Southern Appalachians Flying Weather
GA · SC · NC · TN · 2006–2025 · 117 eligible airports
Terrain drives the regime in the west: mountain obscuration, dense valley fog, and upslope stratus make the Smokies and Blue Ridge one of the most IFR-prone corners of the Southeast, while cold-air damming east of the ridge locks stubborn low ceilings, drizzle, and winter freezing rain over the piedmont. Summer brings widespread afternoon airmass thunderstorms from the mountains to the coast, with sea-breeze convection and occasional tropical systems on the Georgia and Carolina coastline. Spring severe-weather episodes and piedmont ice storms round out the hazard calendar. Best flying is fall; worst is mid-summer afternoons and cold-air-damming events.
- Daylight VFR
- 81.3%
- VFR days/yr
- 272
- Mean wind
- 4.4 kt
- Most VFR month
- June
- Fewest VFR month
- December
- VFR Score
- 54
Regional standouts
VFR conditions by month
Regional average across eligible airports
| Month | VFR % |
|---|---|
| Jan | 76.9% |
| Feb | 76.5% |
| Mar | 80.6% |
| Apr | 84.6% |
| May | 82.6% |
| Jun | 85.8% |
| Jul | 85.4% |
| Aug | 80.6% |
| Sep | 79.7% |
| Oct | 80.9% |
| Nov | 80.0% |
| Dec | 73.1% |
Average wind by month
Regional average sustained wind
| Month | Mean wind (kt) |
|---|---|
| Jan | 4.8 kt |
| Feb | 5.2 kt |
| Mar | 5.4 kt |
| Apr | 5.4 kt |
| May | 4.6 kt |
| Jun | 4.1 kt |
| Jul | 3.8 kt |
| Aug | 3.4 kt |
| Sep | 3.8 kt |
| Oct | 3.9 kt |
| Nov | 4.2 kt |
| Dec | 4.3 kt |
Every airport in Southern Appalachians, ranked
Sort by any column. Best VFR Score first.
| KHYWConway Horry County Airport | Conway | 72.3 | 8.0 | 129 | 3 kt | 26 |
| KAJRHabersham County Airport | Cornelia | 76.4 | 11.0 | 208 | 4 kt | 32 |
| KGEVAshe County Airport | Jefferson | 70.1 | 13.5 | 229 | 4 kt | 35 |
| KCSVCrossville Memorial Airport Whitson Field | Crossville | 73.5 | 12.2 | 239 | 4 kt | 37 |
| KJZICharleston Executive Airport | Johns Island | 78.9 | 8.9 | 251 | 6 kt | 41 |
| KMGEDobbins Air Reserve Base | Marietta | 79.5 | 9.2 | 257 | 5 kt | 42 |
| KMKSBerkeley County Airport | Moncks Corner | 79.1 | 8.0 | 243 | 3 kt | 44 |
| KPDKDeKalb Peachtree Airport | Atlanta | 78.7 | 9.5 | 263 | 4 kt | 45 |
| KDCMChester Catawba Regional Airport | Chester | 79.9 | 11.0 | 241 | 3 kt | 45 |
| KLROMount Pleasant Regional Airport Faison Field | Mount Pleasant | 77.2 | 8.2 | 263 | 4 kt | 47 |
| KFFCPeachtree City Falcon Field | Peachtree City | 77.2 | 9.1 | 267 | 3 kt | 47 |
| KATLHartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport | Atlanta | 81.8 | 8.8 | 276 | 6 kt | 48 |
| KHSEBilly Mitchell Airport | Hatteras | 82.1 | 5.6 | 265 | 7 kt | 49 |
| KCNICherokee County Regional Airport | Canton | 75.3 | 11.9 | 257 | 3 kt | 49 |
| KAHNAthens Ben Epps Airport | Athens | 79.8 | 9.8 | 270 | 4 kt | 49 |
| KABYSouthwest Georgia Regional Airport | Albany | 81.5 | 7.3 | 266 | 4 kt | 49 |
| KBQKBrunswick Golden Isles Airport | Brunswick | 77.2 | 11.5 | 258 | 5 kt | 50 |
| KMAOMarion County Airport | Mullins | 80.3 | 9.1 | 267 | 4 kt | 50 |
| KSMSSumter Airport | Sumter | 78.8 | 10.0 | 278 | 3 kt | 50 |
