Massena International Airport Richards Field

KMSS / MSS

Massena, US

Last Updated
Mar 4, 12:53Z

Current Weather

Display Units
Aging 1 hour ago
12:53Z

☀️ Day
VFR
Flight Rules
1°C
Temperature
Dewpoint: -3°C
13 kt
220°
10 SM
Visibility
5,500 ft
Ceiling
Above Ground Level
1025 hPa
QNH
Altimeter Setting

Raw METAR

METAR KMSS 041253Z AUTO 22013KT 10SM BKN055 01/M03 A3028 RMK AO2 SLP258 T00061028

Clouds - Visual Profile

12,000ft
9,000ft
6,000ft
3,000ft
Ground
Field Elev: 215 ft
BKN 5,500 ft AGL
☁️
BKN
Broken (5/8-7/8 sky coverage)
5,500 ft
AGL (Above Ground)
5,715 ft AMSL
QNH
1025 hPa
Sea Level Pressure
For altitude above MSL
QFE
1018 hPa
Field Pressure
Height above aerodrome (215 ft)
Pressure Alt
-138 ft
QNE Reference
Standard: 1013 hPa
Density Altitude: -1,766 ft
ISA Deviation: -13.6°C

Forecast (TAF)

View Full TAF
Raw TAF
TAF KMSS 041128Z 0412/0512 23008KT P6SM SCT018 OVC045 FM041600 22005KT P6SM SCT035 FM051000 04005KT 4SM BR OVC018
Upcoming Changes (Next 12 Hours)
13:56Z BASE
+0h
VFR 230° 8 kt
Visibility: >6SM
Ceiling: 4,500 ft
16:00Z FM041600
+3h
VFR 220° 5 kt
Visibility: >6SM

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
MSS
05
23 ✈️
09
27 ✈️

Runway Information

Runway Length Width Surface Heading Wind Component
✈️ 05/23
Active: 23
5,601 ft 100 ft ASP 31°
12.8 kt 2.3 kt
10° angle
✈️ 09/27
Active: 27
4,000 ft 100 ft ASP 76°
8.4 kt 10.0 kt
50° angle
🟢 Active Runway: Best headwind component for current conditions
⬆️ Headwind: Favorable wind component
↔️ Crosswind: ≤10kt Safe, 11-15kt Caution, >15kt Challenging

Weather Statistics - KMSS

5,476 observations | Sep 2025 - Mar 2026

Flight Rules Distribution

VFR
55.9%
MVFR
31%
IFR
10%
LIFR
3.1%

Massena International Airport Richards Field is frequently affected by reduced visibility conditions, with VFR weather only 55.9% of the time and IFR/LIFR conditions occurring in 13.1% of observations. Prevailing winds are from the SW averaging 8.5 knots. Calm conditions occur 18.9% of the time. Temperature extremes range from -29°C to 28°C, reflecting significant seasonal variation. Low visibility conditions (below 3 SM) occur in 6.4% of weather observations. The best months for VFR flying are March, September, October.

Wind Analysis

Prevailing Direction: SW (225°)
Average Speed: 8.5 kt
Maximum Recorded: 29 kt
Calm Winds: 18.9%
Direction Distribution:
N
3%
NE
14.8%
E
6.9%
SE
1%
S
6%
SW
23.1%
W
20.6%
NW
5.8%

Temperature Range

Average: -1.7°C
Range: -29°C to 28°C
-29°C 28°C

Visibility

Average: 8.3 SM
Below 3 SM: 6.4%
Fog Frequency: 1.7%

Best Months for VFR

March September October

Runway Wind Analysis

Runway 05/23
Favorable wind: 100%
Avg crosswind: 3.5 kt
Runway 09/27
Favorable wind: 100%
Avg crosswind: 4.5 kt

Statistics computed from 5,476 METAR observations (Sep 2025 - Mar 2026). Data sourced from official aviation weather services. Updated daily.

Massena International Airport Richards Field - Airport Information

Airport Details

ICAO Code: KMSS
IATA Code: MSS
Type: medium airport
Status: active
Elevation: 215 ft MSL

Location

City: Massena
Country: US
Latitude: 44.936157°
Longitude: -74.844304°
Time Zone: Etc/GMT+5

Runway Information

Runway 05/23
Length: 5,601 ft
Width: 100 ft
Surface: ASP
ILS: No
Runway 09/27
Length: 4,000 ft
Width: 100 ft
Surface: ASP
ILS: No

About Massena International Airport Richards Field

Overview

Massena International Airport Richards Field serves the northern New York region, located near the Canadian border at coordinates 44.936157, -74.844304. Situated at an elevation of 215 feet MSL, this medium airport provides critical aviation infrastructure for St. Lawrence County. The airport features two asphalt runways capable of handling a variety of aircraft operations.

Flying Conditions

Pilots can expect predominantly VFR conditions 56% of the time, with MVFR conditions occurring 29.4% of observations. Temperature variations are significant, ranging from -26°C to 28°C, with an average of 0.9°C. Wind patterns are consistently southwesterly at 225°, averaging 8.6 knots, with calm conditions present 20.7% of the time and occasional gusts up to 29 knots.

Notable Features

The airport's two runways offer flexible operational capabilities: Runway 05/23 measures 5,601 feet, while Runway 09/27 is 4,000 feet long. Both runways demonstrate 100% favorable wind alignments, with minimal average crosswind components of 3.7 and 4.6 knots respectively. Visibility typically remains excellent, averaging 8.4 statute miles with only 6.1% of observations showing reduced visibility.

Approach Considerations

September, October, and December represent the best VFR months for operations at Massena International Airport. Pilots should anticipate predominantly southwestern wind patterns when planning approaches. The consistent wind characteristics and low average crosswind speeds provide relatively straightforward landing conditions across both primary runways.

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.