Fort Smith Airport

CYSM / YSM

Fort Smith, CA

Last Updated
Mar 4, 23:00Z

Current Weather

Display Units
Recent 53 min ago
23:00Z

🌙 Night
VFR
Flight Rules
-24°C
Temperature
Dewpoint: -31°C
11 kt
150°
15 SM
Visibility
Ceiling
Unlimited
1019 hPa
QNH
Altimeter Setting

Raw METAR

METAR CYSM 042300Z 15011KT 15SM DRSN FEW130 SCT250 M24/M31 A3010 RMK AC2CI2 CONTRAILS SLP228

Clouds - Visual Profile

12,000ft
9,000ft
6,000ft
3,000ft
Ground
Field Elev: 671 ft
FEW 13,000 ft AGL
SCT 25,000 ft AGL
🌤️
FEW
Few (1/8-2/8 sky coverage)
13,000 ft
AGL (Above Ground)
13,671 ft AMSL
SCT
Scattered (3/8-4/8 sky coverage)
25,000 ft
AGL (Above Ground)
25,671 ft AMSL
QNH
1019 hPa
Sea Level Pressure
For altitude above MSL
QFE
997 hPa
Field Pressure
Height above aerodrome (671 ft)
Pressure Alt
499 ft
QNE Reference
Standard: 1013 hPa
Density Altitude: -4,020 ft
ISA Deviation: -37.7°C

Forecast (TAF)

View Full TAF
Raw TAF
TAF CYSM 041740Z 0418/0506 12008G18KT P6SM SCT040 BKN080 TEMPO 0418/0506 4SM -SN BKN040 OVC080 RMK NXT FCST BY 050000Z
Upcoming Changes (Next 12 Hours)
23:52Z BASE
+0h
VFR 120° 8 kt
Visibility: >6SM
Ceiling: 8,000 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
YSM
03
21
12 ✈️
30

Runway Information

Runway Length Width Surface Heading Wind Component
03/21 1,800 ft 100 ft COM 41°
3.6 kt 10.4 kt
109° angle
✈️ 12/30
Active: 12
6,000 ft 100 ft ASP 131°
9.5 kt 5.5 kt
30° angle
🟢 Active Runway: Best headwind component for current conditions
⬆️ Headwind: Favorable wind component
↔️ Crosswind: ≤10kt Safe, 11-15kt Caution, >15kt Challenging

Weather Statistics - CYSM

4,837 observations | Sep 2025 - Mar 2026

Flight Rules Distribution

VFR
58.5%
MVFR
25.2%
IFR
13.5%
LIFR
2.7%

Fort Smith Airport is frequently affected by reduced visibility conditions, with VFR weather only 58.5% of the time and IFR/LIFR conditions occurring in 16.2% of observations. Prevailing winds are from the SE averaging 6.2 knots. Temperature extremes range from -46°C to 58°C, reflecting significant seasonal variation. The best months for VFR flying are March, September, January.

Wind Analysis

Prevailing Direction: SE (135°)
Average Speed: 6.2 kt
Maximum Recorded: 25 kt
Calm Winds: 8.2%
Direction Distribution:
N
10%
NE
4.1%
E
4.9%
SE
19.6%
S
12.8%
SW
6.8%
W
16.2%
NW
17.5%

Temperature Range

Average: -11.8°C
Range: -46°C to 58°C
-46°C 58°C

Visibility

Average: 12.4 SM
Below 3 SM: 4.7%
Fog Frequency: 1.1%

Best Months for VFR

March September January

Runway Wind Analysis

Runway 03/21
Favorable wind: 100%
Avg crosswind: 4.8 kt
Runway 12/30
Favorable wind: 100%
Avg crosswind: 3 kt

Statistics computed from 4,837 METAR observations (Sep 2025 - Mar 2026). Data sourced from official aviation weather services. Updated daily.

Fort Smith Airport - Airport Information

Airport Details

ICAO Code: CYSM
IATA Code: YSM
Type: medium airport
Status: active
Elevation: 671 ft MSL

Location

City: Fort Smith
Country: CA
Latitude: 60.020302°
Longitude: -111.961998°
Time Zone: Etc/GMT+7

Runway Information

Runway 03/21
Length: 1,800 ft
Width: 100 ft
Surface: COM
ILS: No
Runway 12/30
Length: 6,000 ft
Width: 100 ft
Surface: ASP
ILS: No

About Fort Smith Airport

Overview

Fort Smith Airport serves the community in northwestern Canada, located at 60.020302, -111.961998 with an elevation of 671 ft MSL. As a medium airport, it provides critical aviation infrastructure in a remote region, supporting regional transportation and potentially resource industry operations in the Northwest Territories.

Flying Conditions

Weather at Fort Smith demonstrates significant variability, with visual flight rules (VFR) conditions prevailing 57.8% of the time. Temperature extremes range dramatically from -46°C to 58°C, with an average of -8.9°C, presenting challenging environmental conditions for pilots. Winds predominantly come from the southeast at an average of 6.4 knots, with occasional gusts up to 25 knots.

Notable Features

The airport features two runways: a 1,800 ft COM runway (03/21) and a 6,000 ft ASP runway (12/30), providing operational flexibility. Both runways demonstrate 100% favorable wind alignment, with minimal average crosswind components of 4.9 kt and 3.1 kt respectively. Visibility averages 12.3 statute miles, with occasional reduced conditions including 4.5% of observations below 3 SM and 1.5% fog presence.

Approach Considerations

Seasonal considerations are critical, with September, January, and December offering the most consistently favorable VFR conditions. Instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) occur 17% of the time, with MVFR and IFR conditions combining for 38.7% of observations. Pilots should prepare for potential weather transitions and maintain currency in instrument procedures given the variable climate.

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.