WxDecoder

KJKA/GUF METAR & TAF Jack Edwards National Airport

Gulf Shores, AlabamaElevation 17 ftSmall airport
CURRENT STATUS
VFR56 min old
No ceiling, visibility 10 SM.
FLIGHT CATEGORY
VFR
ceiling & visibility
WIND
040@6
steady
VISIBILITY
10 SM
16.1 km
CEILING
None
no BKN/OVC layer
DENSITY ALT
285 ft
+268 ft vs field
ACTIVE NWS ALERTS

Active weather alerts

Rip Current StatementModerate · Expected · Likely
25 1610Z to 26 2300Z
Mobile Coastal; Baldwin Coastal; Escambia Coastal; Santa Rosa Coastal; Okaloosa Coastal
* WHAT...Dangerous rip currents. * WHERE...In Alabama, Mobile Coastal and Baldwin Coastal Counties. In Florida, Escambia Coastal, Santa Rosa Coastal and Okaloosa Coastal Counties. * WHEN...Through Monday afternoon. * IMPACTS...Rip currents can sweep even the best swimmers away from shore into deeper water.
Swim near a lifeguard. If caught in a rip current, relax and float. Don't swim against the current. If able, swim in a direction following the shoreline. If unable to escape, face the shore and call or wave for help.

Alerts from the National Weather Service. For situational awareness only; always confirm against an official briefing.

CURRENT METAR

Decoded observation

Observed 0056Z (7:56 PM local) · 56 min old

KJKA is currently VFR. Winds are from the northeast at 6 knots. Visibility is 10 statute miles. There is no ceiling.

WIND
40° at 6 kt
Steady.
VISIBILITY
10 statute miles
16.1 km, good.
CEILING & SKY
CLR
FEW and SCT layers are not ceilings.
TEMP / DEWPOINT
20°C / 12°C
68°F / 54°F. 8°C spread.
ALTIMETER
30.25 inHg
1024.4 hPa, above standard.
WEATHER & HAZARDS
No significant hazards
No precipitation or obscuration reported.

Codes in this report: CLR

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

TERMINAL AERODROME FORECAST

TAF timeline

Issued 2320Z (6:20 PM local) · valid to 0000Z (7:00 PM local)

KJKA forecast starts VFR at 00Z. Conditions are roughly steady over the period.

VFR
VFR
0000Z7:00 PM0448Z11:48 PM0936Z4:36 AM1424Z9:24 AM1912Z2:12 PM0000Z7:00 PM

Codes in this report: P6SM SKC

Tap any group to decode it.

SUGGESTED RISK · TRAINING USE

Suggested risk level: Low

›No significant weather concerns in the current report.

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 40° at 6 kt, visibility 10 SM, ceiling none. Forecast suggests tonight mostly clear, low near 55F, 0% chance of precipitation. Key risks: no significant hazards are highlighted right now, but always confirm against an official briefing.

DayConditionsTemp FWindGustsPrecipPilot note
Tonight Mostly Clear 55 NE 9 kt – 0%
Monday Mostly Sunny 77/55 NE 13 kt 22 kt 0%
Tuesday Sunny 77/55 E 9 kt – 0%
Wednesday Mostly Sunny 78/57 E 13 kt – 0%
Thursday Sunny 80/61 NE 9 kt – 3%
Friday Mostly Sunny 78/64 E 13 kt – 6%
Saturday Chance Rain Showers 79/65 E 13 kt – 34%
Sunday Chance Rain Showers 79 SE 9 kt – 51%

Source: National Weather Service (office MOB). Forecast issued 2340Z.

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
NESW09271735 40°40°6 kt40°40° 640°
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
040° at 6 kt
Components computed from the current on-field METAR wind.
RECOMMENDED
RWY 354 kt headwind · 4 kt crosswind
RUNWAYS BY WIND · best end
35
HEAD
4 kt
CROSS
4 kt R
BEST
09
HEAD
4 kt
CROSS
5 kt L
OK
27
HEAD
4 kt tail
CROSS
5 kt R
OK
17
HEAD
4 kt tail
CROSS
4 kt L
OK
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 6,962 ft

09/27
Dimensions
6,962 x 100 ft
Surface
Asphalt (good)
Edge lights
HIGH
RWY 0990°T
Landing length (LDA)6,500 ft
TORA / TODA / ASDA6,962 / 6,962 / 6,962 ft
Displaced threshold462 ft
VGSIPAPI (P4L)
RWY 27270°T
Landing length (LDA)6,500 ft
TORA / TODA / ASDA6,500 / 6,500 / 6,500 ft
ILSILS/DME
Approach lightsMALSR
VGSIPAPI (P4L)
17/35
Dimensions
3,596 x 75 ft
Surface
Asphalt (good)
Edge lights
MED
RWY 17175°T
Landing length (LDA)3,276 ft
TORA / TODA / ASDA3,276 / 3,276 / 3,276 ft
VGSIPAPI (P2L)
RWY 35355°T
Landing length (LDA)3,276 ft
TORA / TODA / ASDA3,596 / 3,596 / 3,596 ft
Displaced threshold320 ft
VGSIPAPI (P2L)

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
285 ft
Pressure altitude
-313 ft
Field elevation
17 ft MSL
Temperature
20°C (68°F)
Dewpoint
12°C (54°F)
Altimeter
30.25 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
2309Z 6:09 PM
Sunrise
1200Z 7:00 AM
Loggable night
2334Z (6:34 PM local) → 1135Z (6:35 AM local)
end of evening to start of morning civil twilight
Position lights required
2309Z (6:09 PM local) → 1200Z (7:00 AM local)
sunset to sunrise (91.209)
Night passenger currency
0009Z (7:09 PM local) → 1100Z (6:00 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

Jack Edwards National Airport is in Gulf Shores, Alabama. Field elevation 17 ft MSL. Airport facts are drawn from OurAirports and the FAA NASR dataset.

