Southern Plains Flying Weather
OK · AR · TX · 2006–2025 · 110 eligible airports
Core of the traditional tornado alley: dryline-driven supercells, very large hail, and tornado outbreaks peak March through June from west Texas across Oklahoma into Arkansas. West of the Caprock, strong spring winds, blowing dust, and high summer density altitude at airports sitting near 3,000-4,000 ft (Lubbock, Amarillo, Midland) are routine, while East Texas and Arkansas add humid-subtropical morning fog and low stratus. Winter brings damaging ice storms across north Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas, plus occasional panhandle blizzards. Fall is the best flying season; spring is the most hazardous.
- Daylight VFR
- 82.7%
- VFR days/yr
- 281
- Mean wind
- 7.1 kt
- Most VFR month
- August
- Fewest VFR month
- February
- VFR Score
- 54
Regional standouts
VFR conditions by month
Regional average across eligible airports
| Month | VFR % |
|---|---|
| Jan | 77.9% |
| Feb | 72.7% |
| Mar | 78.4% |
| Apr | 80.5% |
| May | 81.5% |
| Jun | 90.5% |
| Jul | 92.7% |
| Aug | 92.8% |
| Sep | 87.5% |
| Oct | 84.0% |
| Nov | 80.8% |
| Dec | 73.5% |
Average wind by month
Regional average sustained wind
| Month | Mean wind (kt) |
|---|---|
| Jan | 7.3 kt |
| Feb | 7.9 kt |
| Mar | 8.5 kt |
| Apr | 8.6 kt |
| May | 7.6 kt |
| Jun | 7.2 kt |
| Jul | 6.2 kt |
| Aug | 5.9 kt |
| Sep | 5.7 kt |
| Oct | 6.6 kt |
| Nov | 6.9 kt |
| Dec | 7.0 kt |
Every airport in Southern Plains, ranked
Sort by any column. Best VFR Score first.
| KBKDStephens County Airport | Breckenridge | 75.5 | 4.7 | 182 | 7 kt | 21 |
| KLXYMexia Limestone County Airport | Mexia | 75.9 | 10.1 | 256 | 6 kt | 39 |
| KCFDCoulter Field | Bryan | 74.1 | 10.1 | 258 | 5 kt | 39 |
| KHYISan Marcos Regional Airport | San Marcos | 73.3 | 9.0 | 260 | 7 kt | 42 |
| KLHBHearne Municipal Airport | Hearne | 75.4 | 7.2 | 259 | 5 kt | 42 |
| KCDHHarrell Field | Camden | 74.0 | 10.2 | 250 | 3 kt | 42 |
| KOCHA L Mangham Jr. Regional Airport | Nacogdoches | 74.5 | 10.7 | 252 | 5 kt | 42 |
| KTYRTyler Pounds Regional Airport | Tyler | 79.1 | 8.3 | 259 | 7 kt | 43 |
| KMEZMena Intermountain Municipal Airport | Mena | 74.6 | 9.3 | 255 | 3 kt | 44 |
| KJASJasper County Airport Bell Field | Jasper | 72.2 | 11.3 | 265 | 3 kt | 44 |
| KCRSC David Campbell Field Corsicana Municipal Airport | Corsicana | 80.2 | 7.0 | 265 | 7 kt | 44 |
| KGYBGiddings-Lee County Airport | Giddings | 73.8 | 10.4 | 269 | 5 kt | 45 |
| KROGRogers Municipal Airport-Carter Field | Rogers | 80.5 | 8.4 | 250 | 7 kt | 46 |
| KPRXCox Field | Paris | 80.5 | 7.8 | 262 | 7 kt | 46 |
| KLFKAngelina County Airport | Lufkin | 77.2 | 9.7 | 268 | 5 kt | 46 |
| KBPKOzark Regional Airport | Mountain Home | 80.5 | 7.3 | 256 | 4 kt | 46 |
