KATY/ATY METAR & TAF Watertown Regional Airport

Watertown, South DakotaElevation 1,749 ftMedium airport

CURRENT STATUS

VFR49 min old

Ceiling 4,000 ft, visibility 10 SM, rain.

FLIGHT CATEGORY

VFR

ceiling & visibility

WIND

020@9

steady

VISIBILITY

10 SM

16.1 km

CEILING

4,000 ft

lowest BKN/OVC

DENSITY ALT

304 ft

-1,445 ft vs field

CURRENT METAR

Decoded observation

Observed 0253Z (9:53 PM local) · 49 min old

KATY is currently VFR. Winds are from the north at 9 knots. Visibility is 10 statute miles. The ceiling is 4,000 feet AGL. Reported weather: light rain.

WIND

20° at 9 kt

Steady.

VISIBILITY

10 statute miles

16.1 km, good.

CEILING & SKY

Ceiling 4,000 ft

Lowest broken or overcast layer.

TEMP / DEWPOINT

4°C / 2°C

39°F / 36°F. 2°C spread.

ALTIMETER

30.47 inHg

1031.8 hPa, above standard.

WEATHER & HAZARDS

Rain reported.

Codes in this report: AUTO BKN OVC RMK AO2

Hover or tap any group for a plain-English explanation.

REMARKS: DECODED

AO2

automated station with a precipitation discriminator (can tell rain from snow)

SLP335

sea-level pressure 1033.5 hPa

P0003

0.03 inches of precipitation in the last hour

6////

coded climate group: data missing

T00390022

precise temperature 3.9°C, dew point 2.2°C

50004

3-hour pressure tendency: rising then falling (0.4 hPa change)

station needs maintenance

TERMINAL AERODROME FORECAST

TAF timeline

Issued 0313Z (10:13 PM local) · valid to 0000Z (7:00 PM local)

KATY forecast starts VFR at 03Z. Worst period is 21Z to 00Z with IFR possible (LOW CIG, LOW VIS, GUST). Best period is 03Z to 04Z (VFR). Overall the forecast deteriorates over the period.

OVC0404,000 ft

OVC0181,800 ft

OVC0121,200 ft · 2 SM

OVC007700 ft · 1 SM

0300Z10:00 PM0712Z2:12 AM1124Z6:24 AM1536Z10:36 AM1948Z2:48 PM0000Z7:00 PM

Codes in this report: P6SM SCT OVC TEMPO

Tap any group to decode it.

FAA: no delays reported at ATY.

Source: FAA System Operations (ASWS). Operational status only; verify with official FAA sources and NOTAMs.

SUGGESTED RISK · TRAINING USE

Suggested risk level: Low

›Forecast: ceiling 700 ft AGL.

A suggested risk level for training and situational awareness only, not a go/no-go authority. Verify with official sources and apply your personal minimums.

FORECAST & PILOT NOTES · SUPPLEMENTAL

Extended forecast and pilot notes

Current aviation conditions show flight category VFR, wind from 20° at 9 kt, visibility 10 SM, ceiling 4,000 ft. Forecast suggests tonight light rain, low near 34F, 93% chance of precipitation. Key risks: strong winds in the forecast.

PILOT WEATHER NOTES

Strong winds in the forecastWeather.gov

Monday: winds up to 25 kt. Re-check crosswind components closer to departure.

Day	Conditions	Temp F	Wind	Gusts	Precip	Pilot note
Tonight	Light Rain	34	NE 10 kt	20 kt	93%
Monday	Rain	40/35	ENE 15 kt	25 kt	100%	Strong winds in the forecast
Tuesday	Mostly Cloudy	53/40	WSW 11 kt	21 kt	10%
Wednesday	Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Light Rain	60/37	WSW 9 kt	–	17%
Thursday	Mostly Sunny	60/40	ENE 9 kt	–	6%
Friday	Partly Sunny	61/44	E 10 kt	–	52%
Saturday	Light Rain Likely	59/41	SE 10 kt	–	56%
Sunday	Partly Sunny	57	NW 9 kt	–	12%

Source: National Weather Service (office ABR). Forecast issued 0341Z.

Radar

Radar data: NOAA/NWS MRMS composite reflectivity. For situational awareness only, not a substitute for an official weather briefing.

