
| Jul | 6.2 kt |
| Aug | 6.1 kt |
| Sep | 6.7 kt |
| Oct | 7.9 kt |
| Nov | 8.4 kt |
| Dec | 8.3 kt |
Every airport in Central Plains, ranked
Sort by any column. Best VFR Score first.
| KTKXKennett Memorial Airport | Kennett | 73.2 | 8.0 | 231 | 6 kt | 29 |
| KMCWMason City Municipal Airport | Mason City | 74.7 | 11.8 | 244 | 9 kt | 33 |
| KCIDThe Eastern Iowa Airport | Cedar Rapids | 76.0 | 9.4 | 249 | 8 kt | 33 |
| KDBQDubuque Regional Airport | Dubuque | 75.0 | 11.5 | 246 | 8 kt | 34 |
| KESTEstherville Municipal Airport | Estherville | 76.3 | 11.5 | 250 | 9 kt | 36 |
| KCCYNortheast Iowa Regional Airport | Charles City | 75.0 | 11.0 | 245 | 8 kt | 36 |
| KIFAIowa Falls Municipal Airport | Iowa Falls | 76.3 | 10.4 | 230 | 8 kt | 37 |
| KDVNDavenport Municipal Airport | Davenport | 77.4 | 9.0 | 254 | 8 kt | 38 |
| KSPWSpencer Municipal Airport | Spencer | 77.3 | 10.3 | 251 | 9 kt | 39 |
| KEBSWebster City Municipal Airport | Webster City | 76.3 | 10.6 | 251 | 8 kt | 39 |
| KAXAAlgona Municipal Airport | Algona | 76.4 | 10.5 | 248 | 9 kt | 39 |
| KFXYForest City Municipal Airport | Forest City | 74.6 | 12.3 | 244 | 7 kt | 39 |
| KMIWMarshalltown Municipal Airport | Marshalltown | 78.2 | 9.0 | 254 | 8 kt | 40 |
| KALOWaterloo Regional Airport | Waterloo | 77.7 | 8.5 | 252 | 8 kt | 40 |
| KAMWAmes Municipal Airport | Ames | 77.4 | 9.0 | 257 | 7 kt | 40 |
| KSHLSheldon Regional Airport | Sheldon | 77.1 | 10.3 | 254 | 8 kt | 41 |
| KDEHDecorah Municipal Airport | Decorah | 74.7 | 10.6 | 246 | 6 kt | 41 |
| KOTMOttumwa Regional Airport | Ottumwa | 78.9 | 8.5 | 261 | 8 kt | 41 |
| KBNWBoone Municipal Airport | Boone | 77.3 | 10.4 | 253 | 8 kt | 41 |
| KBRLSoutheast Iowa Regional Airport | Burlington | 79.6 | 8.1 | 263 | 7 kt | 43 |
| KFWBBranson West Airport | Branson West | 77.9 | 11.5 | 268 | 5 kt | 43 |
| KDSMDes Moines International Airport | Des Moines | 80.2 | 8.3 | 270 | 8 kt | 43 |
| KVTIVinton Veterans Memorial Airpark | Vinton | 76.6 | 9.5 | 252 | 7 kt | 44 |
| KCSQCreston Municipal Airport | Creston | 78.8 | 9.8 | 258 | 8 kt | 44 |
| KCINArthur N Neu Airport | Carroll | 78.2 | 9.4 | 261 | 8 kt | 44 |
| KLWDLamoni Municipal Airport | Lamoni | 79.8 | 9.2 | 261 | 7 kt | 44 |
| KBTABlair Executive Airport | Blair | 79.9 | 8.9 | 267 | 7 kt | 44 |
| KTNUNewton Municipal Airport | Newton | 78.4 | 8.8 | 255 | 8 kt | 44 |
| KOOAOskaloosa Municipal Airport | Cedar | 78.0 | 8.3 | 254 | 7 kt | 45 |
| KFODFort Dodge Regional Airport | Fort Dodge | 78.1 | 9.1 | 256 | 7 kt | 45 |
| KIRKKirksville Regional Airport | Kirksville | 79.1 | 9.4 | 259 | 7 kt | 45 |
| KVIHRolla National Airport | Vichy | 80.5 | 9.3 | 265 | 7 kt | 45 |
| KAWGWashington Municipal Airport | Washington | 78.6 | 8.3 | 260 | 8 kt | 45 |
| KOXVKnoxville Municipal Airport | Knoxville | 79.2 | 8.6 | 256 | 7 kt | 45 |
| KIOWIowa City Municipal Airport | Iowa City | 79.8 | 7.4 | 261 | 6 kt | 46 |