| KINJHillsboro Municipal Airport | Hillsboro | 80.3 | 7.0 | 273 | 7 kt | 47 |
| KCLLEasterwood Field | College Station | 78.9 | 7.7 | 272 | 7 kt | 47 |
| KSLRSulphur Springs Municipal Airport | Sulphur Springs | 80.3 | 7.4 | 270 | 6 kt | 47 |
| KMNZHamilton Municipal Airport | Hamilton | 80.5 | 8.0 | 271 | 8 kt | 47 |
| KGGGEast Texas Regional Airport | Longview | 79.7 | 8.2 | 266 | 6 kt | 47 |
| KLITBill & Hillary Clinton National Airport/Adams Field | Little Rock | 81.7 | 6.4 | 273 | 6 kt | 47 |
| KHKABlytheville Municipal Airport | Blytheville | 81.9 | 5.4 | 262 | 6 kt | 47 |
| KPSNPalestine Municipal Airport | Palestine | 77.7 | 7.7 | 265 | 5 kt | 47 |
| KHROBoone County Airport | Harrison | 80.0 | 8.9 | 268 | 6 kt | 47 |
| KFWSFort Worth Spinks Airport | Fort Worth | 80.6 | 6.3 | 262 | 6 kt | 47 |
| KXNANorthwest Arkansas National Airport | Fayetteville/Springdale/Rogers | 80.8 | 7.5 | 262 | 6 kt | 48 |
| KACTWaco Regional Airport | Waco | 80.7 | 6.1 | 276 | 8 kt | 48 |
| KDEQJ Lynn Helms Sevier County Airport | DeQueen | 74.2 | 10.5 | 266 | 3 kt | 48 |
| KHOTMemorial Field Airport | Hot Springs | 79.8 | 7.1 | 265 | 4 kt | 48 |
| KUTSHuntsville Regional Airport | Huntsville | 78.7 | 8.7 | 269 | 4 kt | 48 |
| KELDSouth Arkansas Regional Airport at Goodwin Field | El Dorado | 80.2 | 8.8 | 265 | 4 kt | 49 |
| KTRLTerrell Municipal Airport | Terrell | 81.9 | 6.1 | 273 | 6 kt | 49 |
| KOKMOkmulgee Regional Airport | Okmulgee | 81.3 | 6.7 | 270 | 6 kt | 49 |
| KSGTStuttgart Municipal Airport / Carl Humphrey Field | Stuttgart | 82.7 | 6.4 | 257 | 7 kt | 49 |
| KARGWalnut Ridge Regional Airport | Walnut Ridge | 82.5 | 6.2 | 256 | 7 kt | 50 |
| KTXKTexarkana Regional Airport (Webb Field) | Texarkana | 81.7 | 7.9 | 268 | 5 kt | 50 |
| KSLGSmith Field | Siloam Springs | 80.7 | 6.8 | 262 | 6 kt | 50 |
| KRBDDallas Executive Airport | Dallas | 82.0 | 6.8 | 278 | 7 kt | 50 |
| KSNLShawnee Regional Airport | Shawnee | 82.2 | 7.8 | 275 | 7 kt | 50 |
| KGVTMajors Airport | Greenville | 80.6 | 7.2 | 273 | 6 kt | 50 |
| KHQZMesquite Metro Airport | Mesquite | 79.6 | 6.5 | 265 | 6 kt | 50 |
| KTKIMcKinney National Airport | Dallas | 81.6 | 6.5 | 278 | 7 kt | 50 |
| KJWYMid-Way Regional Airport | Midlothian/Waxahachie | 80.0 | 7.9 | 274 | 6 kt | 51 |
| KGCMClaremore Regional Airport | Claremore | 81.4 | 6.6 | 273 | 6 kt | 51 |
| KILESkylark Field | Killeen | 80.2 | 6.9 | 278 | 7 kt | 52 |
| KFYVDrake Field | Fayetteville | 80.4 | 6.8 | 272 | 5 kt | 52 |
| KMKOMuskogee-Davis Regional Airport | Muskogee | 83.1 | 5.7 | 276 | 7 kt | 52 |
| KPWGMcGregor Executive Airport | Waco | 81.4 | 6.3 | 278 | 7 kt | 52 |
| KGYINorth Texas Regional Airport Perrin Field | Denison | 83.3 | 6.4 | 274 | 8 kt | 52 |
| KLLQMonticello Municipal Ellis Field | Monticello | 81.8 | 8.2 | 267 | 4 kt | 52 |
