Massena International Airport Richards Field

KMSS / MSS

Massena, US

Last Updated
Jul 19, 02:53Z

Current Weather

Display Units
Recent 32 min ago
02:53Z

🌙 Night
VFR
Flight Rules
19°C
Temperature
Dewpoint: 15°C
11 kt
290° G22 kt
10 SM
Visibility
6,000 ft
Ceiling
Above Ground Level
1003 hPa
QNH
Altimeter Setting

Raw METAR

METAR KMSS 190253Z AUTO 29011G22KT 10SM FEW026 SCT045 OVC060 19/15 A2961 RMK AO2 SLP025 T01940150 53030

Clouds - Visual Profile

12,000ft
9,000ft
6,000ft
3,000ft
Ground
Field Elev: 215 ft
FEW 2,600 ft AGL
SCT 4,500 ft AGL
OVC 6,000 ft AGL
🌤️
FEW
Few (1/8-2/8 sky coverage)
2,600 ft
AGL (Above Ground)
2,815 ft AMSL
SCT
Scattered (3/8-4/8 sky coverage)
4,500 ft
AGL (Above Ground)
4,715 ft AMSL
☁️
OVC
Overcast (8/8 sky coverage)
6,000 ft
AGL (Above Ground)
6,215 ft AMSL

Weather Briefing

VFR

Massena International Airport Richards Field is currently reporting visual flight rules (VFR) conditions with overcast skies at 6,000 feet and 10 SM visibility.

Wind Analysis

Winds are from the west-northwest (290°) at 11 knots with gusts to 22 knots. Runway 27 is favored with a 10-knot headwind and 4-knot crosswind component (gusting to 8 knots crosswind).

Visibility & Ceiling

Visibility is 10 SM. The ceiling is 6000 feet AGL (overcast), well above standard VFR minimums.

Temperature & Moisture

Temperature is 19°C (66°F) with a dewpoint of 15°C. The narrow temperature-dewpoint spread suggests high humidity and potential for visibility restrictions, especially during cooling periods.

Forecast Outlook

The TAF forecast covers the next 24 hours. Conditions are expected to fluctuate between VFR and MVFR. VFR pilots should be prepared for deteriorating conditions. Expected weather includes: Light Showers Rain, Mist, Smoke. There is a 30% probability of MVFR conditions with Light Showers Rain, Mist between 00:00Z and 03:00Z.

Pilot Recommendations

Conditions are favorable for visual flight. The forecast indicates conditions may deteriorate. Ensure you have fuel reserves and a viable alternate airport.

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

QNH
1003 hPa
Sea Level Pressure
For altitude above MSL
QFE
996 hPa
Field Pressure
Height above aerodrome (215 ft)
Pressure Alt
523 ft
QNE Reference
Standard: 1013 hPa
Density Altitude: 1,055 ft
ISA Deviation: +4.4°C

Forecast (TAF)

View Full TAF
Raw TAF
TAF KMSS 182338Z 1900/1924 23006G16KT P6SM BKN017 OVC040 PROB30 1900/1903 5SM -SHRA BR FM190300 30010G19KT P6SM BKN060 FM190400 30010G17KT 5SM FU BKN025 FM191200 30009G16KT P6SM FEW110
Upcoming Changes (Next 12 Hours)
03:24Z BASE
+0h
MVFR 230° 6 kt
Visibility: >6SM
Ceiling: 1,700 ft
04:00Z FM190400
+1h
MVFR 300° 10 kt
Visibility: 5SM
Ceiling: 2,500 ft
Smoke
12:00Z FM191200
+9h
VFR 300° 9 kt
Visibility: >6SM

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
MSS
05
23 ✈️
09
27 ✈️

Runway Information

Runway Length Width Surface Heading Wind Component
✈️ 05/23
Active: 23
5,601 ft 100 ft ASP 31°
5.5 kt 9.5 kt
60° angle
✈️ 09/27
Active: 27
4,000 ft 100 ft ASP 76°
10.3 kt 3.8 kt
20° angle
🟢 Active Runway: Best headwind component for current conditions
⬆️ Headwind: Favorable wind component
↔️ Crosswind: ≤10kt Safe, 11-15kt Caution, >15kt Challenging

Weather Statistics - KMSS

9,599 observations | Sep 2025 - Jul 2026

Flight Rules Distribution

VFR
63.4%
MVFR
25.3%
IFR
8.4%
LIFR
2.9%

Massena International Airport Richards Field typically experiences VFR conditions 63.4% of the time, though instrument-rated pilots will find IFR weather present approximately 11.3% of observations. Prevailing winds are from the SW averaging 8.5 knots. Calm conditions occur 18% of the time. Temperature extremes range from -29°C to 32°C, reflecting significant seasonal variation. The best months for VFR flying are July, May, June.

Wind Analysis

Prevailing Direction: SW (225°)
Average Speed: 8.5 kt
Maximum Recorded: 29 kt
Calm Winds: 18%
Direction Distribution:
E
7%
N
4%
S
6.1%
W
18.6%
NE
13.3%
NW
6.6%
SE
1.2%
SW
25.2%

Temperature Range

Average: 3.8°C
Range: -29°C to 32°C
-29°C 32°C

Visibility

Average: 8.7 SM
Below 3 SM: 4.6%
Fog Frequency: 1.4%

Best Months for VFR

July May June

Runway Wind Analysis

Runway 05/23
Favorable wind: 100%
Avg crosswind: 3.4 kt
Runway 09/27
Favorable wind: 100%
Avg crosswind: 4.8 kt

Statistics computed from 9,599 METAR observations (Sep 2025 - Jul 2026). Data sourced from official aviation weather services. Updated daily.

Massena International Airport Richards Field - Airport Information

Airport Details

ICAO Code: KMSS
IATA Code: MSS
Type: medium airport
Status: active
Elevation: 215 ft MSL

Location

City: Massena
Country: US
Latitude: 44.936157°
Longitude: -74.844304°
Time Zone: Etc/GMT+5

Runway Information

Runway 05/23
Length: 5,601 ft
Width: 100 ft
Surface: ASP
ILS: No
Runway 09/27
Length: 4,000 ft
Width: 100 ft
Surface: ASP
ILS: No

About Massena International Airport Richards Field

Overview

Massena International Airport Richards Field serves the northern New York region, located near the Canadian border at coordinates 44.936157, -74.844304. Situated at an elevation of 215 feet MSL, this medium airport provides critical aviation infrastructure for St. Lawrence County. The airport features two asphalt runways capable of handling a variety of aircraft operations.

Flying Conditions

Pilots can expect predominantly VFR conditions 56% of the time, with MVFR conditions occurring 29.4% of observations. Temperature variations are significant, ranging from -26°C to 28°C, with an average of 0.9°C. Wind patterns are consistently southwesterly at 225°, averaging 8.6 knots, with calm conditions present 20.7% of the time and occasional gusts up to 29 knots.

Notable Features

The airport's two runways offer flexible operational capabilities: Runway 05/23 measures 5,601 feet, while Runway 09/27 is 4,000 feet long. Both runways demonstrate 100% favorable wind alignments, with minimal average crosswind components of 3.7 and 4.6 knots respectively. Visibility typically remains excellent, averaging 8.4 statute miles with only 6.1% of observations showing reduced visibility.

Approach Considerations

September, October, and December represent the best VFR months for operations at Massena International Airport. Pilots should anticipate predominantly southwestern wind patterns when planning approaches. The consistent wind characteristics and low average crosswind speeds provide relatively straightforward landing conditions across both primary runways.

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.