| KUNOWest Plains Regional Airport | Pomona | 79.0 | 9.4 | 263 | 5 kt | 46 |
| KTQETekamah Municipal Airport | Tekamah | 80.4 | 6.6 | 268 | 8 kt | 47 |
| KGGIGrinnell Regional Airport | Grinnell | 79.2 | 9.1 | 258 | 7 kt | 47 |
| KIKVAnkeny Regional Airport | Ankeny | 78.8 | 7.9 | 261 | 7 kt | 47 |
| KFFLFairfield Municipal Airport | Fairfield | 78.9 | 8.3 | 258 | 7 kt | 47 |
| KTBNWaynesville-St. Robert Regional Airport-Forney Field | Fort Leonard Wood | 80.5 | 9.3 | 256 | 5 kt | 47 |
| KMCIKansas City International Airport | Kansas City | 82.5 | 6.8 | 275 | 8 kt | 47 |
| KBBGBranson Airport | Branson | 79.4 | 9.8 | 260 | 5 kt | 47 |
| KSUXSioux Gateway Airport / Brigadier General Bud Day Field | Sioux City | 80.9 | 6.9 | 273 | 8 kt | 48 |
| KAFKNebraska City Municipal Airport | Nebraska City | 81.3 | 7.8 | 275 | 8 kt | 48 |
| KIXDNew Century AirCenter Airport | New Century | 82.1 | 7.5 | 274 | 8 kt | 48 |
| KSGFSpringfield Branson National Airport | Springfield | 82.0 | 8.1 | 271 | 8 kt | 48 |
| KHFJMonett Regional Airport | Pierce City | 80.5 | 8.9 | 267 | 6 kt | 48 |
| KLWCLawrence Municipal Airport | Lawrence | 81.1 | 6.1 | 275 | 6 kt | 48 |
| KFAMFarmington Regional Airport | Farmington | 78.4 | 9.1 | 260 | 5 kt | 48 |
| KOJCJohnson County Executive Airport | Olathe | 81.8 | 7.7 | 272 | 7 kt | 48 |
| KPEAPella Municipal Airport | Pella | 79.1 | 8.7 | 258 | 6 kt | 48 |
| KCGICape Girardeau Regional Airport | Cape Girardeau | 79.8 | 7.1 | 264 | 6 kt | 48 |
| KJYRYork Municipal Airport | York | 82.0 | 7.8 | 280 | 8 kt | 48 |
| KOFKKarl Stefan Memorial Airport | Norfolk | 81.0 | 8.1 | 273 | 8 kt | 49 |
| KONLO'Neill Municipal Airport–John L Baker Field | O'Neill | 81.0 | 9.4 | 278 | 8 kt | 49 |
| KPMVPlattsmouth Municipal Airport | Plattsmouth | 81.2 | 7.8 | 276 | 7 kt | 49 |
| KSTJRosecrans Memorial Airport | St Joseph | 80.7 | 6.8 | 274 | 7 kt | 49 |
| KEMPEmporia Municipal Airport | Emporia | 82.2 | 7.3 | 280 | 8 kt | 49 |
| KCBFCouncil Bluffs Municipal Airport | Council Bluffs | 80.6 | 8.2 | 270 | 8 kt | 49 |
| KCOUColumbia Regional Airport | Columbia | 81.9 | 7.7 | 273 | 7 kt | 49 |
| KBVNAlbion Municipal Airport | Albion | 80.5 | 8.3 | 275 | 6 kt | 49 |
| KLRJLe Mars Municipal Airport | Le Mars | 79.8 | 7.7 | 263 | 7 kt | 49 |
| KSTLSt. Louis Lambert International Airport | St Louis | 83.1 | 5.8 | 280 | 7 kt | 49 |
| KLXTLee's Summit Municipal Airport | Lee's Summit | 82.5 | 7.2 | 269 | 7 kt | 49 |
| KAUHAurora Municipal Al Potter Field | Aurora | 81.6 | 8.4 | 279 | 8 kt | 49 |
| KJLNJoplin Regional Airport | Joplin | 82.6 | 6.6 | 277 | 7 kt | 50 |
| KOMAEppley Airfield | Omaha | 82.4 | 5.8 | 282 | 8 kt | 50 |
| KFSWFort Madison Municipal Airport | Fort Madison | 79.7 | 9.4 | 262 | 6 kt | 50 |
| KSETSt Charles County Regional Airport/Smartt Field | St Charles | 80.8 | 6.1 | 274 | 6 kt | 50 |
| KPOFPoplar Bluff Municipal Airport | Poplar Bluff | 80.9 | 6.3 | 267 | 5 kt | 50 |