| KPBFPine Bluff Regional Airport, Grider Field | Pine Bluff | 82.9 | 6.4 | 273 | 6 kt | 53 |
| KDALDallas Love Field | Dallas | 83.5 | 4.6 | 289 | 8 kt | 53 |
| KDUADurant Regional Airport - Eaker Field | Durant | 82.2 | 6.9 | 275 | 6 kt | 53 |
| KMLCMc Alester Regional Airport | Mc Alester | 82.9 | 5.9 | 272 | 5 kt | 53 |
| KBVXBatesville Regional Airport | Batesville | 80.9 | 7.0 | 261 | 4 kt | 53 |
| KFTWFort Worth Meacham International Airport | Fort Worth | 83.7 | 5.3 | 284 | 8 kt | 53 |
| KOKCOKC Will Rogers World Airport | Oklahoma City | 84.4 | 6.7 | 286 | 9 kt | 53 |
| KPWAWiley Post Airport | Oklahoma City | 84.9 | 6.7 | 289 | 10 kt | 53 |
| KGOKGuthrie-Edmond Regional Airport | Guthrie | 84.6 | 5.6 | 287 | 7 kt | 53 |
| KASLHarrison County Airport | Marshall | 76.8 | 10.1 | 270 | 3 kt | 54 |
| KWDGEnid Woodring Regional Airport | Enid | 84.6 | 5.7 | 252 | 8 kt | 54 |
| KTULTulsa International Airport | Tulsa | 84.6 | 5.0 | 286 | 7 kt | 54 |
| KDFWDallas Fort Worth International Airport | Dallas-Fort Worth | 84.0 | 4.9 | 292 | 9 kt | 54 |
| KGKYArlington Municipal Airport | Arlington | 83.4 | 5.3 | 283 | 7 kt | 55 |
| KLUDDecatur Municipal Airport | Decatur | 83.2 | 7.7 | 283 | 7 kt | 55 |
| KGMJGrove Municipal Airport | Grove | 81.4 | 5.6 | 269 | 4 kt | 55 |
| KAFWPerot Field/Fort Worth Alliance Airport | Fort Worth | 84.5 | 4.8 | 289 | 7 kt | 55 |
| KAXSAltus Quartz Mountain Regional Airport | Altus | 85.0 | 4.6 | 286 | 8 kt | 55 |
| KGPMGrand Prairie Municipal Airport | Grand Prairie | 83.0 | 5.5 | 246 | 6 kt | 55 |
| KGLEGainesville Municipal Airport | Gainesville | 82.2 | 6.7 | 282 | 6 kt | 56 |
| KGDJGranbury Regional Airport | Granbury | 83.5 | 5.3 | 289 | 6 kt | 57 |
| KRVSTulsa Riverside Airport | Tulsa | 83.3 | 5.1 | 282 | 5 kt | 57 |
| KSWOStillwater Regional Airport | Stillwater | 85.1 | 5.8 | 289 | 8 kt | 57 |
| KOZAOzona Municipal Airport | Ozona | 83.5 | 6.4 | 297 | 8 kt | 57 |
| KDTODenton Enterprise Airport | Denton | 84.7 | 4.6 | 289 | 7 kt | 57 |
| KRUERussellville Regional Airport | Russellville | 81.0 | 5.5 | 272 | 3 kt | 57 |
| KFSMFort Smith Regional Airport | Fort Smith | 84.4 | 5.3 | 285 | 5 kt | 57 |
| KBVOBartlesville Municipal Airport | Bartlesville | 82.7 | 5.7 | 283 | 5 kt | 58 |
| KDUCHalliburton Field | Duncan | 85.2 | 5.9 | 289 | 7 kt | 58 |
| KCUHCushing Municipal Airport | Cushing | 83.4 | 6.5 | 283 | 5 kt | 58 |
| KMWLMineral Wells Regional Airport | Mineral Wells | 85.2 | 5.5 | 296 | 7 kt | 59 |
| KHBRHobart Regional Airport | Hobart | 87.3 | 5.1 | 300 | 10 kt | 59 |
| KRKRRobert S Kerr Airport | Poteau | 82.8 | 4.7 | 279 | 3 kt | 59 |
| KOJAThomas P Stafford Airport | Weatherford | 86.0 | 6.2 | 300 | 8 kt | 60 |
| KSEPStephenville Clark Regional Airport | Stephenville | 82.4 | 8.0 | 287 | 6 kt | 60 |
| KXBPBridgeport Municipal Airport | Bridgeport | 85.0 | 5.1 | 295 | 5 kt | 60 |
