Fort Smith Airport

CYSM / YSM

Fort Smith, CA

Last Updated
Jun 13, 10:00Z

Current Weather

Display Units
Aging 1 hour ago
10:00Z

☀️ Day
VFR
Flight Rules
6°C
Temperature
Dewpoint: 4°C
2 kt
160°
15 SM
Visibility
Ceiling
Unlimited
1022 hPa
QNH
Altimeter Setting

Raw METAR

METAR CYSM 131000Z 16002KT 15SM FEW120 FEW150 SCT260 06/04 A3018 RMK FU1AC1CI1 SLP228

Clouds - Visual Profile

12,000ft
9,000ft
6,000ft
3,000ft
Ground
Field Elev: 671 ft
FEW 12,000 ft AGL
FEW 15,000 ft AGL
SCT 26,000 ft AGL
🌤️
FEW
Few (1/8-2/8 sky coverage)
12,000 ft
AGL (Above Ground)
12,671 ft AMSL
🌤️
FEW
Few (1/8-2/8 sky coverage)
15,000 ft
AGL (Above Ground)
15,671 ft AMSL
SCT
Scattered (3/8-4/8 sky coverage)
26,000 ft
AGL (Above Ground)
26,671 ft AMSL

Weather Briefing

VFR

Fort Smith Airport is currently reporting visual flight rules (VFR) conditions with scattered clouds at 26,000 feet and 15 SM visibility. Note: This observation is 1.1 hours old and conditions may have changed.

Wind Analysis

Winds are from the south-southeast (160°) at 2 knots.

Visibility & Ceiling

Visibility is 15 SM. No ceiling exists. Cloud layers reported: few at 12,000 ft, few at 15,000 ft, scattered at 26,000 ft.

Temperature & Moisture

Temperature is 6°C (43°F) with a dewpoint of 4°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 12 hours. Conditions are expected to remain VFR throughout the forecast period. Expected weather includes: FCST.

Pilot Recommendations

Conditions are favorable for visual flight. 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
1022 hPa
Sea Level Pressure
For altitude above MSL
QFE
1000 hPa
Field Pressure
Height above aerodrome (671 ft)
Pressure Alt
409 ft
QNE Reference
Standard: 1013 hPa
Density Altitude: -510 ft
ISA Deviation: -7.7°C

Forecast (TAF)

View Full TAF
Raw TAF
TAF CYSM 130548Z 1306/1318 VRB02KT P6SM BKN260 BECMG 1316/1318 23008KT RMK NXT FCST BY 131200Z
Upcoming Changes (Next 12 Hours)
11:08Z BASE
+0h
VFR VRB 2 kt
Visibility: >6SM
Ceiling: 26,000 ft
16:00Z BECMG
+5h
VFR 230° 8 kt
FCST

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°
1.0 kt 1.7 kt
119° angle
✈️ 12/30
Active: 12
6,000 ft 100 ft ASP 131°
1.5 kt 1.3 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 - CYSM

7,399 observations | Sep 2025 - Jun 2026

Flight Rules Distribution

VFR
67.3%
MVFR
19.8%
IFR
10.8%
LIFR
2.1%

Fort Smith Airport typically experiences VFR conditions 67.3% of the time, though instrument-rated pilots will find IFR weather present approximately 12.9% 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 May, March, April.

Wind Analysis

Prevailing Direction: SE (135°)
Average Speed: 6.2 kt
Maximum Recorded: 25 kt
Calm Winds: 8.2%
Direction Distribution:
E
6.4%
N
12.5%
S
11.4%
W
13.4%
NE
7.6%
NW
15.4%
SE
19%
SW
6.2%

Temperature Range

Average: -8.5°C
Range: -46°C to 58°C
-46°C 58°C

Visibility

Average: 12.9 SM
Below 3 SM: 3.7%
Fog Frequency: 0.9%

Best Months for VFR

May March April

Runway Wind Analysis

Runway 03/21
Favorable wind: 100%
Avg crosswind: 4.6 kt
Runway 12/30
Favorable wind: 100%
Avg crosswind: 3.2 kt

Statistics computed from 7,399 METAR observations (Sep 2025 - Jun 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

Nearby Airports

VFR MVFR IFR LIFR No Data

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.