KNID METAR & TAF China Lake Naws (Armitage Field) Airport

China Lake, CaliforniaElevation 2,283 ftMedium airport

CURRENT STATUS

VFR48 min old

No ceiling, visibility 10 SM.

FLIGHT CATEGORY

VFR

ceiling & visibility

WIND

230@6

steady

VISIBILITY

10 SM

16.1 km

CEILING

None

no BKN/OVC layer

DENSITY ALT

2,195 ft

-88 ft vs field

CURRENT METAR

Decoded observation

Observed 0856Z (1:56 AM local) · 48 min old

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

WIND

230° at 6 kt

Steady.

VISIBILITY

10 statute miles

16.1 km, good.

CEILING & SKY

CLR

FEW and SCT layers are not ceilings.

TEMP / DEWPOINT

11°C / 1°C

52°F / 34°F. 10°C spread.

ALTIMETER

30.07 inHg

1018.3 hPa, above standard.

WEATHER & HAZARDS

No significant hazards

No precipitation or obscuration reported.

Codes in this report: AUTO CLR 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)

SLP176

sea-level pressure 1017.6 hPa

T01060011

precise temperature 10.6°C, dew point 1.1°C

53000

3-hour pressure tendency: rising quickly (0.0 hPa change)

$

station needs maintenance

TERMINAL AERODROME FORECAST

TAF timeline

Issued 2300Z (4:00 PM local) · valid to 1500Z (8:00 AM local)

KNID forecast starts VFR at 15Z. Worst period is 20Z to 22Z with VFR possible (CB). Best period is 15Z to 16Z (VFR). Conditions are roughly steady over the period.

Maximum temperature 20°C expected at 1900Z on day 22.
Minimum temperature 9°C expected at 1200Z on day 23.

BKN12012,000 ft

BKN15015,000 ft

BKN060CB6,000 ft · 5.6 SM

1500Z8:00 AM1948Z12:48 PM0036Z5:36 PM0524Z10:24 PM1012Z3:12 AM1500Z8:00 AM

Codes in this report: COR 9999 BKN BECMG SCT FEW

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 230° at 6 kt, visibility 10 SM, ceiling none. Forecast suggests sunday sunny, high near 78F, low near 46F, 0% chance of precipitation. Key risks: strong winds in the forecast.

PILOT WEATHER NOTES

Strong winds in the forecastWeather.gov

Friday: winds up to 26 kt. Re-check crosswind components closer to departure.

Day	Conditions	Temp F	Wind	Gusts	Precip	Pilot note
Sunday	Sunny	78/46	SSE 4 kt	–	0%
Monday	Sunny	79/44	SSW 9 kt	17 kt	0%
Tuesday	Sunny	77/45	0 kt	–	0%
Wednesday	Mostly Sunny	77/47	0 kt	–	0%
Thursday	Partly Sunny	77/47	S 9 kt	17 kt	3%
Friday	Mostly Sunny	73/42	SSW 13 kt	26 kt	12%	Strong winds in the forecast
Saturday	Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Light Rain	67	SW 13 kt	22 kt	20%

Source: National Weather Service (office HNX). Forecast issued 0943Z.

Radar

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

RUNWAYS & WIND

3 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

230° at 6 kt

Components computed from the current on-field METAR wind.

RECOMMENDED

RWY 216 kt headwind · 1 kt crosswind

RUNWAYS BY WIND · best end

21

HEAD

6 kt

CROSS

1 kt R

BEST

26

HEAD

5 kt

CROSS

4 kt L

OK

14

HEAD

1 kt

CROSS

6 kt R

OK

32

HEAD

1 kt tail

CROSS

6 kt L

OK

08

HEAD

5 kt tail

CROSS

4 kt R

OK

03

HEAD

6 kt tail

CROSS

1 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

3 runways · longest 11,199 ft

08/26

Dimensions

11,199 x 200 ft

Surface

Concrete

Edge lights

HIGH

RWY 0890°T

VGSIPAPI (P4L)

RWY 26270°T

VGSIPAPI (P4L)

03/21

Dimensions

10,000 x 200 ft

Surface

Concrete

Edge lights

HIGH

RWY 0342°T

RWY 21222°T

VGSIPAPI (P4L)

14/32

Dimensions

9,014 x 200 ft

Surface

Asphalt

Edge lights

HIGH

RWY 14154°T

VGSIPAPI (P4R)

RWY 32334°T

VGSIPAPI (P4R)

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

2,195 ft

Pressure altitude

2,133 ft

Field elevation

2,283 ft MSL

Temperature

11°C (52°F)

Dewpoint

1°C (34°F)

Altimeter

30.07 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

0104Z 6:04 PM

Sunrise

1406Z 7:06 AM

Loggable night

0130Z (6:30 PM local) → 1340Z (6:40 AM local)

end of evening to start of morning civil twilight

Position lights required

0104Z (6:04 PM local) → 1406Z (7:06 AM local)

sunset to sunrise (91.209)

Night passenger currency

0204Z (7:04 PM local) → 1306Z (6:06 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

China Lake Naws (Armitage Field) Airport is in China Lake, California. Field elevation 2,283 ft MSL. Airport facts are drawn from OurAirports and the FAA NASR dataset.

