PKWA/KWA METAR & TAF Bucholz Army Air Field

Kwajalein, KwajaleinElevation 9 ftMedium airport

CURRENT STATUS

VFR9 min old

No ceiling, visibility 7 SM.

FLIGHT CATEGORY

VFR

ceiling & visibility

WIND

220@12

gust 16 kt

VISIBILITY

7 SM

11.3 km

CEILING

None

no BKN/OVC layer

DENSITY ALT

1,606 ft

+1,597 ft vs field

CURRENT METAR

Decoded observation

Observed 1040Z (10:40 PM local) · 9 min old

PKWA is currently VFR. Winds are from the southwest at 12 knots gusting 16. Visibility is 7 statute miles. There is no ceiling.

WIND

220° at 12 kt, gust 16

Gusts 4 kt above the steady wind.

VISIBILITY

7 statute miles

11.3 km, good.

CEILING & SKY

SCT018 SCT030

FEW and SCT layers are not ceilings.

TEMP / DEWPOINT

28°C / 26°C

82°F / 79°F. 2°C spread.

ALTIMETER

29.87 inHg

1011.5 hPa, near standard.

WEATHER & HAZARDS

No significant hazards

No precipitation or obscuration reported.

Codes in this report: AUTO SCT 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)

T02820258

precise temperature 28.2°C, dew point 25.8°C

TERMINAL AERODROME FORECAST

TAF timeline

Issued 0553Z (5:53 PM local) · valid to 0600Z (6:00 PM local)

PKWA forecast starts VFR at 06Z. Worst period is 06Z to 12Z with MVFR possible (GUST, GUST). Best period is 12Z to 06Z (VFR). Overall the forecast improves over the period.

BKN13013,000 ft

0600Z6:00 PM1048Z10:48 PM1536Z3:36 AM2024Z8:24 AM0112Z1:12 PM0600Z6:00 PM

Codes in this report: P6SM SCT BKN PROB30

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

Pilot weather notes

Current aviation conditions show flight category VFR, wind from 220° at 12 kt, gusting 16 kt, visibility 7 SM, ceiling none. No extended National Weather Service forecast is available for this location. Key risks: no significant hazards are highlighted right now, but always confirm against an official briefing.

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RUNWAYS & WIND

1 runway · 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

220° at 12 kt, gust 16

Components computed from the current on-field METAR wind.

RECOMMENDED

RWY 2410 kt headwind · 7 kt crosswind

RUNWAYS BY WIND · best end

HEAD

10 kt

CROSS

7 kt L

BEST

HEAD

10 kt tail

CROSS

7 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

1 runway · longest 6,668 ft

06/24

Dimensions

6,668 x 200 ft

Surface

Asphalt

Edge lights

HIGH

RWY 06

REILYes

VGSIPAPI (P4L)

RWY 24

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

1,606 ft

Pressure altitude

59 ft

Field elevation

9 ft MSL

Temperature

28°C (82°F)

Dewpoint

26°C (79°F)

Altimeter

29.87 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

0629Z 6:29 PM

Sunrise

1837Z 6:37 AM

Loggable night

0650Z (6:50 PM local) → 1815Z (6:15 AM local)

end of evening to start of morning civil twilight

Position lights required

0629Z (6:29 PM local) → 1837Z (6:37 AM local)

sunset to sunrise (91.209)

Night passenger currency

0729Z (7:29 PM local) → 1737Z (5:37 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

Bucholz Army Air Field is in Kwajalein, Kwajalein. Field elevation 9 ft MSL. Airport facts are drawn from OurAirports and the FAA NASR dataset.

OPERATIONS & CONTACT

OwnershipArmy owned

UsePrivate use

TypeMedium airport

Airline serviceYes

AttendedDaily, 0730–2130

CHARTS & AIRSPACE

ICAO / IATAPKWA / KWA

SectionalGNC 7

Center (ARTCC)OAKLAND OCEANIC ARTCC

Flight service (AFSS)HONOLULU

RegionKwajalein

CountryMarshall Islands

Coordinates8.7201, 167.7320

SERVICES & LIGHTING

Control towerTowered

BeaconSunset to sunrise · Split white-green (military)

FREQUENCIES

Communications

299.8

SAN FRANCISCO ARINC

A/G

126.2

KWAJALEIN APP

APP

126.2

KWAJALEIN TWR

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

Nearby airports

MH-MJE Majkin Airport

43 NM SE

PKRO Dyess Army Air Field

44 NM N

EAL Elenak Airport

64 NM NW

MH-EBN Ebadon Airport

65 NM NW

AIRPORT REMARKS

Operational remarks

›CAUTION: MEN, EQUIP, AND VEHICLES MAY BE OPR IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE RWY. 250 FT TWR 8.5 NM WNW. VERTIGO POTENTIAL EXISTS DUR NGT OPR ESPECIALLY DUR PERIODS OF REDUCED VIS DUE LACK OF VIS CUES. AVOID RAIN CATCHMENTS ON N SIDE OF RWY AND TWY. PORTIONS OF TWY E NOT VIS FR TWR. NO OVRN AVBL. NUMEROUS TREES AND OTHER OBST WITHIN 300 FT S OF RWY. SEAWALL AT EA END OF RWY. ELECTRO-MAGNETIC RADIATION MAY EXIST 24 HR DLY WITHIN 5 NM SFC TO 30,000 FT. CTC BASE OPS OR TWR PRIOR TO ARR AND DEP FOR ELECTRO-MAGNETIC RADIATION HAZ DE-CONFLICTION.

