Sandy Lake Airport

CZSJ / ZSJ

Sandy Lake, CA

Last Updated
Feb 7, 16:00Z

Current Weather

Display Units
Fresh 15 min ago
16:00Z

☀️ Day
VFR
Flight Rules
-24°C
Temperature
Dewpoint: -26°C
6 kt
110°
9 SM
Visibility
13,000 ft
Ceiling
Above Ground Level
1024 hPa
QNH
Altimeter Setting

Raw METAR

METAR CZSJ 071600Z AUTO 11006KT 9SM OVC130 M24/M26 A3025 RMK SLP287

Clouds - Visual Profile

12,000ft
9,000ft
6,000ft
3,000ft
Ground
Field Elev: 951 ft
OVC 13,000 ft AGL
☁️
OVC
Overcast (8/8 sky coverage)
13,000 ft
AGL (Above Ground)
13,951 ft AMSL
QNH
1024 hPa
Sea Level Pressure
For altitude above MSL
QFE
992 hPa
Field Pressure
Height above aerodrome (951 ft)
Pressure Alt
629 ft
QNE Reference
Standard: 1013 hPa
Density Altitude: -3,823 ft
ISA Deviation: -37.1°C

Forecast (TAF)

View Full TAF
Raw TAF
TAF CZSJ 071040Z 0711/0723 VRB03KT 3SM IC SKC TEMPO 0711/0717 P6SM NSW FM071700 16010KT P6SM BKN120 FM072000 16010KT P6SM SCT020 OVC050 TEMPO 0720/0722 2 1/2SM -SN BKN020 OVC050 FM072200 16008G18KT 2SM -SN BKN015 OVC050 TEMPO 0722/0723 P6SM -SN SCT015 OVC050 RMK FCST BASED ON AUTO OBS. NXT FCST BY 071800Z
Upcoming Changes (Next 12 Hours)
16:15Z BASE
+0h
MVFR VRB 3 kt
Visibility: 3SM
Ice Crystals
17:00Z FM071700
+1h
VFR 160° 10 kt
Visibility: >6SM
Ceiling: 12,000 ft
20:00Z FM072000
+4h
VFR 160° 10 kt
Visibility: >6SM
Ceiling: 5,000 ft
20:00Z TEMPO
+4h
IFR
Visibility: 1/2SM
Ceiling: 2,000 ft
Light Snow

24-Hour Weather Evolution

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Data Sources
  • • Current conditions from METAR observations
  • • Historical data from past 24 hours
  • • No forecast or predicted data included
  • • Data updated with each new METAR report
Chart Features
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Note: Future values beyond current TAF validity are estimates based on climatological data and trends. Always verify with current forecasts before flight operations.

Airport Runway Layout

N
ZSJ
11
29 ✈️

Runway Information

Runway Length Width Surface Heading Wind Component
✈️ 11/29
Active: 29
3,500 ft 100 ft GRVL
6.0 kt 0.0 kt
180° angle
🟢 Active Runway: Best headwind component for current conditions
⬆️ Headwind: Favorable wind component
↔️ Crosswind: ≤10kt Safe, 11-15kt Caution, >15kt Challenging

Weather Statistics - CZSJ

7,220 observations | Sep 2025 - Feb 2026

Flight Rules Distribution

VFR
42.3%
MVFR
42.1%
IFR
13%
LIFR
2.6%

Sandy Lake Airport is frequently affected by reduced visibility conditions, with VFR weather only 42.3% of the time and IFR/LIFR conditions occurring in 15.6% of observations. Prevailing winds are from the W averaging 6.5 knots. Temperature extremes range from -38°C to 31°C, reflecting significant seasonal variation. The best months for VFR flying are September, December, January.

Wind Analysis

Prevailing Direction: W (270°)
Average Speed: 6.5 kt
Maximum Recorded: 20 kt
Calm Winds: 5.4%
Direction Distribution:
N
8.7%
NE
3.5%
E
7.1%
SE
6.2%
S
12.3%
SW
6.2%
W
29.8%
NW
20.8%

Temperature Range

Average: -7.8°C
Range: -38°C to 31°C
-38°C 31°C

Visibility

Average: 7.5 SM
Below 3 SM: 3.2%
Fog Frequency: 0.7%

Best Months for VFR

September December January

Runway Wind Analysis

Runway 11/29
Favorable wind: 100%
Avg crosswind: 3.1 kt

Statistics computed from 7,220 METAR observations (Sep 2025 - Feb 2026). Data sourced from official aviation weather services. Updated daily.

Sandy Lake Airport - Airport Information

Airport Details

ICAO Code: CZSJ
IATA Code: ZSJ
Type: medium airport
Status: active
Elevation: 951 ft MSL

Location

City: Sandy Lake
Country: CA
Latitude: 53.064201°
Longitude: -93.344398°
Time Zone: Etc/GMT+6

Runway Information

Runway 11/29
Length: 3,500 ft
Width: 100 ft
Surface: GRVL
ILS: No

Nearby Airports

VFR MVFR IFR LIFR No Data

About Sandy Lake Airport

Overview

Sandy Lake Airport serves the remote community of Sandy Lake in northern Canada, located at 53.064201, -93.344398. As a medium-sized airport situated at 951 feet above mean sea level, it provides critical aviation infrastructure for transportation and regional connectivity in this northern Ontario area.

Flying Conditions

Weather at Sandy Lake Airport demonstrates significant variability, with visual flight rules (VFR) conditions present 41.5% of the time and marginal VFR conditions occurring 41.8% of observations. Temperature ranges dramatically from -38°C to 31°C, with an average of -6.5°C, requiring pilots to prepare for extreme cold weather operations. Prevailing westerly winds at an average of 6.5 knots and maximum gusts of 20 knots characterize the airport's wind profile.

Notable Features

The single runway 11/29 is a 3,500-foot gravel surface, typical of northern Canadian airports serving remote communities. Visibility averages 7.5 statute miles, with rare instances of reduced visibility (below 3SM occurring in 3.3% of observations) and minimal fog presence (0.8% of records). The runway experiences favorable wind conditions 100% of the time, with an average crosswind of just 3.1 knots.

Approach Considerations

September, December, and October represent the most consistently favorable VFR months for operations. Pilots should anticipate westerly winds and be prepared for potential temperature extremes. The low occurrence of instrument meteorological conditions (IFR at 13.7%, LIFR at 2.9%) suggests generally reliable visual flight opportunities throughout the year.

Data Sources & Accuracy: Airport information sourced from OurAirports.com, a collaborative database of worldwide airport data. Weather data from official aviation weather services including NOAA Aviation Weather Center and international METAR/TAF providers. Information is updated regularly but pilots should always verify current conditions and NOTAMs through official channels before flight operations.