| KLKRLancaster County-Mc Whirter Field | Lancaster | 76.3 | 11.5 | 272 | 3 kt | 50 |
| KFZGFitzgerald Municipal Airport | Fitzgerald | 77.1 | 12.7 | 260 | 3 kt | 50 |
| KTVIThomasville Regional Airport | Thomasville | 80.4 | 10.1 | 264 | 4 kt | 50 |
| KLUXLaurens County Airport | Laurens | 80.0 | 11.3 | 269 | 4 kt | 50 |
| KUZARock Hill - York County Airport | Rock Hill | 79.5 | 10.0 | 275 | 4 kt | 51 |
| KDPLDuplin County Airport | Kenansville | 74.8 | 10.5 | 268 | 3 kt | 51 |
| KMYRMyrtle Beach International Airport | Myrtle Beach | 83.3 | 6.5 | 249 | 7 kt | 51 |
| KFTYFulton County Airport Brown Field | Atlanta | 79.8 | 7.0 | 269 | 4 kt | 51 |
| KPGVPitt-Greenville Airport | Greenville | 79.2 | 9.7 | 267 | 4 kt | 52 |
| KGSOPiedmont Triad International Airport | Greensboro | 81.5 | 10.1 | 281 | 6 kt | 52 |
| KOPNThomaston Upson County Airport | Thomaston | 79.1 | 10.8 | 268 | 4 kt | 52 |
| KGGEGeorgetown County Airport | Georgetown | 81.3 | 8.2 | 256 | 5 kt | 52 |
| KSIFRockingham County NC Shiloh Airport | Stoneville | 75.7 | 9.6 | 266 | 0 kt | 52 |
| KISOKinston Regional Jetport At Stallings Field | Kinston | 79.3 | 9.4 | 263 | 5 kt | 52 |
| KAIKAiken Regional Airport | Aiken | 81.7 | 9.8 | 281 | 5 kt | 52 |
| KAVLAsheville Regional Airport | Asheville | 79.2 | 9.5 | 279 | 5 kt | 53 |
| KCKIWilliamsburg Regional Airport | Kingstree | 80.3 | 8.8 | 260 | 3 kt | 53 |
| KVPCCartersville Airport | Cartersville | 79.7 | 6.8 | 267 | 0 kt | 53 |
| KFLOFlorence Regional Airport | Florence | 81.9 | 8.7 | 278 | 5 kt | 53 |
| KFAYFayetteville Regional Airport - Grannis Field | Fayetteville | 81.9 | 8.5 | 282 | 6 kt | 54 |
| KAGSAugusta Regional At Bush Field | Augusta | 79.9 | 8.8 | 282 | 4 kt | 54 |
| KCKFCrisp County Cordele Airport | Cordele | 81.4 | 8.9 | 268 | 4 kt | 54 |
| KRMGRichard B Russell Airport | Rome | 80.3 | 6.5 | 271 | 3 kt | 54 |
| KGRDGreenwood County Airport | Greenwood | 81.8 | 9.4 | 276 | 4 kt | 54 |
| KVLDValdosta Regional Airport | Valdosta | 79.6 | 9.6 | 269 | 3 kt | 54 |
| KBIJEarly County Airport | Blakely | 79.7 | 8.7 | 273 | 0 kt | 54 |
| KOAJAlbert J Ellis Airport | Richlands | 79.3 | 9.5 | 270 | 5 kt | 54 |
| KLHZTriangle North Executive Airport | Louisburg | 78.3 | 9.7 | 267 | 3 kt | 54 |
| KJQFConcord-Padgett Regional Airport | Concord | 79.7 | 9.6 | 248 | 3 kt | 54 |
| KMEBLaurinburg Maxton Airport | Maxton | 81.0 | 8.7 | 282 | 5 kt | 54 |
| KCLTCharlotte Douglas International Airport | Charlotte | 82.7 | 8.5 | 286 | 5 kt | 54 |
| KCSGColumbus Airport | Columbus | 82.9 | 6.6 | 274 | 5 kt | 54 |
| KEQYCharlotte-Monroe Executive Airport | Monroe | 81.3 | 9.9 | 278 | 5 kt | 54 |
| KAKHGastonia Municipal Airport | Gastonia | 79.5 | 10.6 | 278 | 3 kt | 55 |
| KGMUGreenville Downtown Airport | Greenville | 82.7 | 9.2 | 279 | 5 kt | 55 |
| KMRHMichael J. Smith Field | Beaufort | 84.4 | 5.5 | 271 | 8 kt | 55 |
| KJESJesup Wayne County Airport | Jesup | 80.3 | 10.1 | 264 | 0 kt | 55 |
| KGSPGreenville-Spartanburg International Airport | Greenville/Greer/Spartanburg | 82.0 | 9.2 | 283 | 5 kt | 55 |
