Amílcar Cabral International Airport

GVAC / SID

Espargos, CV

Last Updated
Jul 17, 23:00Z

Current Weather

Display Units
Fresh 27 min ago
23:00Z

🌙 Night
MVFR
Flight Rules
25°C
Temperature
Dewpoint: 24°C
12 kt
90°
10+ km
Visibility
1,400 ft
Ceiling
Above Ground Level
1014 hPa
QNH
Altimeter Setting

Raw METAR

METAR GVAC 172300Z 09012KT 9999 BKN014 25/24 Q1014 NOSIG

Clouds - Visual Profile

12,000ft
9,000ft
6,000ft
3,000ft
Ground
Field Elev: 177 ft
BKN 1,400 ft AGL
☁️
BKN
Broken (5/8-7/8 sky coverage)
1,400 ft
AGL (Above Ground)
1,577 ft AMSL

Weather Briefing

MVFR

Amílcar Cabral International Airport is currently reporting marginal VFR (MVFR) conditions with broken clouds at 1,400 feet and 10 miles or greater visibility.

Wind Analysis

Winds are from the east (90°) at 12 knots. Runway 07/25 is favored with a 11-knot headwind and 4-knot crosswind component.

Visibility & Ceiling

Visibility is unrestricted. The ceiling is 1400 feet AGL (broken), placing conditions in the MVFR category.

Temperature & Moisture

Temperature is 25°C (77°F) with a dewpoint of 24°C. The temperature-dewpoint spread is very narrow, indicating saturated or near-saturated air. Fog formation or low cloud development is likely.

Forecast Outlook

The TAF forecast covers the next 30 hours. Conditions are expected to fluctuate between VFR and MVFR. VFR pilots should be prepared for deteriorating conditions. Temporary MVFR conditions are forecast between 18:00Z and 21:00Z.

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
1014 hPa
Sea Level Pressure
For altitude above MSL
QFE
1008 hPa
Field Pressure
Height above aerodrome (177 ft)
Pressure Alt
155 ft
QNE Reference
Standard: 1013 hPa
Density Altitude: 1,397 ft
ISA Deviation: +10.4°C

Forecast (TAF)

View Full TAF
Raw TAF
TAF GVAC 171700Z 1718/1824 10012KT 9999 BKN013 TEMPO 1718/1721 SCT013 BKN015 BECMG 1808/1810 SCT014
Upcoming Changes (Next 12 Hours)
23:26Z BASE
+0h
MVFR 100° 12 kt
Visibility: 10+ km
Ceiling: 1,300 ft
08:00Z BECMG
+9h
VFR

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
VAC
01
19
07 ✈️
25

Runway Information

Runway Length Width Surface Heading Wind Component
01/19 9,843 ft 148 ft ASP 358°
0.4 kt 12.0 kt
92° angle
✈️ 07/25
Active: 07
4,921 ft 148 ft ASP 58°
11.3 kt 4.1 kt
20° angle
🟢 Active Runway: Best headwind component for current conditions
⬆️ Headwind: Favorable wind component
↔️ Crosswind: ≤10kt Safe, 11-15kt Caution, >15kt Challenging

Weather Statistics - GVAC

6,999 observations | Sep 2025 - Jul 2026

Flight Rules Distribution

VFR
58.7%
MVFR
39%
IFR
2.1%
LIFR
0.2%

Amílcar Cabral International Airport is frequently affected by reduced visibility conditions, with VFR weather only 58.7% of the time and IFR/LIFR conditions occurring in 2.3% of observations. Prevailing winds are from the NE averaging 13.4 knots, with gusts recorded up to 80 knots. Temperatures typically range between 17°C and 33°C with an average of 23.2°C. The best months for VFR flying are December, November, October.

Wind Analysis

Prevailing Direction: NE (45°)
Average Speed: 13.4 kt
Maximum Recorded: 80 kt
Calm Winds: 0%
Direction Distribution:
E
9.6%
N
17.3%
S
0.3%
W
0.4%
NE
70.2%
NW
1.6%
SE
0.4%
SW
0.1%

Temperature Range

Average: 23.2°C
Range: 17°C to 33°C
17°C 33°C

Visibility

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

Best Months for VFR

December November October

Runway Wind Analysis

Runway 01/19
Favorable wind: 100%
Avg crosswind: 7.4 kt
Runway 07/25
Favorable wind: 100%
Avg crosswind: 5.9 kt

Statistics computed from 6,999 METAR observations (Sep 2025 - Jul 2026). Data sourced from official aviation weather services. Updated daily.

Amílcar Cabral International Airport - Airport Information

Airport Details

ICAO Code: GVAC
IATA Code: SID
Type: large airport
Status: active
Elevation: 177 ft MSL

Location

City: Espargos
Country: CV
Latitude: 16.741400°
Longitude: -22.949400°
Time Zone: Etc/GMT+2

Runway Information

Runway 01/19
Length: 9,843 ft
Width: 148 ft
Surface: ASP
ILS: No
Runway 07/25
Length: 4,921 ft
Width: 148 ft
Surface: ASP
ILS: No

About Amílcar Cabral International Airport

Overview

Amílcar Cabral International Airport serves Sal Island in Cape Verde, located in the central Atlantic Ocean. Situated in Espargos at 177 feet above mean sea level, the airport is a critical transportation hub for the region, providing international and domestic air connectivity.

Flying Conditions

The airport experiences typical maritime tropical climate conditions with relatively stable temperatures and moderate wind patterns. Its coastal location suggests potential for variable winds, particularly between runways 01/19 and 07/25, which offer different wind alignment options for pilots.

Notable Features

The airport features two asphalt runways with significant length variations: the primary runway 01/19 extends 9,843 feet, while the secondary runway 07/25 measures 4,921 feet. Its elevation at 177 feet MSL indicates a relatively low-altitude airport environment without significant terrain challenges.

Approach Considerations

Pilots should evaluate wind direction when selecting runway, with the longer 01/19 runway providing more operational flexibility for larger aircraft. The substantial runway lengths at 9,843 and 4,921 feet accommodate a wide range of aircraft types, supporting both commercial and potential military aviation operations.

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.