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RUNWAYS & WIND

2 runways · crosswind ranking

ON-FIELD METAR

READING THE BARB · SWIPE FOR MORE →

Calm

5 kt

10 kt

15 kt

20 kt

25 kt

30 kt

35 kt

40 kt

45 kt

50 kt

65 kt

75 kt

100 kt

105 kt

Half feather = 5 kt, full = 10 kt, filled pennant = 50 kt; add them up. The staff points the direction the wind blows from.

WIND USED

020° at 9 kt

Components computed from the current on-field METAR wind.

RECOMMENDED

RWY 358 kt headwind · 3 kt crosswind

RUNWAYS BY WIND · best end

HEAD

8 kt

CROSS

3 kt R

BEST

HEAD

2 kt

CROSS

9 kt R

X-WIND

HEAD

2 kt tail

CROSS

9 kt L

X-WIND

HEAD

8 kt tail

CROSS

3 kt L

Components are estimates from the current METAR wind and runway heading. Verify with the Chart Supplement and NOTAMs.

RUNWAYS

Runway detail & declared distances

2 runways · longest 6,898 ft

12/30

Dimensions

6,898 x 100 ft

Surface

Concrete (excellent)

Edge lights

MED

RWY 12125°T

Landing length (LDA)6,899 ft

TORA / TODA / ASDA6,899 / 6,899 / 6,899 ft

REILYes

VGSIPAPI (P4L)

Traffic patternLeft

RWY 30305°T

Landing length (LDA)6,899 ft

TORA / TODA / ASDA6,899 / 6,899 / 6,899 ft

REILYes

VGSIPAPI (P4L)

Traffic patternLeft

17/35

Dimensions

6,893 x 100 ft

Surface

Concrete (good)

Edge lights

HIGH

RWY 17180°T

Landing length (LDA)6,894 ft

TORA / TODA / ASDA6,894 / 6,894 / 6,894 ft

REILYes

VGSIPAPI (P4L)

Traffic patternLeft

RWY 350°T

Landing length (LDA)6,894 ft

TORA / TODA / ASDA6,894 / 6,894 / 6,894 ft

ILSILS/DME

Approach lightsMALSR

VGSIPAPI (P4L)

Traffic patternLeft

Runway data from the FAA NASR dataset (effective 2026-06-11). Verify with the current Chart Supplement and NOTAMs.

FIELD CONDITIONS

Performance & density altitude

Density altitude

304 ft

Pressure altitude

1,199 ft

Field elevation

1,749 ft MSL

Temperature

4°C (39°F)

Dewpoint

2°C (36°F)

Altimeter

30.47 inHg

Density altitude estimates how the aircraft performs versus standard atmosphere. Higher density altitude reduces climb performance and increases takeoff distance.

DAYLIGHT & NIGHT

Sun & logging windows

Sunset

2327Z 6:27 PM

Sunrise

1258Z 7:58 AM

Loggable night

2357Z (6:57 PM local) → 1228Z (7:28 AM local)

end of evening to start of morning civil twilight

Position lights required

2327Z (6:27 PM local) → 1258Z (7:58 AM local)

sunset to sunrise (91.209)

Night passenger currency

0027Z (7:27 PM local) → 1158Z (6:58 AM local)

1 hr after sunset to 1 hr before sunrise (61.57(b))

FAA definitions, shown in Zulu with airport-local time. Verify for your operation.

AIRPORT INFORMATION

Facility & services

Watertown Regional Airport is in Watertown, South Dakota. Field elevation 1,749 ft MSL. Airport facts are drawn from OurAirports and the FAA NASR dataset.

OPERATIONS & CONTACT

OwnershipPublicly owned

UseOpen to the public

TypeMedium airport

Airline serviceYes

ManagerIAN MERIWETHER-CHALFANT

Manager phone605-753-9357

AttendedDaily, 0430–2030

CHARTS & AIRSPACE

ICAO / IATAKATY / ATY

SectionalTWIN CITIES

Center (ARTCC)MINNEAPOLIS

Flight service (AFSS)HURON

RegionSouth Dakota

CountryUnited States

Coordinates44.9140, -97.1547

Distance from city2 NM NW

SERVICES & LIGHTING

Fuel100LL · Jet A

Control towerNon-towered

Field lightingSee remarks

BeaconSunset to sunrise · White-green (lighted land airport)

CTAF123.050

UNICOM123.050

FREQUENCIES

Communications

126.625

ASOS

128.5

MINNEAPOLIS CNTR

CNTR

122.5

HURON RDO

RDO

123.05

CTAF/UNICOM

UNIC

123.050

CTAF

123.050

UNICOM

Not all tower/ground/approach frequencies are in our datasets. Verify with the FAA Chart Supplement.

