KNQX/NQX METAR & TAF Naval Air Station Key West/Boca Chica Field

Key West, FloridaElevation 6 ftMedium airport

CURRENT STATUS

MVFR36 min old

Ceiling 1,800 ft, visibility 10 SM, gusts to 26 kt.

FLIGHT CATEGORY

MVFR

ceiling & visibility

WIND

020@19

gust 26 kt

VISIBILITY

10 SM

16.1 km

CEILING

1,800 ft

lowest BKN/OVC

DENSITY ALT

1,067 ft

+1,061 ft vs field

ACTIVE NWS ALERTS

Active weather alerts

Coastal Flood AdvisoryMinor · Expected · Likely

26 0802Z to 27 0900Z

Monroe Middle Keys; Monroe Lower Keys

* WHAT...Saltwater flooding. * WHERE...Middle and Lower Florida Keys. * WHEN...Until 5 AM EDT Tuesday. * IMPACTS...Saltwater flooding of low elevation streets and lots is expected. Some storm drains will overflow, and some seawalls and docks will be overtopped. Boaters can expect less clearance under fixed bridges. Motorists should remember that persistent puddles around the times of high tide …

If travel is required, allow extra time as some roads may be closed. Do not drive around barricades or through water of unknown depth. Take the necessary actions to protect flood-prone property.

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

CURRENT METAR

Decoded observation

Observed 0753Z (3:53 AM local) · 36 min old

KNQX is currently MVFR. Winds are from the north at 19 knots gusting 26. Visibility is 10 statute miles. The ceiling is 1,800 feet AGL. The main issue is ceiling 1800 ft agl (mvfr).

WIND

20° at 19 kt, gust 26

Gusts 7 kt above the steady wind.

VISIBILITY

10 statute miles

16.1 km, good.

CEILING & SKY

Ceiling 1,800 ft

Lowest broken or overcast layer.

TEMP / DEWPOINT

24°C / 21°C

75°F / 70°F. 3°C spread.

ALTIMETER

29.93 inHg

1013.5 hPa, near standard.

WEATHER & HAZARDS

LOW CIG, GUST

Ceiling 1800 ft AGL (MVFR).

Codes in this report: AUTO BKN 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)

PK WND 01026/0753

peak wind 26 knots from 010 degrees at 07:53

SLP132

sea-level pressure 1013.2 hPa

T02440211

precise temperature 24.4°C, dew point 21.1°C

$

station needs maintenance

TERMINAL AERODROME FORECAST

TAF timeline

Issued 0700Z (3:00 AM local) · valid to 0700Z (3:00 AM local)

KNQX forecast starts VFR at 07Z. Worst period is 17Z to 22Z with IFR possible (TS, CB, GUST). Best period is 07Z to 08Z (VFR). Overall the forecast deteriorates over the period. Watch the TEMPO group: thunderstorms are temporarily forecast.

Maximum temperature 28°C expected at 1900Z on day 26.
Minimum temperature 25°C expected at 1100Z on day 26.

VFR

IFR

VFR

BKN0808,000 ft

BKN030CB3,000 ft

0700Z3:00 AM1148Z7:48 AM1636Z12:36 PM2124Z5:24 PM0212Z10:12 PM0700Z3:00 AM

Codes in this report: 9999 SCT TEMPO BKN BECMG

Tap any group to decode it.

FAA: no delays reported at NQX.

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

SUGGESTED RISK · TRAINING USE

Suggested risk level: High

›Conditions are MVFR.

›Wind gusting to 26 kt (gust spread 7 kt).

›Becoming: in the vicinity: thunderstorm (VCTS).

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 MVFR, wind from 20° at 19 kt, gusting 26 kt, visibility 10 SM, ceiling 1,800 ft. Forecast suggests monday chance showers and thunderstorms, high near 84F, low near 77F, 36% chance of precipitation. Key risks: gusty winds; thunderstorms in the forecast; strong winds in the forecast. Note: the NWS forecast for now reads "Chance Showers And Thunderstorms" but the current METAR shows none of it; the observation and forecast differ, so trust the METAR for current conditions.

PILOT WEATHER NOTES

Gusty windsMETAR

Winds gusting to 26 kt. Plan for the gust factor on approach and landing.

Thunderstorms in the forecastWeather.gov

Monday: Chance Showers And Thunderstorms. Watch for developing convection and plan alternates.

Strong winds in the forecastWeather.gov

Monday: winds up to 30 kt. Re-check crosswind components closer to departure.

