La Palma Airport

GCLA / SPC

Sta Cruz de la Palma, La Palma Island, ES

Last Updated
Jun 7, 14:30Z

Current Weather

Display Units
Fresh 7 min ago
14:30Z

☀️ Day
VFR
Flight Rules
22°C
Temperature
Dewpoint: 17°C
16 kt
360°
10+ km
Visibility
3,500 ft
Ceiling
Above Ground Level
--
QNH
Altimeter Setting

Raw METAR

METAR GCLA 071430Z 36016KT 9999 BKN035 22/17 Q1022

Clouds - Visual Profile

12,000ft
9,000ft
6,000ft
3,000ft
Ground
Field Elev: 107 ft
BKN 3,500 ft AGL
☁️
BKN
Broken (5/8-7/8 sky coverage)
3,500 ft
AGL (Above Ground)
3,607 ft AMSL

Weather Briefing

VFR

La Palma Airport is currently reporting visual flight rules (VFR) conditions with broken clouds at 3,500 feet and 10 miles or greater visibility.

Wind Analysis

Winds are from the north (360°) at 16 knots. Runway 36/18 is favored with a 16-knot headwind and 0-knot crosswind component. Student pilots and low-time aviators should exercise caution.

Visibility & Ceiling

Visibility is unrestricted. The ceiling is 3500 feet AGL (broken), well above standard VFR minimums.

Temperature & Moisture

Temperature is 22°C (72°F) with a dewpoint of 17°C, indicating moderate moisture conditions.

Forecast Outlook

The TAF forecast covers the next 24 hours. Conditions are expected to remain VFR throughout the forecast period. There is a 40% probability of VFR conditions between 13:00Z and 22:00Z. There is a 40% probability of VFR conditions between 02:00Z and 07:00Z.

Pilot Recommendations

Conditions are favorable for visual flight.

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

Forecast (TAF)

View Full TAF
Raw TAF
TAF GCLA 070800Z 0709/0809 02014KT 9999 SCT030 TX24/0714Z TN19/0806Z PROB40 TEMPO 0713/0722 01015G25KT PROB40 TEMPO 0802/0807 32008KT
Upcoming Changes (Next 12 Hours)
14:36Z BASE
+0h
VFR 20° 14 kt
Visibility: 10+ km
02:00Z PROB40 TEMPO
+12h
VFR 320° 8 kt

24-Hour Weather Evolution

Loading weather data...
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
CLA
36 ✈️
18

Runway Information

Runway Length Width Surface Heading Wind Component
✈️ 36/18
Active: 36
7,218 ft 148 ft ASP 359°
16.0 kt 0.0 kt
0° angle
🟢 Active Runway: Best headwind component for current conditions
⬆️ Headwind: Favorable wind component
↔️ Crosswind: ≤10kt Safe, 11-15kt Caution, >15kt Challenging

Weather Statistics - GCLA

12,240 observations | Sep 2025 - Jun 2026

Flight Rules Distribution

VFR
85.5%
MVFR
13.3%
IFR
1.1%
LIFR
0.1%

La Palma Airport enjoys predominantly VFR conditions, with visual flight rules prevailing 85.5% of the time. Prevailing winds are from the N averaging 9.1 knots, with gusts recorded up to 32 knots. Temperatures typically range between 12°C and 32°C with an average of 19.9°C. The best months for VFR flying are December, September, January.

Wind Analysis

Prevailing Direction: N (0°)
Average Speed: 9.1 kt
Maximum Recorded: 32 kt
Calm Winds: 0.6%
Direction Distribution:
E
2%
N
50%
S
4.1%
W
12.9%
NE
8.6%
NW
18.3%
SE
1.7%
SW
1.9%

Temperature Range

Average: 19.9°C
Range: 12°C to 32°C
12°C 32°C

Visibility

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

Best Months for VFR

December September January

Runway Wind Analysis

Runway 36/18
Favorable wind: 100%
Avg crosswind: 3.4 kt

Statistics computed from 12,240 METAR observations (Sep 2025 - Jun 2026). Data sourced from official aviation weather services. Updated daily.

La Palma Airport - Airport Information

Airport Details

ICAO Code: GCLA
IATA Code: SPC
Type: medium airport
Status: active
Elevation: 107 ft MSL

Location

City: Sta Cruz de la Palma, La Palma Island
Country: ES
Latitude: 28.626499°
Longitude: -17.755600°
Time Zone: Etc/GMT+1

Runway Information

Runway 36/18
Length: 7,218 ft
Width: 148 ft
Surface: ASP
ILS: No

About La Palma Airport

Overview

La Palma Airport serves Sta Cruz de la Palma on La Palma Island, a medium-sized airport situated at 107 feet above mean sea level. The airport supports regional and inter-island aviation operations in the Canary Islands archipelago, providing critical transportation infrastructure for this Atlantic Ocean island region.

Flying Conditions

The airport experiences predominantly VFR conditions 88.7% of the time, with excellent visibility averaging 10 statute miles. Wind patterns are consistently from the north at an average of 8.6 knots, with occasional gusts up to 32 knots, making for generally stable flying conditions. December, January, and September represent the most favorable VFR months with optimal meteorological parameters.

Notable Features

Located at coordinates 28.626499, -17.755600, the airport features a single asphalt runway (36/18) measuring 7,218 feet in length. The terrain surrounding the airport likely presents typical island topographical challenges, with potential orographic wind effects due to the island's volcanic landscape and coastal positioning.

Approach Considerations

The single runway (36/18) demonstrates highly favorable wind alignment, with 100% wind compatibility and a modest average crosswind of only 3.5 knots. Pilots can expect consistent runway conditions with minimal wind-related approach complications, particularly during the statistically optimal VFR months of December, January, and September.

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.