| KEOKKeokuk Municipal Airport | Keokuk | 79.9 | 7.8 | 264 | 6 kt | 51 |
| KFETFremont Municipal Airport | Fremont | 81.7 | 6.9 | 277 | 7 kt | 51 |
| KLNKLincoln Airport | Lincoln | 83.0 | 5.9 | 282 | 8 kt | 51 |
| KMUTMuscatine Municipal Airport | Muscatine | 79.7 | 7.1 | 266 | 6 kt | 51 |
| KCNUChanute Martin Johnson Airport | Chanute | 83.0 | 6.6 | 280 | 7 kt | 51 |
| KOLUColumbus Municipal Airport | Columbus | 81.4 | 7.0 | 270 | 7 kt | 51 |
| KMLEMillard Airport | Omaha | 80.9 | 6.7 | 275 | 5 kt | 52 |
| KANWAinsworth Regional Airport | Ainsworth | 82.5 | 8.6 | 286 | 8 kt | 52 |
| KCFVCoffeyville Municipal Airport | Coffeyville | 83.3 | 5.3 | 275 | 7 kt | 52 |
| KDDCDodge City Regional Airport | Dodge City | 85.1 | 7.4 | 301 | 10 kt | 52 |
| KGRICentral Nebraska Regional Airport | Grand Island | 82.9 | 7.5 | 285 | 9 kt | 52 |
| KSUSSpirit of St Louis Airport | St Louis | 80.7 | 6.6 | 274 | 5 kt | 52 |
| KRDKRed Oak Municipal Airport | Red Oak | 80.7 | 7.2 | 270 | 7 kt | 53 |
| KFOETopeka Regional Airport | Topeka | 83.2 | 6.6 | 279 | 7 kt | 53 |
| KBIEBeatrice Municipal Airport | Beatrice | 82.7 | 6.8 | 284 | 7 kt | 53 |
| KMKCCharles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport | Kansas City | 83.4 | 4.9 | 280 | 6 kt | 53 |
| KFNBBrenner Field | Falls City | 83.0 | 6.6 | 277 | 7 kt | 53 |
| KHSIHastings Municipal Airport | Hastings | 83.3 | 7.9 | 284 | 8 kt | 53 |
| KIDPIndependence Municipal Airport | Independence | 83.5 | 5.7 | 282 | 7 kt | 53 |
| KHDEBrewster Field | Holdrege | 83.2 | 8.0 | 287 | 8 kt | 53 |
| KEWKNewton City-County Airport | Newton | 83.5 | 7.6 | 280 | 9 kt | 54 |
| KODXEvelyn Sharp Field | Ord | 82.2 | 7.7 | 283 | 7 kt | 54 |
| KSDAShenandoah Municipal Airport | Shenandoah | 81.3 | 6.7 | 275 | 7 kt | 54 |
| KPTSAtkinson Municipal Airport | Pittsburg | 82.4 | 6.8 | 276 | 5 kt | 54 |
| KEARKearney Regional Airport | Kearney | 83.5 | 7.5 | 279 | 9 kt | 54 |
| KLXNJim Kelly Field | Lexington | 82.9 | 7.3 | 290 | 7 kt | 55 |
| KMYZMarysville Municipal Airport | Marysville | 82.7 | 7.4 | 285 | 6 kt | 55 |
| KAAOColonel James Jabara Airport | Wichita | 84.4 | 6.7 | 285 | 8 kt | 55 |
| KICTWichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport | Wichita | 84.7 | 5.8 | 292 | 9 kt | 55 |
| KHJHHebron Municipal Airport | Hebron | 83.0 | 6.8 | 288 | 6 kt | 55 |
| KICLSchenck Field | Clarinda | 80.5 | 7.8 | 271 | 6 kt | 55 |
| KBBWBroken Bow Municipal Airport | Broken Bow | 82.9 | 8.1 | 286 | 8 kt | 55 |
| KTOPPhilip Billard Municipal Airport | Topeka | 82.9 | 5.7 | 285 | 6 kt | 55 |
| KGPHMidwest National Air Center Airport | Excelsior Springs | 82.5 | 6.0 | 261 | 4 kt | 56 |
| KPPFTri-City Airport | Parsons | 83.2 | 5.8 | 275 | 5 kt | 56 |
| KVTNMiller Field | Valentine | 84.3 | 7.0 | 289 | 8 kt | 56 |
| KEQACaptain Jack Thomas El Dorado Airport | El Dorado | 83.0 | 7.4 | 282 | 8 kt | 56 |
| KHUTHutchinson Municipal Airport | Hutchinson | 84.4 | 6.6 | 293 | 8 kt | 56 |