Day	Conditions	Temp F	Wind	Gusts	Precip	Pilot note
Monday	Chance Showers And Thunderstorms	84/77	NE 22 kt	30 kt	36%	Thunderstorms in the forecast
Tuesday	Chance Rain Showers	85/77	NE 22 kt	30 kt	33%
Wednesday	Chance Rain Showers	87/77	NE 17 kt	–	33%
Thursday	Slight Chance Rain Showers	86/78	NE 9 kt	–	22%
Friday	Slight Chance Rain Showers	83/78	NE 9 kt	–	16%
Saturday	Slight Chance Rain Showers	84/78	E 9 kt	–	14%
Sunday	Slight Chance Rain Showers	84	E 9 kt	–	14%

Note: the NWS forecast for now reads "Chance Showers And Thunderstorms" but the current METAR shows none of it; the observation and forecast differ, so trust the METAR for current conditions.

Source: National Weather Service (office KEY). Forecast issued 0829Z.

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

020° at 19 kt, gust 26

Components computed from the current on-field METAR wind.

RECOMMENDED

RWY 0419 kt headwind · 4 kt crosswind

RUNWAYS BY WIND · best end

04

HEAD

19 kt

CROSS

4 kt L

BEST

08

HEAD

11 kt

CROSS

15 kt L

X-WIND

32

HEAD

7 kt

CROSS

18 kt R

X-WIND

14

HEAD

7 kt tail

CROSS

18 kt L

X-WIND

26

HEAD

11 kt tail

CROSS

15 kt R

X-WIND

22

HEAD

19 kt tail

CROSS

4 kt R

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 10,001 ft

08/26

Dimensions

10,001 x 200 ft

Surface

Pem (fair)

Edge lights

HIGH

RWY 0873°T

Approach lightsALSF1

VGSIPAPI (P4L)

RWY 26253°T

VGSIPAPI (P4L)

04/22

Dimensions

7,001 x 150 ft

Surface

Pem (fair)

Edge lights

HIGH

RWY 0432°T

VGSIPAPI (P4L)

RWY 22212°T

VGSIPAPI (P4L)

14/32

Dimensions

7,000 x 150 ft

Surface

Pem (fair)

Edge lights

HIGH

RWY 14131°T

VGSIPAPI (P4R)

RWY 32311°T

VGSIPAPI (P4L)

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

1,067 ft

Pressure altitude

-4 ft

Field elevation

6 ft MSL

Temperature

24°C (75°F)

Dewpoint

21°C (70°F)

Altimeter

29.93 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

2251Z 6:51 PM

Sunrise

1130Z 7:30 AM

Loggable night

2315Z (7:15 PM local) → 1106Z (7:06 AM local)

end of evening to start of morning civil twilight

Position lights required

2251Z (6:51 PM local) → 1130Z (7:30 AM local)

sunset to sunrise (91.209)

Night passenger currency

2351Z (7:51 PM local) → 1030Z (6:30 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

Naval Air Station Key West/Boca Chica Field is in Key West, Florida. Field elevation 6 ft MSL. Airport facts are drawn from OurAirports and the FAA NASR dataset.

OPERATIONS & CONTACT

OwnershipNavy owned

UsePrivate use

TypeMedium airport

ManagerCOMMANDING OFFICER

Manager phone305-293-2770

AttendedDaily, 1200–0300Z

CHARTS & AIRSPACE

ICAO / IATAKNQX / NQX

SectionalMIAMI

Center (ARTCC)MIAMI

Flight service (AFSS)MIAMI

RegionFlorida

CountryUnited States

Coordinates24.5758, -81.6889

Distance from city4 NM E

SERVICES & LIGHTING

Control towerTowered

Field lightingSee remarks

BeaconSunset to sunrise · Split white-green (military)

FREQUENCIES

Communications

119.25

APP DEP

A/D

27.72

ATIS

121.2

CLNC DEL

CLD

121.7

GND

33.8

BASE OPS

OPS

34.46

PMSV METRO

PMSV

126.1

TWR

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

AIRCRAFT ACTIVITY

KNQX traffic patterns

2026-09-04 to 2026-09-30, 11 days observed · data 2026-10-23

Low confidence

TRAFFIC VOLUME (30-DAY)

AVG LANDINGS/DAY

2.7

AVG OPS/DAY

4.7

Operations trend (11 days)

Busiest day: Thu · Busiest month: Sep

FLEET MIX

Jet 70%Unknown 23%Airliner 3%Helicopter 3%

Mostly jet aircraft.

TOP AIRCRAFT TYPES

›HUNT (Jet) · ~21 landings/mo

›C27J (Unknown) · ~4 landings/mo

›F5 (Unknown) · ~3 landings/mo

›C17 (Airliner) · ~1 landings/mo

›H60 (Helicopter) · ~1 landings/mo

LIKELY BASED AIRCRAFT

Low-confidence estimate

Aircraft likely based near this airport (estimate), mostly aircraft of unknown type.

›F5 (Unknown)

›C27J (Unknown)

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.

