Yellowknife International Airport

CYZF / YZF

Yellowknife, CA

Last Updated
May 15, 03:17Z

Current Weather

Display Units
Recent 45 min ago
03:17Z

🌙 Night
VFR
Flight Rules
2°C
Temperature
Dewpoint: -10°C
12 kt
80° G17 kt
15 SM
Visibility
Ceiling
Unlimited
1014 hPa
QNH
Altimeter Setting

Raw METAR

SPECI CYZF 150317Z 08012G17KT 15SM FEW240 02/M10 A2993 RMK CI1 SLP151

Clouds - Visual Profile

12,000ft
9,000ft
6,000ft
3,000ft
Ground
Field Elev: 675 ft
FEW 24,000 ft AGL
🌤️
FEW
Few (1/8-2/8 sky coverage)
24,000 ft
AGL (Above Ground)
24,675 ft AMSL

Weather Briefing

VFR

Yellowknife International Airport is currently reporting visual flight rules (VFR) conditions with few clouds at 24,000 feet and 15 SM visibility.

Wind Analysis

Winds are from the east (80°) at 12 knots with gusts to 17 knots. Runway 10/28 is favored with a 11-knot headwind and 4-knot crosswind component (gusting to 6 knots crosswind).

Visibility & Ceiling

Visibility is 15 SM. No ceiling exists. Cloud layers reported: few at 24,000 ft.

Temperature & Moisture

Temperature is 2°C (36°F) with a dewpoint of -10°C, indicating relatively dry conditions.

Forecast Outlook

The TAF forecast covers the next 27 hours. Conditions are expected to remain VFR throughout the forecast period. Expected weather includes: FCST.

Pilot Recommendations

Conditions are favorable for visual flight.

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

QNH
1014 hPa
Sea Level Pressure
For altitude above MSL
QFE
992 hPa
Field Pressure
Height above aerodrome (675 ft)
Pressure Alt
653 ft
QNE Reference
Standard: 1013 hPa
Density Altitude: -745 ft
ISA Deviation: -11.7°C

Forecast (TAF)

View Full TAF
Raw TAF
TAF CYZF 150240Z 1503/1606 05015KT P6SM FEW120 SCT240 BECMG 1503/1505 07012KT FM151400 07012KT P6SM SCT080 BKN150 FM151800 06005KT P6SM BKN060 BKN090 BECMG 1520/1522 35005KT RMK NXT FCST BY 150600Z
Upcoming Changes (Next 12 Hours)
04:01Z BASE
+0h
VFR 50° 15 kt
Visibility: >6SM
14:00Z FM151400
+10h
VFR 70° 12 kt
Visibility: >6SM
Ceiling: 15,000 ft

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
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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
YZF
10 ✈️
28
16
34

Runway Information

Runway Length Width Surface Heading Wind Component
✈️ 10/28
Active: 10
5,000 ft 150 ft ASP 116°
11.3 kt 4.1 kt
20° angle
16/34 7,500 ft 150 ft ASP 176°
1.3 kt 11.9 kt
96° angle
🟢 Active Runway: Best headwind component for current conditions
⬆️ Headwind: Favorable wind component
↔️ Crosswind: ≤10kt Safe, 11-15kt Caution, >15kt Challenging

Weather Statistics - CYZF

6,563 observations | Sep 2025 - May 2026

Flight Rules Distribution

VFR
71.1%
MVFR
17%
IFR
8.7%
LIFR
3.2%

Yellowknife International Airport typically experiences VFR conditions 71.1% of the time, though instrument-rated pilots will find IFR weather present approximately 11.9% of observations. Prevailing winds are from the NW averaging 7.5 knots. Temperature extremes range from -44°C to 21°C, reflecting significant seasonal variation. The best months for VFR flying are April, March, May.

Wind Analysis

Prevailing Direction: NW (315°)
Average Speed: 7.5 kt
Maximum Recorded: 28 kt
Calm Winds: 2.1%
Direction Distribution:
N
12.2%
NE
15.7%
E
17.7%
SE
10.4%
S
7.9%
SW
3.6%
W
12.4%
NW
18%

Temperature Range

Average: -13.7°C
Range: -44°C to 21°C
-44°C 21°C

Visibility

Average: 13.3 SM
Below 3 SM: 3.3%
Fog Frequency: 3%

Best Months for VFR

April March May

Runway Wind Analysis

Runway 10/28
Favorable wind: 100%
Avg crosswind: 4.2 kt
Runway 16/34
Favorable wind: 100%
Avg crosswind: 4.7 kt

Statistics computed from 6,563 METAR observations (Sep 2025 - May 2026). Data sourced from official aviation weather services. Updated daily.

Yellowknife International Airport - Airport Information

Airport Details

ICAO Code: CYZF
IATA Code: YZF
Type: medium airport
Status: active
Elevation: 675 ft MSL

Location

City: Yellowknife
Country: CA
Latitude: 62.462799°
Longitude: -114.440002°
Time Zone: Etc/GMT+8

Runway Information

Runway 10/28
Length: 5,000 ft
Width: 150 ft
Surface: ASP
ILS: No
Runway 16/34
Length: 7,500 ft
Width: 150 ft
Surface: ASP
ILS: No

Nearby Airports

VFR MVFR IFR LIFR No Data

About Yellowknife International Airport

Overview

Yellowknife International Airport serves as a critical aviation hub in Northwest Territories, Canada, located at 62.462799, -114.440002. As a medium-sized airport at 675 ft MSL, it provides essential air transportation services for the remote northern region of Canada. The airport features two asphalt runways capable of supporting diverse aircraft operations.

Flying Conditions

Weather at Yellowknife demonstrates significant variability, with Visual Flight Rules (VFR) conditions prevailing 62.5% of the time. Temperature ranges dramatically from -40°C to 21°C, with an average of -10.7°C, presenting challenging winter flying conditions. Wind patterns are predominantly northwest at 315°, with an average speed of 7.6 knots and occasional gusts up to 28 knots.

Notable Features

The airport's dual runway configuration (10/28 and 16/34) provides operational flexibility in different wind conditions. Both runways demonstrate 100% favorable wind alignment, with modest average crosswind components of 4.3 and 4.6 knots respectively. The airport's northern latitude contributes to unique meteorological characteristics, including potential reduced visibility and frequent instrument meteorological conditions.

Approach Considerations

Pilots should anticipate variable visibility, with an average of 12.9 statute miles but occasional periods where visibility drops below 3 miles. January, September, and December offer the most consistent VFR conditions. The runways' alignment and length (5000ft and 7500ft) accommodate a range of aircraft, with careful attention required during periods of reduced visibility or challenging temperature extremes.

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.