OPERATIONS & CONTACT
OwnershipPublicly owned
UseOpen to the public
TypeSmall airport
ManagerJESSE FOSNAUGH
Manager phone251-967-3968
AttendedDaily, 0600–2200
CHARTS & AIRSPACE
ICAO / IATAKJKA / GUF
SectionalNEW ORLEANS
Center (ARTCC)JACKSONVILLE
Flight service (AFSS)ANNISTON
RegionAlabama
CountryUnited States
Coordinates30.2905, -87.6718
Distance from city2 NM N
SERVICES & LIGHTING
FuelJet A+
Control towerTowered
Field lightingSee remarks
BeaconSunset to sunrise · White-green (lighted land airport)
CTAF118.650
UNICOM122.700
FREQUENCIES

Communications

120.05
PENSACOLA APP/DEP
A/D
134.525
AWOS 3
AWOS
124.55
CLNC DEL
CLD
122.7
CTAF/UNICOM
UNIC
118.650
CTAF
CTAF
122.700
UNICOM
UNICOM

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

AIRCRAFT ACTIVITY

KJKA traffic patterns

2026-06-20 to 2026-10-23, 19 days observed · data 2026-10-23

Medium confidence
TRAFFIC VOLUME (30-DAY)
AVG LANDINGS/DAY
4.5
AVG OPS/DAY
15
Activity trend over 8 days: rising, from 26 to 28 operations per dayOperations trend (8 days)

Busiest day: Wed · Busiest month: Oct

FLEET MIX
Piston single 47%Jet 27%Unknown 14%Helicopter 12%

Mostly small piston aircraft.

TOP AIRCRAFT TYPES
›C172 (Piston single) · ~7 landings/mo
›DA40 (Piston single) · ~2 landings/mo
›B407 (Helicopter) · ~2 landings/mo
›ASTR (Jet) · ~1 landings/mo
›C25A (Jet) · ~1 landings/mo
LIKELY BASED AIRCRAFT
Low-confidence estimate

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

›C172 (Piston single)
›TL20 (Unknown)
›SR20 (Piston single)
›DA40 (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.

KNBJ Naval Outlying Field Barin
6 NM N
VFR
KNPA Naval Air Station Pensacola Forrest Sherman Field
19 NM E
VFR
KPNS Pensacola International Airport
27 NM NE
VFR
KBFM Mobile Downtown Airport
29 NM NW
VFR
KMOB Mobile Regional Airport
38 NM NW
VFR
KNSE Whiting Field Naval Air Station - North
43 NM NE
VFR
AIRPORT REMARKS

Operational remarks

›WHEN ATCT CLSD ACTVT MALSR RWY 27; PAPI RWYS 09, 27, 17 & 35; HIRL RWY 09/27; MIRL RWY 17/35 - CTAF.
›ACR OPNS INVOLVING ACFT WITH MORE THAN 9 PAX SEATS ARE NA IN EXCESS OF 15 MINS BFR OR AFT SKED ARR OR DEP TIMES WO PRIOR CDN WITH ARPT MGMT OR THE ARPT SAFETY DEPT AND CFM THAT ARFF SVCS ARE AVBL PRIOR TO LDG OR TKOF. UNSKED ACR OPNS WITH MORE THAN 30 PAX SEATS SHOULD CTC AMGR (251) 967-3968.
›EXTSV BANNER TOWING, HEL AND PARA-SAIL OPS ALONG COASTLINE 15 NM MILES W TO 20 NM E OF GULF SHORES/ORANGE BEACH, AND 15 NM WSW TO 20 NM ESE OF JKA.
›CAUTION: HOP AT OR BLW 300 FT MSL WI 1 NM OF JKA WHEN LNDG/DEP HELIPAD LCTD 1.6 NM E, DIRECTLY UNDER RWY 27 FINAL. NOLF BARIN LCTD 6 MILES NE OF AP MAY BE MISTAKEN FOR JACK EDWARDS NTL AP. HI VOL OF MIL TFC WILL BE OPRG IN THE BARIN FIELD TFC PAT FROM SFC TO 3000 FT AGL.
›FREQ 122.7 FOR UNICOM USE ONLY.
›AFT HRS SVC CALL (251) 968-5200.
›INDEX B AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST CTC ARPT MGMT 850-501-5257.
›PCR VALUE: 440/F/B/X/T
OFFICIAL LINKS & SOURCES
↗Official METAR on AviationWeather.gov
↗Search NOTAMs (official FAA NOTAM Search)
↗Official airport website
↗Wikipedia
↗KJKA on OurAirports
FREQUENTLY ASKED
Does KJKA have a METAR?
Yes. KJKA has a current METAR observation, decoded into plain English on this page.
Does KJKA have a TAF?
Yes, a TAF is issued for KJKA; the decoded forecast timeline is shown above.
What is the field elevation at KJKA?
KJKA sits at 17 ft MSL, which factors into the density-altitude estimate on this page.
Is this an official preflight weather briefing for KJKA?
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.