| KDNNDalton Municipal Airport | Dalton | 81.2 | 5.6 | 277 | 3 kt | 55 |
| KLQKPickens County Airport | Pickens | 79.7 | 9.7 | 275 | 3 kt | 55 |
| KEWNCoastal Carolina Regional Airport | New Bern | 82.1 | 8.3 | 275 | 5 kt | 55 |
| KOGBOrangeburg Municipal Airport | Orangeburg | 81.3 | 8.8 | 282 | 5 kt | 56 |
| KEOENewberry County Airport | Newberry | 81.8 | 9.9 | 261 | 4 kt | 56 |
| KCREGrand Strand Airport | North Myrtle Beach | 83.0 | 7.3 | 278 | 6 kt | 56 |
| KMCNMiddle Georgia Regional Airport | Macon | 81.9 | 7.6 | 280 | 4 kt | 56 |
| KCHAChattanooga Metropolitan Airport (Lovell Field) | Chattanooga | 82.5 | 5.6 | 285 | 4 kt | 56 |
| KRWIRocky Mount Wilson Regional Airport | Rocky Mount | 80.4 | 9.7 | 284 | 5 kt | 56 |
| KBGEDecatur County Industrial Air Park | Bainbridge | 82.5 | 7.3 | 283 | 5 kt | 56 |
| KMMTMc Entire Joint National Guard Base | Eastover | 81.5 | 9.7 | 273 | 4 kt | 56 |
| KONXCurrituck County Regional Airport | Maple | 81.6 | 7.6 | 266 | 5 kt | 56 |
| KRDURaleigh-Durham International Airport | Raleigh/Durham | 82.7 | 8.5 | 289 | 5 kt | 56 |
| KUDGDarlington County Airport | Darlington | 81.9 | 8.6 | 276 | 5 kt | 56 |
| KWDRBarrow County Airport | Winder | 80.4 | 10.2 | 271 | 3 kt | 56 |
| KHVSHartsville Regional Airport | Hartsville | 79.9 | 10.1 | 280 | 3 kt | 57 |
| KSPASpartanburg Downtown Memorial Airport | Spartanburg | 81.9 | 9.4 | 276 | 3 kt | 57 |
| KSOPMoore County Airport | Carthage | 80.6 | 9.9 | 275 | 4 kt | 57 |
| KBBPMarlboro County Jetport - H E Avent Field Airport | Bennettsville | 80.5 | 8.4 | 283 | 4 kt | 57 |
| KCAEColumbia Metropolitan Airport | Columbia | 83.5 | 7.2 | 286 | 5 kt | 57 |
| KPOBPope Field | Fort Bragg | 83.2 | 8.4 | 275 | 5 kt | 57 |
| KSSISt Simons Island Airport | St Simons Island | 85.2 | 6.1 | 280 | 7 kt | 57 |
| KRBWLowcountry Regional Airport | Walterboro | 82.6 | 9.3 | 271 | 4 kt | 57 |
| KILMWilmington International Airport | Wilmington | 84.4 | 6.4 | 275 | 6 kt | 57 |
| KGWWWayne Executive Jetport | Pikeville | 78.9 | 9.5 | 280 | 4 kt | 57 |
| KMQIDare County Regional Airport | Manteo | 83.6 | 6.5 | 272 | 8 kt | 57 |
| KHKYHickory Regional Airport | Hickory | 81.2 | 10.4 | 282 | 4 kt | 57 |
| KHNZHenderson Oxford Airport | Oxford | 79.8 | 11.5 | 280 | 4 kt | 57 |
| KCPCColumbus County Municipal Airport | Whiteville | 80.2 | 8.8 | 265 | 3 kt | 57 |
| KIXAHalifax-Northampton Regional Airport | Halifax | 79.5 | 10.7 | 276 | 4 kt | 58 |
| KVUJStanly County Airport | Albemarle | 80.6 | 9.4 | 282 | 3 kt | 58 |
| KDNLDaniel Field | Augusta | 83.9 | 8.1 | 281 | 5 kt | 58 |
| KVDIVidalia Regional Airport | Vidalia | 82.3 | 9.1 | 280 | 4 kt | 58 |
| KBUYBurlington Alamance Regional Airport | Burlington | 81.9 | 8.8 | 284 | 4 kt | 58 |
| KAFPAnson County Airport - Jeff Cloud Field | Wadesboro | 79.3 | 8.7 | 278 | 3 kt | 58 |
| KUKFWilkes County Airport | North Wilkesboro | 78.9 | 10.0 | 282 | 0 kt | 58 |
| KCHSCharleston International Airport | Charleston | 85.5 | 5.7 | 289 | 6 kt | 58 |
| KSAVSavannah Hilton Head International Airport | Savannah | 85.4 | 6.5 | 286 | 6 kt | 58 |