OPERATIONS & CONTACT

OwnershipNavy owned

UsePrivate use

TypeMedium airport

ManagerCOMMANDING OFFICER

AttendedALL MON-FRI, 1530–0630Z++

CHARTS & AIRSPACE

ICAO / IATAKNID

SectionalLOS ANGELES

Center (ARTCC)LOS ANGELES

Flight service (AFSS)RIVERSIDE

RegionCalifornia

CountryUnited States

Coordinates35.6854, -117.6920

Distance from city3 NM NW

SERVICES & LIGHTING

Control towerTowered

Field lightingSee remarks

BeaconSunset to sunrise · Split white-green (military)

FREQUENCIES

Communications

133.65

JOSHUA APP/DEP

A/D

133.65

VFR ADVSY SVC

AAS

32.237

ATIS

36.02

GND

34.315

PMSV METRO

PMSV

120.15

TWR

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

AIRCRAFT ACTIVITY

Traffic patterns

Aircraft activity data is not available for this airport yet.

NEARBY AIRPORTS

Weather reference stations

Current flight category at nearby reporting stations.

KMHV Mojave Air & Space Port

44 NM SW

VFR

KEDW Edwards Air Force Base

47 NM S

VFR

KTSP Tehachapi Municipal Airport

49 NM SW

VFR

KBYS Bicycle Lake Army Air Field

57 NM SE

VFR

KWJF General William J Fox Airfield

62 NM SW

VFR

KPMD Palmdale Regional Airport / USAF Plant 42 Airport

66 NM S

VFR

AIRPORT REMARKS

Operational remarks

›HORIZONTAL DATUM WGS84.

›OLS

›CLSD ALTN FRI. OPEN 1530-2030Z++, CLSD 2030-2300Z++, OPEN 2330-0100Z++ 1ST WORKING/NON-HOL FRI OF THE MONTH. SAT-SUN OPR BY PPR/LCL USE ONLY. SEE FLIP AP/1 SUPPLEMENTARY ARPT INFO.

›OIL - O-133-156.

›FUEL - F24- AVBL 1400-0700Z++ MON-THU; 1400-0430Z++ ALT THU-FRI; 2200-0700Z++ SUN

›JASU - 3(GTC-85), 5(NC-10A1), 1(NC-10B), 1(NC-10C), 7(AM32A-108), 4(A/M47A-4), 4(MSU-200).

›CAUTION: TWY C CLSD.

›OLS

›AVBL ONLY DURING HRS OF OPERATION.

›TFC PAT - REDUCED RWY SEPARATION STD IN EFF USN/USMC ACFT. NS ABTMT - DEP AVOID OVFT CHINA LAKE AND CITY OF RIDGECREST 2 NM SSE.

›HOOK E28(B) (1657 FT).

›HOOK E28(B) (1765 FT).

›HOOK E28(B) (2793 FT).

›CAUTION: TWY B AND TWY G NOT LGTD.

›CAUTION - BIRD HAZ NEAR GOLF CRS, WI CLASS D AIRSPACE, OCT-APR.

›RSTD: PPR CIVIL ACFT OFFL BUS. FOR CALP REQS CTC AIRFIELD MGR 760-939-5032 OR TRML 760-939-5301. RSTD AFLD HRS SUBJ CHG. PILOTS FILING KNID CHINA LAKE AS AN ALTN OR EMERG DIV ARE ADZD TO CALL BASE OPS DSN 437-5475 TO VFY OPERG HRS.

›SERVICE LGT: RWY 03/21, RWY 08/26 AND 14/32 MRKD AND LGTD 200 FT WIDE.

›MISC: LTD PAX SVC AVBL.

›MISC - TRAN ACFT TO/FR CHINA LAKE NID MUST CTC R2508 COMPLEX CONTROL BOARD FOR SKED/BRIEF PRIOR TO OBTAINING A PPR. PORTIONS OF APCH END RWY 26 AND ADJ TWY NOT VISIBLE FR TWR.

›CSTMS/AG/IMG - CSTMS NOT AVBL. ACFT ENTERING FR FOREIGN COUNTRIES MUST CLEAR CSTMS PRIOR ARR.

›RSTD - PPR DSN 437-5301. ALL PPR ISSUED 1530-0630Z++ WEEKDAYS ONLY.

›TRAN ALERT - EXP SVC DELAY. LTD TRAN SVC AVBL 1530-0300Z++ MON-FRI.

›HOOK E28(B) (1545 FT).

›HORIZONTAL DATUM WGS84.

OFFICIAL LINKS & SOURCES

↗Search NOTAMs (official FAA NOTAM Search)

↗Wikipedia

↗KNID on OurAirports

FREQUENTLY ASKED

Does KNID have a METAR?

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

Does KNID have a TAF?

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

What is the field elevation at KNID?

KNID sits at 2,283 ft MSL, which factors into the density-altitude estimate on this page.

Is this an official preflight weather briefing for KNID?

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.