Amílcar Cabral International Airport

GVAC / SID

Espargos, CV

Last Updated
Apr 22, 22:00Z

Current Weather

Display Units
Aging 1 hour ago
22:00Z

🌙 Night
VFR
Flight Rules
21°C
Temperature
Dewpoint: 15°C
9 kt
40°
10+ km
Visibility
Ceiling
Unlimited
1015 hPa
QNH
Altimeter Setting

Raw METAR

METAR GVAC 222200Z 04009KT 9999 SCT013 SCT200 21/15 Q1015 NOSIG

Clouds - Visual Profile

12,000ft
9,000ft
6,000ft
3,000ft
Ground
Field Elev: 177 ft
SCT 1,300 ft AGL
SCT 20,000 ft AGL
SCT
Scattered (3/8-4/8 sky coverage)
1,300 ft
AGL (Above Ground)
1,477 ft AMSL
SCT
Scattered (3/8-4/8 sky coverage)
20,000 ft
AGL (Above Ground)
20,177 ft AMSL

Weather Briefing

VFR

Amílcar Cabral International Airport is currently reporting visual flight rules (VFR) conditions with scattered clouds at 1,300 feet and 10 miles or greater visibility. Note: This observation is 1.9 hours old and conditions may have changed.

Wind Analysis

Winds are from the northeast (40°) at 9 knots. Runway 01/19 is favored with a 8-knot headwind and 5-knot crosswind component.

Visibility & Ceiling

Visibility is unrestricted. No ceiling exists. Cloud layers reported: scattered at 1,300 ft, scattered at 20,000 ft.

Temperature & Moisture

Temperature is 21°C (70°F) with a dewpoint of 15°C, indicating moderate moisture conditions.

Forecast Outlook

The TAF forecast covers the next 30 hours. Conditions are expected to remain VFR throughout the forecast period.

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
1015 hPa
Sea Level Pressure
For altitude above MSL
QFE
1009 hPa
Field Pressure
Height above aerodrome (177 ft)
Pressure Alt
125 ft
QNE Reference
Standard: 1013 hPa
Density Altitude: 887 ft
ISA Deviation: +6.4°C

Forecast (TAF)

View Full TAF
Raw TAF
TAF GVAC 221700Z 2218/2324 03015KT 9999 SCT014
Upcoming Changes (Next 12 Hours)
23:53Z BASE
+0h
VFR 30° 15 kt
Visibility: 10+ km

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
VAC
01
19
07 ✈️
25

Runway Information

Runway Length Width Surface Heading Wind Component
01/19 9,843 ft 148 ft ASP 358°
6.7 kt 6.0 kt
42° angle
✈️ 07/25
Active: 07
4,921 ft 148 ft ASP 58°
7.8 kt 4.5 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 - GVAC

4,984 observations | Sep 2025 - Apr 2026

Flight Rules Distribution

VFR
63%
MVFR
33.7%
IFR
3%
LIFR
0.3%

Amílcar Cabral International Airport typically experiences VFR conditions 63% of the time, though instrument-rated pilots will find IFR weather present approximately 3.3% of observations. Prevailing winds are from the NE averaging 13.4 knots, with gusts recorded up to 80 knots. Temperatures typically range between 17°C and 33°C with an average of 23.2°C. The best months for VFR flying are December, November, October.

Wind Analysis

Prevailing Direction: NE (45°)
Average Speed: 13.4 kt
Maximum Recorded: 80 kt
Calm Winds: 0%
Direction Distribution:
N
12.5%
NE
72%
E
12.6%
SE
0.5%
S
0.4%
SW
0%
W
0.5%
NW
1.4%

Temperature Range

Average: 23.2°C
Range: 17°C to 33°C
17°C 33°C

Visibility

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

Best Months for VFR

December November October

Runway Wind Analysis

Runway 01/19
Favorable wind: 100%
Avg crosswind: 8.1 kt
Runway 07/25
Favorable wind: 100%
Avg crosswind: 5.1 kt

Statistics computed from 4,984 METAR observations (Sep 2025 - Apr 2026). Data sourced from official aviation weather services. Updated daily.

Amílcar Cabral International Airport - Airport Information

Airport Details

ICAO Code: GVAC
IATA Code: SID
Type: large airport
Status: active
Elevation: 177 ft MSL

Location

City: Espargos
Country: CV
Latitude: 16.741400°
Longitude: -22.949400°
Time Zone: Etc/GMT+2

Runway Information

Runway 01/19
Length: 9,843 ft
Width: 148 ft
Surface: ASP
ILS: No
Runway 07/25
Length: 4,921 ft
Width: 148 ft
Surface: ASP
ILS: No

About Amílcar Cabral International Airport

Overview

Amílcar Cabral International Airport serves Sal Island in Cape Verde, located in the central Atlantic Ocean. Situated in Espargos at 177 feet above mean sea level, the airport is a critical transportation hub for the region, providing international and domestic air connectivity.

Flying Conditions

The airport experiences typical maritime tropical climate conditions with relatively stable temperatures and moderate wind patterns. Its coastal location suggests potential for variable winds, particularly between runways 01/19 and 07/25, which offer different wind alignment options for pilots.

Notable Features

The airport features two asphalt runways with significant length variations: the primary runway 01/19 extends 9,843 feet, while the secondary runway 07/25 measures 4,921 feet. Its elevation at 177 feet MSL indicates a relatively low-altitude airport environment without significant terrain challenges.

Approach Considerations

Pilots should evaluate wind direction when selecting runway, with the longer 01/19 runway providing more operational flexibility for larger aircraft. The substantial runway lengths at 9,843 and 4,921 feet accommodate a wide range of aircraft types, supporting both commercial and potential military aviation operations.

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.