| KPNCPonca City Regional Airport | Ponca City | 86.7 | 4.2 | 293 | 7 kt | 61 |
| KABIAbilene Regional Airport | Abilene | 88.2 | 4.8 | 303 | 9 kt | 63 |
| KLAWLawton Fort Sill Regional Airport | Lawton | 87.4 | 4.4 | 300 | 7 kt | 63 |
| KGAGGage Heibeck Airport | Gage | 87.7 | 5.2 | 309 | 9 kt | 64 |
| KFDRFrederick Regional Airport | Frederick | 89.3 | 4.1 | 303 | 9 kt | 64 |
| KSNKWinston Field | Snyder | 88.6 | 4.6 | 314 | 8 kt | 66 |
| KLBBLubbock Preston Smith International Airport | Lubbock | 89.4 | 4.7 | 316 | 9 kt | 66 |
| KSJTSan Angelo Regional Mathis Field | San Angelo | 87.6 | 3.4 | 313 | 7 kt | 66 |
| KBPGBig Spring Mc Mahon-Wrinkle Airport | Big Spring | 88.7 | 4.1 | 309 | 9 kt | 67 |
| KAMARick Husband Amarillo International Airport | Amarillo | 89.1 | 5.9 | 318 | 11 kt | 67 |
| KCDSChildress Municipal Airport | Childress | 89.8 | 4.3 | 312 | 8 kt | 67 |
| KDHTDalhart Municipal Airport | Dalhart | 89.7 | 4.5 | 320 | 9 kt | 68 |
| KMAFMidland International Air and Space Port | Midland | 90.0 | 4.0 | 321 | 9 kt | 68 |
| KPVWHale County Airport | Plainview | 89.2 | 5.0 | 318 | 8 kt | 68 |
| KHHFHemphill County Airport | Canadian | 88.6 | 4.0 | 316 | 7 kt | 69 |
| KODOOdessa Schlemeyer Field | Odessa | 90.2 | 4.1 | 317 | 9 kt | 69 |
| KGUYGuymon Municipal Airport | Guymon | 90.1 | 4.1 | 317 | 9 kt | 70 |
| KPYXPerryton Ochiltree County Airport | Perryton | 88.4 | 5.4 | 314 | 9 kt | 70 |
| KDUXMoore County Airport | Dumas | 89.0 | 5.4 | 319 | 9 kt | 70 |
| KBGDHutchinson County Airport | Borger | 90.3 | 3.7 | 319 | 8 kt | 71 |
| KMDDMidland Airpark | Midland | 90.4 | 3.8 | 322 | 8 kt | 71 |
| KGNCGaines County Airport | Seminole | 89.6 | 4.6 | 322 | 7 kt | 75 |
| KFSTFort Stockton Pecos County Airport | Fort Stockton | 93.8 | 2.6 | 333 | 9 kt | 77 |
The pattern in Southern Plains
Across 2006–2025, the 110 eligible airports in Southern Plains reported VFR conditions during about 82.7% of valid daytime observations, with an estimated 281 VFR flying days per year and a mean surface wind of 7.1 kt. KFST (Fort Stockton Pecos County Airport) had the most VFR weather at 93.6%. KJAS saw the most instrument conditions, at 11.3% IFR/LIFR. The lowest-ranked eligible field by VFR Score was KBKD (Stephens County Airport).
Neighboring regions
How Southern Plains is defined
OK and AR entire. TX: every county NOT assigned to texas-hill-country, texas-gulf-coast, or desert-southwest — i.e., the Panhandle, South Plains, Permian Basin, Rolling Plains, North Central Texas/DFW, the Blackland and post-oak corridor east of the Hill Country, and the East Texas piney woods. (The excluded counties are enumerated in those three regions' rules, making this complement unambiguous.)
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.