| KANDAnderson Regional Airport | Anderson | 83.4 | 7.8 | 281 | 5 kt | 58 |
| KTYSMcGhee Tyson Airport | Knoxville/Maryville | 84.8 | 5.7 | 283 | 5 kt | 59 |
| KSVHStatesville Regional Airport | Statesville | 79.6 | 10.5 | 280 | 3 kt | 59 |
| KTDFRaleigh Regional Airport at Person County | Timberlake | 78.3 | 11.7 | 278 | 3 kt | 59 |
| KTTARaleigh Executive Jetport | Sanford | 77.0 | 10.6 | 282 | 3 kt | 59 |
| KDYBSummerville Airport | Summerville | 83.0 | 8.3 | 275 | 3 kt | 59 |
| KTBRStatesboro Bulloch County Airport | Statesboro | 82.2 | 9.0 | 281 | 3 kt | 60 |
| KRUQMid-Carolina Regional Airport | Salisbury | 79.0 | 10.1 | 284 | 3 kt | 60 |
| KEHOShelby-Cleveland County Regional Airport | Shelby | 80.6 | 9.6 | 282 | 3 kt | 60 |
| KEDENortheastern Regional Airport | Edenton | 82.8 | 7.5 | 280 | 5 kt | 60 |
| KHQUThomson-McDuffie County Airport | Thomson | 79.7 | 9.8 | 281 | 3 kt | 60 |
| KHRJHarnett Regional Jetport Airport | Erwin | 80.5 | 8.7 | 277 | 3 kt | 60 |
| KMWKMount Airy Surry County Airport | Mount Airy | 80.5 | 9.5 | 273 | 0 kt | 60 |
| KJNXJohnston Regional Airport | Smithfield | 80.2 | 8.8 | 276 | 3 kt | 60 |
| KTRITri-Cities Regional TN/VA Airport | Blountville | 82.5 | 6.1 | 289 | 3 kt | 60 |
| KSUTCape Fear Regional Jetport / Howie Franklin Field Airport | Southport | 84.2 | 6.2 | 279 | 5 kt | 61 |
| KEXXDavidson County Executive Airport | Lexington | 79.0 | 9.3 | 287 | 0 kt | 61 |
| KCUBJim Hamilton L.B. Owens Airport | Columbia | 83.4 | 6.6 | 285 | 3 kt | 62 |
| KHBIAsheboro Regional Airport | Asheboro | 81.7 | 8.8 | 283 | 3 kt | 62 |
| KTOCToccoa Airport - R.G. Letourneau Field | Toccoa | 82.0 | 9.0 | 281 | 3 kt | 62 |
| KCTZSampson County Airport | Clinton | 80.0 | 9.4 | 282 | 3 kt | 62 |
| KGKTGatlinburg-Pigeon Forge Airport | Sevierville | 85.2 | 6.0 | 289 | 0 kt | 72 |
The pattern in Southern Appalachians
Across 2006–2025, the 117 eligible airports in Southern Appalachians reported VFR conditions during about 81.3% of valid daytime observations, with an estimated 272 VFR flying days per year and a mean surface wind of 4.4 kt. KGKT (Gatlinburg-Pigeon Forge Airport) had the most VFR weather at 86.5%. KGEV saw the most instrument conditions, at 13.5% IFR/LIFR. The lowest-ranked eligible field by VFR Score was KHYW (Conway Horry County Airport).
Neighboring regions
How Southern Appalachians is defined
Entire GA, SC, and NC (the 33-region set has no separate Southeast-coastal region, so the Georgia and Carolina piedmont and coastal plain are carried here with the mountain core; the northern boundary is the VA-NC state line with mid-atlantic). TN split: ONLY these 34 East Tennessee counties — Anderson, Bledsoe, Blount, Bradley, Campbell, Carter, Claiborne, Cocke, Cumberland, Grainger, Greene, Hamblen, Hamilton, Hancock, Hawkins, Jefferson, Johnson, Knox, Loudon, Marion, McMinn, Meigs, Monroe, Morgan, Polk, Rhea, Roane, Scott, Sequatchie, Sevier, Sullivan, Unicoi, Union, Washington. All other TN counties (Middle and West Tennessee) belong to ohio-valley.
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.