KSNS/SNS METAR & TAF Salinas Municipal Airport

Salinas, CaliforniaElevation 85 ftMedium airport

CURRENT STATUS

VFR47 min old

No ceiling, visibility 10 SM.

FLIGHT CATEGORY

VFR

ceiling & visibility

WIND

310@12

steady

VISIBILITY

10 SM

16.1 km

CEILING

None

no BKN/OVC layer

DENSITY ALT

430 ft

+345 ft vs field

CURRENT METAR

Decoded observation

Observed 2353Z (4:53 PM local) · 47 min old

KSNS is currently VFR. Winds are from the northwest at 12 knots. Visibility is 10 statute miles. There is no ceiling.

WIND

310° at 12 kt

Steady.

VISIBILITY

10 statute miles

16.1 km, good.

CEILING & SKY

CLR

FEW and SCT layers are not ceilings.

TEMP / DEWPOINT

19°C / 12°C

66°F / 54°F. 7°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)

SLP190

sea-level pressure 1019.0 hPa

T01940117

precise temperature 19.4°C, dew point 11.7°C

10244

6-hour maximum temperature 24.4°C

20178

6-hour minimum temperature 17.8°C

53008

3-hour pressure tendency: rising quickly (0.8 hPa change)

TERMINAL AERODROME FORECAST

TAF timeline

Issued 2330Z (4:30 PM local) · valid to 0000Z (5:00 PM local)

KSNS forecast starts VFR at 00Z. Worst period is 06Z to 10Z with MVFR possible. Best period is 03Z to 06Z (VFR). Conditions are roughly steady over the period.

BKN25025,000 ft

BKN0121,200 ft

VFR

0000Z5:00 PM0448Z9:48 PM0936Z2:36 AM1424Z7:24 AM1912Z12:12 PM0000Z5:00 PM

Codes in this report: P6SM BKN FEW TEMPO

Tap any group to decode it.

FAA: no delays reported at SNS.

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

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 310° at 12 kt, visibility 10 SM, ceiling none. Forecast suggests this afternoon mostly cloudy, high near 72F, low near 51F, 0% chance of precipitation. Key risks: no significant hazards are highlighted right now, but always confirm against an official briefing.

Day	Conditions	Temp F	Wind	Gusts	Precip
This Afternoon	Mostly Cloudy	72/51	WNW 10 kt	16 kt	0%
Monday	Patchy Fog then Mostly Sunny	67/49	NNW 12 kt	18 kt	2%
Tuesday	Mostly Sunny	64/48	W 12 kt	18 kt	0%
Wednesday	Partly Sunny	66/50	N 9 kt	–	1%
Thursday	Mostly Cloudy	63/48	SW 11 kt	–	5%
Friday	Mostly Sunny	60/46	WSW 12 kt	–	32%
Saturday	Chance Light Rain	60/46	NE 9 kt	–	32%

Source: National Weather Service (office MTR). Forecast issued 0039Z.

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

310° at 12 kt

Components computed from the current on-field METAR wind.

RECOMMENDED

RWY 3111 kt headwind · 4 kt crosswind

RUNWAYS BY WIND · best end

HEAD

11 kt

CROSS

4 kt L

BEST

HEAD

10 kt

CROSS

7 kt R

HEAD

10 kt tail

CROSS

7 kt L

HEAD

11 kt tail

CROSS

4 kt R

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 6,004 ft

13/31

Dimensions

4,825 x 150 ft

Surface

Asphalt (good)

Edge lights

HIGH

RWY 13148°T

REILYes

VGSIVASI (V4L)

Traffic patternLeft

RWY 31328°T

ILSILS

Approach lightsMALSR

VGSIPAPI (P2L)

Traffic patternRight

Dimensions

90 x 90 ft

Surface

Asphalt

Edge lights

FLD

RWY H1

08/26

Dimensions

6,004 x 150 ft

Surface

Asphalt (good)

Edge lights

MED

RWY 0897°T

Displaced threshold396 ft

VGSIVASI (V2L)

Traffic patternRight

RWY 26277°T

REILYes

VGSIVASI (V2L)

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

430 ft

Pressure altitude

-65 ft

Field elevation

85 ft MSL

Temperature

19°C (66°F)

Dewpoint

12°C (54°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

0117Z 6:17 PM

Sunrise

1423Z 7:23 AM

Loggable night

0143Z (6:43 PM local) → 1357Z (6:57 AM local)

end of evening to start of morning civil twilight

Position lights required

0117Z (6:17 PM local) → 1423Z (7:23 AM local)

sunset to sunrise (91.209)

Night passenger currency

0217Z (7:17 PM local) → 1323Z (6:23 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

Salinas Municipal Airport is in Salinas, California. Field elevation 85 ft MSL. Airport facts are drawn from OurAirports and the FAA NASR dataset.