›MISC: MINIMIZE ENG RUN-UP DUR.

›TFC PAT: ALL ARR AND DEP MAKE S TFC ONLY TO AVOID EXTRM RADIATION HAZ. OVFT OF THE ISLAND N OF RWY CNTRLN IS PROH.

›24 HR PPR THRU CMDR US ARMY KWAJALEIN ATOLL; P.O. BOX 26 APO AP 96555; ATTN: CTC BASE OPS, PACIFIC DSN 480-2131, C808-580-2131.

›AVOID RAIN CATCHMENTS ON N SIDE OF RWY AND TWY.

›(A70) FUEL CODE JP-5

›TACAN TOWER 75 FT HIGH LCTD 164 FT NORTH OF TWY E CNTRLN.

›PORTIONS OF TWY E NOT VIS FM ATCT.

›NUMEROUS TREES AND OTHER OBSTN WITHIN 300 FT S OF RWY.

›USE OF PARALLEL TWY A LMTD TO C-141 AND SMALLER ACFT.

›ELECTRO-MAGNETIC RADIATION MAY EXIST 24 HRS DAILY WITHIN 5 NM, FM SFC TO 30,000 FT.

›RSTD: TWYS A AND E ARE WEIGHT RESTRICTED FOR THE FOLLOWING ACFT: B737, B757, B767, C-5, C-17, C-130 BACK TAXI AND 180 DEG TURN ON RY WILL BE REQUIRED, FOR EITHER ARR OR DEP. EXCEPTIONS MAY BE GRANTED FOR TWY A, IN ORDER TO ACCESS EXPLOSIVE CARGO PARKING LOCATIONS.

›250 FT TWR 8.5NM PKWA BRG 300DEG.

›REPORT ON INITIAL CALL UP WITH AWOS WX INFO AVBL ON FREQ.119.675 OR CALL (808) 580-2131.

›ATNDD (BASE OPS) 1730-0900Z MON-SAT. AFLD OPEN 1900Z-0800Z MON-SAT, ALFD CLSD SUN. TRAN ACFT HRS OF SVC 1900Z-0800Z. OPS OT RQR USAG-KWAJALEIN ATOLL AIRFIELD MANAGER APVL AND SUPPORT PERS SKED AND FUNDED. UNATTENDED AFLD OPS NA EXC EMERG.

›RSTD: PPR WITH 24 HR NTC AND BILLETING CONFIRMATION NR REQ FOR ALL ACFT, EXC REG SKED COMM AND AMC CHANNEL MSN. EMERG DIVERT ACFT TO BUCHOLZ AAF OUTSIDE OF REG AFLD OPR HR, CTC FAA CONTROLLER AT OAKLAND CNTR TO AMG BASE OPS/TWR PERS RECALL. ALL ACFT TRNSPG XPLOS CARGO RQR A PPR. CTC BASE OPS, PACIFIC DSN 480-2131, C808-580-2131. ACFT AVOID OVER FLT E END OF ISLAND BLW 1500 FT AGL. TWY E IS WT RSTD FOR FOLLOWING ACFT B737, B757, B767, C-5, C-17, C-130. BT AND 180 DEG TURN ON RWY WILL BE RQR FOR EITHER ARR OR DEPT. EXCEPTIONS MAY BE GRANTED FOR TWY A, IN ORDER TO ACCESS XPLOS CARGO PRKG LOC.

›CTN-PILOTS HAVE EXPERIENCED VERTIGO DUR NGT OPERNS ESPECIALLY DUR PERIODS OF REDUCED VIS DUE TO LACK OF VISUAL CUES.

›AFCT WITH EXPLOSIVE CARGO SHOULD PLAN TO ARRIVE BETWEEN 0830-1730 LCL.

›TRANSIT ALERT CONTRACTOR ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE 0730-1930 LCL.

›ARR/DEP SHOULD NOT BE PLANNED BETWEEN 1300-0730 LCL.

OFFICIAL LINKS & SOURCES

↗Official METAR on AviationWeather.gov

↗Wikipedia

↗PKWA on OurAirports

FREQUENTLY ASKED

Does PKWA have a METAR?

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

Does PKWA have a TAF?

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

What is the field elevation at PKWA?

PKWA sits at 9 ft MSL, which factors into the density-altitude estimate on this page.

Is this an official preflight weather briefing for PKWA?

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.