Salinas Municipal Airport

KSNS / SNS

Salinas, US

Last Updated
Apr 21, 23:53Z

Current Weather

Display Units
Recent 41 min ago
23:53Z

🌙 Night
VFR
Flight Rules
16°C
Temperature
Dewpoint: 8°C
16 kt
260° G23 kt
10 SM
Visibility
6,000 ft
Ceiling
Above Ground Level
1015 hPa
QNH
Altimeter Setting

Raw METAR

METAR KSNS 212353Z 26016G23KT 10SM BKN060 16/08 A2998 RMK AO2 SLP160 60013 T01610083 10167 20117 56004

Clouds - Visual Profile

12,000ft
9,000ft
6,000ft
3,000ft
Ground
Field Elev: 85 ft
BKN 6,000 ft AGL
☁️
BKN
Broken (5/8-7/8 sky coverage)
6,000 ft
AGL (Above Ground)
6,085 ft AMSL

Weather Briefing

VFR

Salinas Municipal Airport is currently reporting visual flight rules (VFR) conditions with broken clouds at 6,000 feet and 10 SM visibility.

Wind Analysis

Winds are from the west (260°) at 16 knots with gusts to 23 knots. Runway 26 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 10 SM. The ceiling is 6000 feet AGL (broken), well above standard VFR minimums.

Temperature & Moisture

Temperature is 16°C (61°F) with a dewpoint of 8°C, indicating moderate moisture conditions.

Forecast Outlook

The TAF forecast covers the next 24 hours. Conditions are expected to fluctuate between VFR and MVFR. VFR pilots should be prepared for deteriorating conditions. Expected weather includes: Light Rain.

Pilot Recommendations

Conditions are favorable for visual flight. The forecast indicates conditions may deteriorate. Ensure you have fuel reserves and a viable alternate airport.

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

QNH
1015 hPa
Sea Level Pressure
For altitude above MSL
QFE
1012 hPa
Field Pressure
Height above aerodrome (85 ft)
Pressure Alt
33 ft
QNE Reference
Standard: 1013 hPa
Density Altitude: 173 ft
ISA Deviation: +1.2°C

Forecast (TAF)

View Full TAF
Raw TAF
TAF KSNS 212346Z 2200/2224 29013KT P6SM BKN060 FM220300 26007KT P6SM -RA BKN040 FM220800 VRB03KT P6SM OVC045 FM221300 14009KT 4SM -RA BKN035 FM222000 30010KT P6SM BKN040
Upcoming Changes (Next 12 Hours)
00:34Z BASE
+0h
VFR 290° 13 kt
Visibility: >6SM
Ceiling: 6,000 ft
03:00Z FM220300
+3h
VFR 260° 7 kt
Visibility: >6SM
Ceiling: 4,000 ft
Light Rain
08:00Z FM220800
+8h
VFR VRB 3 kt
Visibility: >6SM
Ceiling: 4,500 ft

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
SNS
08
26 ✈️
13
31
14
32

Runway Information

Runway Length Width Surface Heading Wind Component
✈️ 08/26
Active: 26
6,004 ft 150 ft ASP 96°
16.0 kt 0.0 kt
0° angle
13/31 4,825 ft 150 ft ASP 147°
6.3 kt 14.7 kt
113° angle
14/32 1,900 ft 50 ft ASP 153°
4.7 kt 15.3 kt
107° angle
🟢 Active Runway: Best headwind component for current conditions
⬆️ Headwind: Favorable wind component
↔️ Crosswind: ≤10kt Safe, 11-15kt Caution, >15kt Challenging

Weather Statistics - KSNS

6,255 observations | Sep 2025 - Apr 2026

Flight Rules Distribution

VFR
73.6%
MVFR
14.8%
IFR
5.6%
LIFR
6%

Salinas Municipal Airport typically experiences VFR conditions 73.6% of the time, though instrument-rated pilots will find IFR weather present approximately 11.6% of observations. Prevailing winds are from the SE averaging 7.6 knots, with gusts recorded up to 34 knots. Calm conditions occur 18% of the time. Temperature extremes range from 1°C to 34°C, reflecting significant seasonal variation. The best months for VFR flying are January, March, February.

Wind Analysis

Prevailing Direction: SE (135°)
Average Speed: 7.6 kt
Maximum Recorded: 34 kt
Calm Winds: 18%
Direction Distribution:
N
8.7%
NE
1.2%
E
5.3%
SE
27%
S
4.9%
SW
2.2%
W
13.7%
NW
18.9%

Temperature Range

Average: 14.1°C
Range: 1°C to 34°C
1°C 34°C

Visibility

Average: 9.3 SM
Below 3 SM: 1.8%
Fog Frequency: 3.2%

Best Months for VFR

January March February

Runway Wind Analysis

Runway 08/26
Favorable wind: 100%
Avg crosswind: 5.5 kt
Runway 13/31
Favorable wind: 100%
Avg crosswind: 2.4 kt
Runway 14/32
Favorable wind: 100%
Avg crosswind: 2.5 kt

Statistics computed from 6,255 METAR observations (Sep 2025 - Apr 2026). Data sourced from official aviation weather services. Updated daily.

Salinas Municipal Airport - Airport Information

Airport Details

ICAO Code: KSNS
IATA Code: SNS
Type: medium airport
Status: active
Elevation: 85 ft MSL

Location

City: Salinas
Country: US
Latitude: 36.662800°
Longitude: -121.606003°
Time Zone: Etc/GMT+8

Runway Information

Runway 08/26
Length: 6,004 ft
Width: 150 ft
Surface: ASP
ILS: No
Runway 13/31
Length: 4,825 ft
Width: 150 ft
Surface: ASP
ILS: No
Runway 14/32
Length: 1,900 ft
Width: 50 ft
Surface: ASP
ILS: No

About Salinas Municipal Airport

Overview

Salinas Municipal Airport serves the agricultural Monterey County region in California, located at an elevation of 85 feet MSL. The airport provides critical transportation infrastructure for local and transient general aviation operations, featuring three paved runways ranging from 1,900 to 6,004 feet in length.

Flying Conditions

Weather conditions at KSNS demonstrate significant variability, with Visual Flight Rules (VFR) predominating at 70.4% of observations. Pilots can expect prevailing southeast winds averaging 7.6 knots, with temperatures ranging from 1°C to 31°C and average visibility around 9.3 statute miles. Winter months of January, November, and December typically offer the most consistent VFR conditions.

Notable Features

The airport's three runways offer multiple landing options with consistent wind alignment. All three runways (08/26, 13/31, and 14/32) demonstrate 100% favorable wind conditions, with low average crosswind velocities between 2.3 and 5.6 knots. The terrain surrounding Salinas suggests a relatively flat approach environment typical of California's agricultural central coast region.

Approach Considerations

Runway 08/26, the longest at 6,004 feet, provides the primary landing surface with the most extensive operational flexibility. Pilots should anticipate southeast winds and prepare for potential fog conditions, which occur in 3.6% of observations. Instrument meteorological conditions (IFR and LIFR) represent approximately 13.6% of recorded weather, suggesting occasional challenges for visual approaches.

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.