| KAHQWahoo Municipal Airport | Wahoo | 82.5 | 6.7 | 282 | 7 kt | 56 |
| KCNKBlosser Municipal Airport | Concordia | 85.1 | 6.3 | 286 | 8 kt | 56 |
| KTIFThomas County Airport | Thedford | 84.0 | 7.1 | 294 | 7 kt | 56 |
| KWLDStrother Field | Winfield / Arkansas City | 85.5 | 5.3 | 287 | 8 kt | 57 |
| KPTTPratt Regional Airport | Pratt | 85.1 | 7.3 | 301 | 9 kt | 58 |
| KRCMSkyhaven Airport | Warrensburg | 84.1 | 6.1 | 286 | 5 kt | 58 |
| KRSLRussell Municipal Airport | Russell | 86.1 | 6.2 | 295 | 10 kt | 59 |
| KSLNSalina Municipal Airport | Salina | 85.9 | 5.1 | 297 | 8 kt | 59 |
| KMHKManhattan Regional Airport | Manhattan | 84.1 | 5.1 | 287 | 6 kt | 59 |
| KMCKMcCook Ben Nelson Regional Airport | McCook | 86.0 | 6.0 | 299 | 8 kt | 60 |
| KGBDGreat Bend Municipal Airport | Great Bend | 86.0 | 5.9 | 294 | 9 kt | 60 |
| KGLDGoodland Municipal Airport | Goodland | 86.5 | 7.5 | 302 | 9 kt | 60 |
| KSNYSidney Municipal Airport Lloyd W Carr Field | Sidney | 86.9 | 7.3 | 303 | 9 kt | 60 |
| KIBMKimball Municipal Robert E Arraj Field | Kimball | 87.1 | 7.5 | 308 | 8 kt | 61 |
| KAIAAlliance Municipal Airport | Alliance | 86.5 | 6.8 | 301 | 8 kt | 61 |
| KLBFNorth Platte Regional Airport Lee Bird Field | North Platte | 85.4 | 6.1 | 299 | 7 kt | 62 |
| KGCKGarden City Regional Airport | Garden City | 87.1 | 6.3 | 308 | 9 kt | 62 |
| KIMLImperial Municipal Airport | Imperial | 87.0 | 6.2 | 302 | 8 kt | 62 |
| KHYSHays Regional Airport | Hays | 86.7 | 5.6 | 300 | 9 kt | 63 |
| KOGAOgallala Municipal Airport Searle Field | Ogallala | 86.3 | 5.6 | 302 | 6 kt | 63 |
| KCDRChadron Municipal Airport | Chadron | 87.7 | 5.1 | 301 | 7 kt | 64 |
| KJHNStanton County Municipal Airport | Johnson City | 88.6 | 5.2 | 314 | 9 kt | 65 |
| KLBLLiberal Mid-America Regional Airport | Liberal | 88.6 | 5.2 | 304 | 10 kt | 66 |
| KHQGHugoton Municipal Airport | Hugoton | 88.8 | 5.2 | 315 | 9 kt | 66 |
| KBFFWestern Neb. Rgnl/William B. Heilig Airport | Scottsbluff | 89.4 | 4.0 | 313 | 7 kt | 68 |
| KEHAElkhart Morton County Airport | Elkhart | 88.1 | 6.2 | 313 | 9 kt | 69 |
The pattern in Central Plains
Across 2006–2025, the 135 eligible airports in Central Plains reported VFR conditions during about 81.8% of valid daytime observations, with an estimated 274 VFR flying days per year and a mean surface wind of 8.0 kt. KBFF (Western Neb. Rgnl/William B. Heilig Airport) had the most VFR weather at 89.1%. KFXY saw the most instrument conditions, at 12.3% IFR/LIFR. The lowest-ranked eligible field by VFR Score was KTKX (Kennett Memorial Airport).
Educational use only. Historical weather rankings from ATIS Alerts are educational summaries of past observations — not a forecast, flight-planning tool, or safety rating. They do not replace current METARs, TAFs, NOTAMs, ATIS, or a weather briefing, and favorable history does not make any airport safe. Always check current conditions and use your own judgment before flight.