AIRCRAFT ACTIVITY

KATY traffic patterns

2026-07-14 to 2026-09-10, 7 days observed · data 2026-10-23

Insufficient confidence

TRAFFIC VOLUME (30-DAY)

AVG LANDINGS/DAY

1.5

AVG OPS/DAY

3.8

Operations trend (4 days)

Busiest day: Fri · Busiest month: Aug

FLEET MIX

Piston single 64%Turboprop 18%Unknown 18%

Mostly small piston aircraft.

TOP AIRCRAFT TYPES

›C172 (Piston single) · ~3 landings/mo

›AT8T (Turboprop) · ~1 landings/mo

›C182 (Piston single) · ~1 landings/mo

›UNKN (Unknown) · ~1 landings/mo

›C25A (Jet) · ~0 landings/mo

LIKELY BASED AIRCRAFT

Low-confidence estimate

Aircraft likely based near this airport (estimate), mostly single-engine piston aircraft.

›C172 (Piston single)

This is an estimate based on repeated flight patterns, not registration data. Do not rely on it to identify specific aircraft or owners.

Data limitations (4)

›ADS-B coverage is incomplete; counts are an observed lower bound, not official totals.

›Some aircraft do not transmit usable ADS-B and are not counted.

›Aircraft types and based estimates are inferred and may be wrong.

›This is not official ATC, FAA, or airport data.

NEARBY AIRPORTS

Weather reference stations

Current flight category at nearby reporting stations.

KBKX Brookings Regional Airport

39 NM S

VFR

KMDS Madison Municipal Airport

54 NM S

VFR

KHON Huron Regional Airport

56 NM SW

VFR

KBTN Britton Municipal Airport

60 NM NW

VFR

KMVE Montevideo Chippewa County Airport

61 NM E

VFR

KABR Aberdeen Regional Airport

63 NM NW

VFR

AIRPORT REMARKS

Operational remarks

›605-753-9357

›PPR 48 HRS UNSKED ACR OPNS WITH MORE THAN 30 PSGR SEATS CALL AMGR 605 882-6209.

›PCR VALUE: 509/R/D/W/T

›PCR VALUE: 491/R/D/W/T

›ACTVT MALSR RWY 35; PAPI RWY 12, 17, 30, & 35; HIRL RWY 17/35; MIRL RWY 12/30; REIL RWY 12, 17, & 30 - CTAF.

›GLIDER OPNS APR THRU SEP.

›ANNUALLY APRIL- SEPT HAY CUTTING OPNS IN PROGRESS; FARMING EQUIP MAY BE IN APCHS.

›ARPT SFC COND NOT MONITORED 2230-0430.

›ACR OPNS INVOLVING ACFT WITH MORE THAN 9 PSGRS ARE NOT AUZD IN EXCESS OF 15 MINS BEFORE OR AFTER SKED ARR/DEP TIMES WITHOUT PRIOR COORDINATION WITH AMGR AND CFMN THAT ARFF IS AVBL PRIOR TO LANDING OR TAKEOFF.

›GULLS & GEESE ON & INVOF ARPT APR-NOV.

›FOR CD IF UNA TO CTC ON FSS FREQ, CTC MINNEAPOLIS ARTCC AT 651-463-5588.

OFFICIAL LINKS & SOURCES

↗Official METAR on AviationWeather.gov

↗Search NOTAMs (official FAA NOTAM Search)

↗Wikipedia

↗KATY on OurAirports

FREQUENTLY ASKED

Does KATY have a METAR?

Yes. KATY has a current METAR observation, decoded into plain English on this page.

Does KATY have a TAF?

Yes, a TAF is issued for KATY; the decoded forecast timeline is shown above.

What is the field elevation at KATY?

KATY sits at 1,749 ft MSL, which factors into the density-altitude estimate on this page.

Is this an official preflight weather briefing for KATY?

No. wxdecoder.com is for education and situational awareness only. It is not an official weather briefing or a substitute for official sources, NOTAM review, and pilot judgment.

This app is for aviation weather education, training, and situational awareness only. It is not a substitute for an official weather briefing, approved flight-planning software, flight service, dispatch procedures, current FAA regulations, or pilot judgment. Always verify weather with official sources before flight.