Cairns International Airport

YBCS / CNS

Cairns, AU

Last Updated
Feb 7, 16:00Z

Current Weather

Display Units
Fresh 22 min ago
16:00Z

☀️ Day
VFR
Flight Rules
26°C
Temperature
Dewpoint: 25°C
6 kt
190°
10+ km
Visibility
4,000 ft
Ceiling
Above Ground Level
--
QNH
Altimeter Setting

Raw METAR

METAR YBCS 071600Z AUTO 19006KT 150V220 9999 -SHRA FEW025 OVC040 26/25 Q1010

Clouds - Visual Profile

12,000ft
9,000ft
6,000ft
3,000ft
Ground
Field Elev: 10 ft
FEW 2,500 ft AGL
OVC 4,000 ft AGL
🌤️
FEW
Few (1/8-2/8 sky coverage)
2,500 ft
AGL (Above Ground)
2,510 ft AMSL
☁️
OVC
Overcast (8/8 sky coverage)
4,000 ft
AGL (Above Ground)
4,010 ft AMSL

Forecast (TAF)

View Full TAF
Raw TAF
TAF YBCS 071424Z 0715/0812 17008KT 9999 -SHRA SCT015 BKN024 FM072300 15014KT 9999 -SHRA BKN025 FM081000 18007KT 9999 -SHRA SCT015 BKN022 INTER 0715/0812 VRB15G25KT 2000 SHRA BKN012 SCT020TCU
Upcoming Changes (Next 12 Hours)
16:21Z BASE
+0h
MVFR 170° 8 kt
Visibility: 10+ km
Ceiling: 2,400 ft
Light Showers Rain
23:00Z FM072300
+7h
MVFR 150° 14 kt
Visibility: 10+ km
Ceiling: 2,500 ft
Light Showers Rain

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
Chart Features
  • • Hover for exact values and timestamps
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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
BCS
12 ✈️
30
15 ✈️
33

Runway Information

Runway Length Width Surface Heading Wind Component
✈️ 12/30
Active: 12
3,035 ft 60 ft ASP 126°
2.1 kt 5.6 kt
70° angle
✈️ 15/33
Active: 15
10,489 ft 148 ft ASP 156°
4.6 kt 3.9 kt
40° angle
🟢 Active Runway: Best headwind component for current conditions
⬆️ Headwind: Favorable wind component
↔️ Crosswind: ≤10kt Safe, 11-15kt Caution, >15kt Challenging

Weather Statistics - YBCS

7,515 observations | Sep 2025 - Feb 2026

Flight Rules Distribution

VFR
79.9%
MVFR
17.7%
IFR
1.9%
LIFR
0.5%

Cairns International Airport typically experiences VFR conditions 79.9% of the time, though instrument-rated pilots will find IFR weather present approximately 2.4% of observations. Prevailing winds are from the S averaging 7.7 knots. Temperatures typically range between 17°C and 35°C with an average of 26.4°C. The best months for VFR flying are November, October, December.

Wind Analysis

Prevailing Direction: S (180°)
Average Speed: 7.7 kt
Maximum Recorded: 27 kt
Calm Winds: 7.7%
Direction Distribution:
N
7.5%
NE
8.6%
E
8.4%
SE
23.1%
S
30.8%
SW
2%
W
8.3%
NW
3.6%

Temperature Range

Average: 26.4°C
Range: 17°C to 35°C
17°C 35°C

Visibility

Average: 10 SM
Below 3 SM: 0%
Fog Frequency: 0.1%

Best Months for VFR

November October December

Runway Wind Analysis

Runway 12/30
Favorable wind: 100%
Avg crosswind: 4.7 kt
Runway 15/33
Favorable wind: 100%
Avg crosswind: 3.5 kt

Statistics computed from 7,515 METAR observations (Sep 2025 - Feb 2026). Data sourced from official aviation weather services. Updated daily.

Cairns International Airport - Airport Information

Airport Details

ICAO Code: YBCS
IATA Code: CNS
Type: medium airport
Status: active
Elevation: 10 ft MSL

Location

City: Cairns
Country: AU
Latitude: -16.878921°
Longitude: 145.749480°
Time Zone: Etc/GMT-10

Runway Information

Runway 12/30
Length: 3,035 ft
Width: 60 ft
Surface: ASP
ILS: No
Runway 15/33
Length: 10,489 ft
Width: 148 ft
Surface: ASP
ILS: No

Nearby Airports

VFR MVFR IFR LIFR No Data

About Cairns International Airport

Overview

Cairns International Airport serves as a critical aviation hub in northeastern Queensland, Australia, connecting regional, domestic, and international traffic. Located at 10 feet mean sea level near the coastal city of Cairns, the airport supports medium-sized aircraft operations with two asphalt runways. Its strategic position makes it a key gateway for tourism and commercial aviation in the tropical North Queensland region.

Flying Conditions

The airport demonstrates predominantly favorable VFR conditions, with 80.7% of observations indicating visual flight rules are suitable. Wind patterns are consistently from the south at an average of 7.8 knots, with temperatures ranging between 17°C and 35°C, averaging 26.4°C. Both runways offer 100% favorable wind alignment, with minimal crosswind challenges averaging 3.5-4.8 knots.

Notable Features

Situated at coordinates -16.878921, 145.749480, Cairns International Airport is characterized by its low elevation and tropical coastal environment. The two runways—12/30 (3,035 ft) and 15/33 (10,489 ft)—provide flexibility for different aircraft types and operational requirements. The longer runway (15/33) offers substantial landing and takeoff capabilities for larger aircraft.

Approach Considerations

Pilots can expect consistently good visibility averaging 10 statute miles, with extremely rare instances of reduced visibility. October through December represent the best VFR months, providing optimal flying conditions. The uniform wind patterns and minimal crosswind conditions suggest straightforward approach and departure procedures for most aircraft categories.

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.