King Mswati III International Airport

FDSK / SHO

Mpaka, SZ

Last Updated
Apr 22, 21:00Z

Current Weather

Display Units
Stale 2 hours ago
21:00Z

🌙 Night
MVFR
Flight Rules
17°C
Temperature
Dewpoint: 14°C
13 kt
170°
10+ km
Visibility
2,500 ft
Ceiling
Above Ground Level
1024 hPa
QNH
Altimeter Setting

Raw METAR

METAR FDSK 222100Z 17013KT 9999 FEW020 BKN025 17/14 Q1024 NOSIG

Clouds - Visual Profile

12,000ft
9,000ft
6,000ft
3,000ft
Ground
Field Elev: 1,092 ft
FEW 2,000 ft AGL
BKN 2,500 ft AGL
🌤️
FEW
Few (1/8-2/8 sky coverage)
2,000 ft
AGL (Above Ground)
3,092 ft AMSL
☁️
BKN
Broken (5/8-7/8 sky coverage)
2,500 ft
AGL (Above Ground)
3,592 ft AMSL

Weather Briefing

MVFR

King Mswati III International Airport is currently reporting marginal VFR (MVFR) conditions with broken clouds at 2,500 feet and 10 miles or greater visibility. Note: This observation is 2.4 hours old and conditions may have changed.

Wind Analysis

Winds are from the south (170°) at 13 knots. Runway 20 is favored with a 11-knot headwind and 7-knot crosswind component.

Visibility & Ceiling

Visibility is unrestricted. The ceiling is 2500 feet AGL (broken), placing conditions in the MVFR category.

Temperature & Moisture

Temperature is 17°C (63°F) with a dewpoint of 14°C. The narrow temperature-dewpoint spread suggests high humidity and potential for visibility restrictions, especially during cooling periods.

Pilot Recommendations

VFR pilots should exercise caution. Consider filing IFR if instrument rated, or postponing the flight if conditions are expected to deteriorate further. The narrow temperature-dewpoint spread creates risk of fog formation, particularly during evening and early morning hours.

This briefing is generated from real-time METAR and TAF data. Always verify with official sources before flight.

QNH
1024 hPa
Sea Level Pressure
For altitude above MSL
QFE
988 hPa
Field Pressure
Height above aerodrome (1,092 ft)
Pressure Alt
770 ft
QNE Reference
Standard: 1013 hPa
Density Altitude: 1,272 ft
ISA Deviation: +4.2°C

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
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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
DSK
02
20 ✈️

Runway Information

Runway Length Width Surface Heading Wind Component
✈️ 02/20
Active: 20
11,811 ft 197 ft ASP
11.3 kt 6.5 kt
30° angle
🟢 Active Runway: Best headwind component for current conditions
⬆️ Headwind: Favorable wind component
↔️ Crosswind: ≤10kt Safe, 11-15kt Caution, >15kt Challenging

Weather Statistics - FDSK

3,034 observations | Sep 2025 - Apr 2026

Flight Rules Distribution

VFR
79.5%
MVFR
17.9%
IFR
2.3%
LIFR
0.3%

King Mswati III International Airport typically experiences VFR conditions 79.5% of the time, though instrument-rated pilots will find IFR weather present approximately 2.6% of observations. Prevailing winds are from the S averaging 7.8 knots. Temperatures typically range between 14°C and 38°C with an average of 24°C. The best months for VFR flying are February, October, April.

Wind Analysis

Prevailing Direction: S (180°)
Average Speed: 7.8 kt
Maximum Recorded: 24 kt
Calm Winds: 1.3%
Direction Distribution:
N
20.3%
NE
22.9%
E
8.9%
SE
7.1%
S
27.4%
SW
8.7%
W
1.9%
NW
1.5%

Temperature Range

Average: 24°C
Range: 14°C to 38°C
14°C 38°C

Visibility

Average: 10 SM
Below 3 SM: 0%
Fog Frequency: 2.6%

Best Months for VFR

February October April

Runway Wind Analysis

Runway 02/20
Favorable wind: 100%
Avg crosswind: 3 kt

Statistics computed from 3,034 METAR observations (Sep 2025 - Apr 2026). Data sourced from official aviation weather services. Updated daily.

King Mswati III International Airport - Airport Information

Airport Details

ICAO Code: FDSK
IATA Code: SHO
Type: large airport
Status: active
Elevation: 1,092 ft MSL

Location

City: Mpaka
Country: SZ
Latitude: -26.358611°
Longitude: 31.716944°
Time Zone: Etc/GMT-2

Runway Information

Runway 02/20
Length: 11,811 ft
Width: 197 ft
Surface: ASP
ILS: No

About King Mswati III International Airport

Overview

King Mswati III International Airport serves as a significant aviation gateway located in Mpaka, Eswatini (formerly Swaziland). Situated at an elevation of 1092 feet above mean sea level, this large airport provides critical air transportation infrastructure for the region. Its substantial runway length of 11,811 feet enables operations for a wide range of aircraft types.

Flying Conditions

The airport's elevation at 1092 feet MSL suggests potential moderate terrain interactions that could influence local weather patterns and aircraft performance. Pilots should anticipate potential wind variations typical of southern African regional topography. The airport's geographic coordinates at -26.358611, 31.716944 indicate a location with potentially complex meteorological conditions.

Notable Features

The airport features a single asphalt runway (02/20) with significant length, allowing for versatile operational capabilities. Its geographic position suggests potential interaction with surrounding terrain, which may create localized wind shear or turbulence conditions. The substantial runway length of 11,811 feet provides ample space for most commercial and cargo aircraft operations.

Approach Considerations

Runway 02/20 orientation suggests potential crosswind scenarios that pilots must carefully evaluate during approach and landing. The airport's elevation and geographic context recommend thorough pre-flight planning regarding performance calculations and potential atmospheric variations. Standard instrument approach procedures should be meticulously reviewed considering the airport's specific geographic and elevation characteristics.

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.

Official Data Sources

Weather NOAA Aviation Weather Center • International METAR/TAF Network
Airports OurAirports.com • Public domain airport database
NOTAMs FAA NOTAM System • ICAO NOTAM Distribution
Last updated: Jan 1, 1970 12:00 AM UTC

Disclaimer: Data is provided for informational purposes only. Pilots must verify all information through official sources before flight operations. Weather conditions change rapidly; always obtain a current briefing from approved weather services.