KEYW Key West International Airport

4 NM W

MVFR

KMTH Florida Keys Marathon International Airport

36 NM E

VFR

KMKY Marco Island Executive Airport

85 NM N

MVFR

KHST Homestead Air Reserve Base

90 NM NE

VFR

MUVR Juan Gualberto Gomez International Airport

94 NM S

MVFR

KTMB Miami Executive Airport

94 NM NE

UNKNOWN

AIRPORT REMARKS

Operational remarks

›HOT CARGO PAD UNLIT; DAY USE ONLY.

›RSTD: PPR IS VALID FOR +/- 1 HR OF PROPOSED ETA. IF OUTSIDE OF ETA SLOT, CTC AIR TRML TO UPDATE PPR.

›MISC: FIGHTER ACFT OPS DLY M-SA 0800-1700. TRAN ACFT PRAC APCH NOT TO INTERFERE BASIS; PPR FOR COPTER LDG TRUMBO PT - CTC BASE OPS 15 MIN PRIOR TO ETA.

›SAR ONLY AVBL ON SAT-SUN WITH PRIOR CDN AND SKED ASP BY FRI PRIOR TO 1300Z++.

›JASU: (NC-10) (MSU-200)

›HOOK E28(B) (1501 FT)

›HOOK E28(B) (1202 FT)

›HOOK E28(B) (1135 FT)

›HOOK E28(B) (1500 FT)

›A-GEAR: ALL E-28(B) SHORT FLD A-G IN RAISED POSN. EXC SHORT FLD A-G DUTY RWY DERIGGED.

›OIL: -O-128-156

›RSTD: CIV ACFT LDG PMT INFO - AMGR 305-293-2250; 305-293-2779.

›RSTD: UNLGTD RAMP PARL TO TWY L.

›HAZARDOUS CARGO, TRANSIENT RAMP, AND FIGHTER RAMP LABELS.

›AVBL DURG OPS HRS.

›TFC PAT: REDUCED RWY SEPARATION STD IN EFF USN/USMC ACFT.

›AVBL 1100-0400Z++MON-SAT, SUN 1400-0000Z++.

›OT BY NOTAM; CTC ATC, C305-293-2770. FOR AIR SERVICES OR PPRS CONTACT C305-293-2779.

›MISC: EV THU ALL APCHS PRIOR TO 1030L WILL BE IAW IFR PROCS.

›FLUID: SP

›CSTMS/AG/IMG: AVLB 1200-2000Z++ MON - SAT, WITH PRIOR COORDINATION. ACFT REQ INSPECTIONS MUST ANNOTATE ON PPR AND NOTIFY NAVY APP WHEN IN RDO CTC WITH UPDATED ETA AND REQUEST CSTMS COORDINATION, FAILURE MAY CAUSE UNDUE DELAYS WITH CSTMS LIMITED RESOURCES.

›RSTD: PPR CTC AIR TERMINAL DSN 483-2769/2779, 305-293-2769/2779, FAX DSN 483-2355, C305-293-2355.

›CAUTION: UNLGT RAMP PARL TO TWY I; R2916 TETHERED AEROSTAT RADAR SYSTEM OPS CONT TO 14000; KEY WEST NAS & KEY WEST INTL HAVE ADJ CLASS D; CIVIL TFC SW & NW SECTS KEY WEST NAS CLASS D; BIRD HAZ; UNMRK/UNLGT TWY OBSTN.

›CAUTION: RWY 04/22, 7 FT OBST 87 FT WEST OF CNTRLN. FLOLS. 758 FT FM APCH END RWY 04, DER RWY 22. ONLY C-130 (WINGSPAN 32 FT) TYPE ACFT OR SMLR MAY OPR FOR LDG AND TKOF. ALL ACFT MAY TAXI DOWN RWY 22 TIL THE DER A-G.

›TRAN ALERT: EXP SVC DELAYS; NO PRIORITY BASIS; LTD MAINT 1200-2100Z++ MON-FRI; TRANS ACFT RQRG FUEL PRVD QLFYD PSNL; FLEET SVC, POTABLE WATER & BASE TRNSPN NA; CLSD FED HOL.

›HOOK E28(B) (1501 FT)

›HOOK E28(B) (1500 FT)

OFFICIAL LINKS & SOURCES

↗Official METAR on AviationWeather.gov

↗Search NOTAMs (official FAA NOTAM Search)

↗Official airport website

↗Wikipedia

↗KNQX on OurAirports

FREQUENTLY ASKED

Does KNQX have a METAR?

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

Does KNQX have a TAF?

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

What is the field elevation at KNQX?

KNQX sits at 6 ft MSL, which factors into the density-altitude estimate on this page.

Is this an official preflight weather briefing for KNQX?

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.