OPERATIONS & CONTACT

OwnershipPublicly owned

UseOpen to the public

TypeMedium airport

ManagerMATT NELSON

Manager phone831-758-7214

AttendedContinuous (24 hours)

CHARTS & AIRSPACE

ICAO / IATAKSNS / SNS

SectionalSAN FRANCISCO

Center (ARTCC)OAKLAND

Flight service (AFSS)OAKLAND

RegionCalifornia

CountryUnited States

Coordinates36.6628, -121.6060

Distance from city3 NM SE

SERVICES & LIGHTING

Fuel100LL · Jet A

Control towerTowered

Field lightingSee remarks

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

Traffic pattern alt800 ft MSL

CTAF119.525

UNICOM123.000

FREQUENCIES

Communications

127.15

NORCAL APP/DEP

A/D

124.85

ATIS

119.4

CTAF

121.7

GND

122.6

OAKLAND RDO

RDO

119.4

TWR

122.95

UNICOM

UNIC

123.000

UNICOM

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

AIRCRAFT ACTIVITY

KSNS traffic patterns

2026-06-12 to 2026-10-23, 70 days observed · data 2026-10-23

High confidence

TRAFFIC VOLUME (30-DAY)

AVG LANDINGS/DAY

31.4

AVG OPS/DAY

50.9

Operations trend (18 days)

Busiest day: Wed · Busiest month: Sep

FLEET MIX

Piston single 40%Unknown 36%Jet 9%Helicopter 6%Turboprop 4%Twin 3%Airliner 1%

Mostly small piston aircraft.

TOP AIRCRAFT TYPES

›C172 (Piston single) · ~87 landings/mo

›UNKN (Unknown) · ~50 landings/mo

›PIAT (Unknown) · ~46 landings/mo

›C152 (Piston single) · ~22 landings/mo

›P28A (Piston single) · ~17 landings/mo

LIKELY BASED AIRCRAFT

Low-confidence estimate

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

›PIAT (Unknown)

›C172 (Piston single)

›UNKN (Unknown)

›C152 (Piston single)

›C150 (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.

KOAR Marina Municipal Airport

8 NM W

VFR

KMRY Monterey Regional Airport

12 NM W

VFR

KCVH Hollister Municipal Airport

17 NM NE

VFR

KWVI Watsonville Municipal Airport

19 NM NW

VFR

KRHV Reid-Hillview Airport of Santa Clara County

42 NM N

VFR

KSJC Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport

45 NM N

VFR

AIRPORT REMARKS

Operational remarks

›200 FT ASPH STWY RY 31.

›WHEN ATCT CLSD ACTVT MALSR RWY 31; REIL RWY 13 & 26; PAPI RWY 31; HIRL RWY 13/31; MIRL RWY 08/26; H1 - CTAF. VASI RWY 08, 13, & 26 OPR CONSLY.

›FOR CD WHEN ATCT IS CLSD CTC NORCAL APCH AT 916-361-3748.

›6 FT TALL SECURITY FENCE 400 FT PRIOR TO RY 13 THLD ON CNTRLN AND STEEPLY DESCENDING TERRAIN 350 FT PRIOR TO RY 31 THLD ON CNTRLN BOTH IN RY 13/31 SAFETY AREA.

›PORTIONS OF TWY B BETWEEN D & N LIMITED ATCT SERVICES PROVIDED

›EARLP@CI.SALINAS.CA.US

OFFICIAL LINKS & SOURCES

↗Official METAR on AviationWeather.gov

↗Search NOTAMs (official FAA NOTAM Search)

↗Official airport website

↗Wikipedia

↗KSNS on OurAirports

FREQUENTLY ASKED

Does KSNS have a METAR?

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

Does KSNS have a TAF?

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

What is the field elevation at KSNS?

KSNS sits at 85 ft MSL, which factors into the density-altitude estimate on this page.

Is this an official preflight weather briefing for KSNS?

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.