Dane County Regional Truax Field

KMSN / MSN

Madison, US

Last Updated
Mar 4, 21:53Z

Current Weather

Display Units
Recent 50 min ago
21:53Z

🌙 Night
VFR
Flight Rules
12°C
Temperature
Dewpoint: 3°C
6 kt
120°
10 SM
Visibility
25,000 ft
Ceiling
Above Ground Level
1017 hPa
QNH
Altimeter Setting

Raw METAR

METAR KMSN 042153Z 12006KT 10SM FEW021 BKN250 12/03 A3004 RMK AO2 SLP182 T01170028

Clouds - Visual Profile

12,000ft
9,000ft
6,000ft
3,000ft
Ground
Field Elev: 887 ft
FEW 2,100 ft AGL
BKN 25,000 ft AGL
🌤️
FEW
Few (1/8-2/8 sky coverage)
2,100 ft
AGL (Above Ground)
2,987 ft AMSL
☁️
BKN
Broken (5/8-7/8 sky coverage)
25,000 ft
AGL (Above Ground)
25,887 ft AMSL
QNH
1017 hPa
Sea Level Pressure
For altitude above MSL
QFE
987 hPa
Field Pressure
Height above aerodrome (887 ft)
Pressure Alt
775 ft
QNE Reference
Standard: 1013 hPa
Density Altitude: 628 ft
ISA Deviation: -1.2°C

Forecast (TAF)

View Full TAF
Raw TAF
TAF KMSN 041741Z 0418/0518 11007KT P6SM SCT250 FM050100 10003KT P6SM BKN100 FM050700 VRB03KT P6SM BKN030 FM051100 VRB03KT P6SM OVC012 PROB30 0511/0515 4SM -RA BR OVC010 FM051500 07006KT 4SM -RA BR OVC007
Upcoming Changes (Next 12 Hours)
22:43Z BASE
+0h
VFR 110° 7 kt
Visibility: >6SM
01:00Z FM050100
+3h
VFR 100° 3 kt
Visibility: >6SM
Ceiling: 10,000 ft
07:00Z FM050700
+9h
VFR VRB 3 kt
Visibility: >6SM
Ceiling: 3,000 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
MSN
03
21
14 ✈️
32
18
36

Runway Information

Runway Length Width Surface Heading Wind Component
03/21 7,200 ft 150 ft CON 28°
0.2 kt 6.0 kt
92° angle
✈️ 14/32
Active: 14
5,846 ft 150 ft CON 137°
5.6 kt 2.1 kt
20° angle
18/36 9,005 ft 150 ft CON 181°
2.9 kt 5.2 kt
61° angle
🟢 Active Runway: Best headwind component for current conditions
⬆️ Headwind: Favorable wind component
↔️ Crosswind: ≤10kt Safe, 11-15kt Caution, >15kt Challenging

Weather Statistics - KMSN

5,024 observations | Sep 2025 - Mar 2026

Flight Rules Distribution

VFR
68.4%
MVFR
19.5%
IFR
8.2%
LIFR
3.8%

Dane County Regional Truax Field typically experiences VFR conditions 68.4% of the time, though instrument-rated pilots will find IFR weather present approximately 12% of observations. Prevailing winds are from the S averaging 7.3 knots. Calm conditions occur 19.3% of the time. Temperature extremes range from -28°C to 31°C, reflecting significant seasonal variation. The best months for VFR flying are October, March, September.

Wind Analysis

Prevailing Direction: S (180°)
Average Speed: 7.3 kt
Maximum Recorded: 24 kt
Calm Winds: 19.3%
Direction Distribution:
N
10.9%
NE
3.1%
E
7.1%
SE
5.9%
S
18.3%
SW
6.8%
W
10.5%
NW
18.1%

Temperature Range

Average: 1.6°C
Range: -28°C to 31°C
-28°C 31°C

Visibility

Average: 8.9 SM
Below 3 SM: 5%
Fog Frequency: 1%

Best Months for VFR

October March September

Runway Wind Analysis

Runway 03/21
Favorable wind: 100%
Avg crosswind: 5.1 kt
Runway 14/32
Favorable wind: 100%
Avg crosswind: 3.9 kt
Runway 18/36
Favorable wind: 100%
Avg crosswind: 4.2 kt

Statistics computed from 5,024 METAR observations (Sep 2025 - Mar 2026). Data sourced from official aviation weather services. Updated daily.

Dane County Regional Truax Field - Airport Information

Airport Details

ICAO Code: KMSN
IATA Code: MSN
Type: medium airport
Status: active
Elevation: 887 ft MSL

Location

City: Madison
Country: US
Latitude: 43.139900°
Longitude: -89.337502°
Time Zone: Etc/GMT+6

Runway Information

Runway 03/21
Length: 7,200 ft
Width: 150 ft
Surface: CON
ILS: No
Runway 14/32
Length: 5,846 ft
Width: 150 ft
Surface: CON
ILS: No
Runway 18/36
Length: 9,005 ft
Width: 150 ft
Surface: CON
ILS: No

About Dane County Regional Truax Field

Overview

Dane County Regional Truax Field serves Madison, Wisconsin as a medium-sized airport situated at 887 feet mean sea level. Located at coordinates 43.139900, -89.337502, the airport provides critical aviation infrastructure for the central Wisconsin region. The facility features three concrete runways ranging from 5,846 to 9,005 feet in length.

Flying Conditions

Weather conditions at KMSN demonstrate significant variability, with visual flight rules (VFR) predominating at 65.3% of observations. Pilots can expect moderate meteorological challenges, with marginal VFR conditions occurring 20.3% of the time and instrument flight rules 14.3% of the time. Temperature ranges from -28°C to 31°C, with prevailing southerly winds averaging 7.2 knots and occasional gusts up to 24 knots.

Notable Features

The airport's three runways provide flexible operational capabilities with consistent wind coverage. Runway 18/36 offers the longest surface at 9,005 feet, while runways 03/21 and 14/32 provide additional operational flexibility. Calm wind conditions occur in 18.9% of observations, suggesting potential for variable runway selection.

Approach Considerations

September through November represent the most favorable VFR flying months, with optimal visibility and minimal meteorological restrictions. All three runways demonstrate 100% favorable wind alignment, with modest average crosswind components ranging from 3.9 to 5 knots. Visibility averages 8.7 statute miles, with infrequent periods of reduced visibility (below 3 miles in 6.1% of observations) and minimal fog events (1.3%).

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.