Dane County Regional Truax Field

KMSN / MSN

Madison, US

Last Updated
Jun 10, 14:53Z

Current Weather

Display Units
Fresh 14 min ago
14:53Z

☀️ Day
MVFR
Flight Rules
28°C
Temperature
Dewpoint: 22°C
8 kt
220° G16 kt
10 SM
Visibility
2,300 ft
Ceiling
Above Ground Level
1007 hPa
QNH
Altimeter Setting

Raw METAR

METAR KMSN 101453Z 22008G16KT 10SM BKN023 28/22 A2973 RMK AO2 SLP059 T02780222 58003

Clouds - Visual Profile

12,000ft
9,000ft
6,000ft
3,000ft
Ground
Field Elev: 887 ft
BKN 2,300 ft AGL
☁️
BKN
Broken (5/8-7/8 sky coverage)
2,300 ft
AGL (Above Ground)
3,187 ft AMSL

Weather Briefing

MVFR

Dane County Regional Truax Field is currently reporting marginal VFR (MVFR) conditions with broken clouds at 2,300 feet and 10 SM visibility.

Wind Analysis

Winds are from the southwest (220°) at 8 knots with gusts to 16 knots. Runway 21 is favored with a 8-knot headwind and 1-knot crosswind component (gusting to 3 knots crosswind).

Visibility & Ceiling

Visibility is 10 SM. The ceiling is 2300 feet AGL (broken), placing conditions in the MVFR category.

Temperature & Moisture

Temperature is 28°C (82°F) with a dewpoint of 22°C, indicating moderate moisture conditions.

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: Heavy Thunderstorm Rain, Light Thunderstorm Rain. There is a 30% probability of MVFR conditions with Light Thunderstorm Rain between 22:00Z and 04:00Z.

Pilot Recommendations

VFR pilots should exercise caution. Consider filing IFR if instrument rated, or postponing the flight if conditions are expected to deteriorate further.

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

QNH
1007 hPa
Sea Level Pressure
For altitude above MSL
QFE
977 hPa
Field Pressure
Height above aerodrome (887 ft)
Pressure Alt
1,075 ft
QNE Reference
Standard: 1013 hPa
Density Altitude: 2,848 ft
ISA Deviation: +14.8°C

Forecast (TAF)

View Full TAF
Raw TAF
TAF KMSN 101144Z 1012/1112 17007KT P6SM SCT045 FM101600 19012KT P6SM SCT060 FM101900 20013G24KT 4SM +TSRA SCT025 BKN040CB FM102200 21014G27KT P6SM SCT030 BKN080 PROB30 1022/1104 4SM -TSRA BKN030CB FM110400 22011KT P6SM BKN035 WS020/21045KT FM110700 25008KT P6SM SCT080
Upcoming Changes (Next 12 Hours)
15:07Z BASE
+0h
VFR 170° 7 kt
Visibility: >6SM
16:00Z FM101600
+1h
VFR 190° 12 kt
Visibility: >6SM
19:00Z FM101900
+4h
MVFR 200° 13 kt
Visibility: 4SM
Ceiling: 4,000 ft
Heavy Thunderstorm Rain
22:00Z FM102200
+7h
VFR 210° 14 kt
Visibility: >6SM
Ceiling: 8,000 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
Active: 21
7,200 ft 150 ft CON 28°
7.9 kt 1.4 kt
10° angle
14/32 5,846 ft 150 ft CON 137°
1.0 kt 7.9 kt
83° angle
18/36 9,005 ft 150 ft CON 181°
6.2 kt 5.0 kt
39° angle
🟢 Active Runway: Best headwind component for current conditions
⬆️ Headwind: Favorable wind component
↔️ Crosswind: ≤10kt Safe, 11-15kt Caution, >15kt Challenging

Weather Statistics - KMSN

7,882 observations | Sep 2025 - Jun 2026

Flight Rules Distribution

VFR
70.4%
MVFR
18.8%
IFR
7.4%
LIFR
3.4%

Dane County Regional Truax Field typically experiences VFR conditions 70.4% of the time, though instrument-rated pilots will find IFR weather present approximately 10.8% of observations. Prevailing winds are from the S averaging 7.8 knots. Calm conditions occur 17% of the time. Temperature extremes range from -28°C to 31°C, reflecting significant seasonal variation. The best months for VFR flying are May, October, September.

Wind Analysis

Prevailing Direction: S (180°)
Average Speed: 7.8 kt
Maximum Recorded: 30 kt
Calm Winds: 17%
Direction Distribution:
N
11.3%
NE
4.5%
E
9.3%
SE
6.5%
S
19.2%
SW
7.4%
W
8.9%
NW
15.8%

Temperature Range

Average: 5°C
Range: -28°C to 31°C
-28°C 31°C

Visibility

Average: 9 SM
Below 3 SM: 4.1%
Fog Frequency: 0.9%

Best Months for VFR

May October September

Runway Wind Analysis

Runway 03/21
Favorable wind: 100%
Avg crosswind: 5.1 kt
Runway 14/32
Favorable wind: 100%
Avg crosswind: 4.4 kt
Runway 18/36
Favorable wind: 100%
Avg crosswind: 4.4 kt

Statistics computed from 7,882 METAR observations (Sep 2025 - Jun 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.