WxDecoder

YBCS/CNS METAR & TAF Cairns International Airport

Cairns, QueenslandElevation 10 ftLarge airport
CURRENT STATUS
VFR20 min old
No ceiling, visibility 10 SM.
FLIGHT CATEGORY
VFR
ceiling & visibility
WIND
050@13
steady
VISIBILITY
10 SM
16.1 km
CEILING
None
no BKN/OVC layer
DENSITY ALT
1,686 ft
+1,676 ft vs field
CURRENT METAR

Decoded observation

Observed 0400Z (2:00 PM local) · 20 min old

YBCS is currently VFR. Winds are from the northeast at 13 knots. Visibility is 10 statute miles. There is no ceiling.

WIND
50° at 13 kt
Steady.
VISIBILITY
10 statute miles
16.1 km, good.
CEILING & SKY
NCD
FEW and SCT layers are not ceilings.
TEMP / DEWPOINT
29°C / 23°C
84°F / 73°F. 6°C spread.
ALTIMETER
29.91 inHg
1012.9 hPa, near standard.
WEATHER & HAZARDS
No significant hazards
No precipitation or obscuration reported.

Codes in this report: AUTO 9999

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

TERMINAL AERODROME FORECAST

TAF timeline

Issued 0201Z (12:01 PM local) · valid to 0000Z (10:00 AM local)

YBCS forecast starts VFR at 03Z. Worst period is 12Z to 21Z with MVFR possible. Best period is 03Z to 10Z (VFR). Conditions are roughly steady over the period.

VFR
VFR
MVFR
VFR
VFR
0300Z1:00 PM0712Z5:12 PM1124Z9:24 PM1536Z1:36 AM1948Z5:48 AM0000Z10:00 AM

Codes in this report: 9999 FEW SCT TEMPO BKN

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 50° at 13 kt, visibility 10 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
NESW1533 50°50°13 kt50°50° 1350°
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
050° at 13 kt
Components computed from the current on-field METAR wind.
RECOMMENDED
RWY 334 kt headwind · 12 kt crosswind
RUNWAYS BY WIND · best end
33
HEAD
4 kt
CROSS
12 kt R
BEST
15
HEAD
4 kt tail
CROSS
12 kt L
X-WIND
Components are estimates from the current METAR wind and runway heading. Verify with the Chart Supplement and NOTAMs.
RUNWAYS

Runway detail

15/33
Dimensions
10,489 x 148 ft
Surface
ASP
Lighting
Lighted
FIELD CONDITIONS

Performance & density altitude

Density altitude
1,686 ft
Pressure altitude
20 ft
Field elevation
10 ft MSL
Temperature
29°C (84°F)
Dewpoint
23°C (73°F)
Altimeter
29.91 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
0819Z 6:19 PM
Sunrise
1941Z 5:41 AM
Loggable night
0842Z (6:42 PM local) → 1919Z (5:19 AM local)
end of evening to start of morning civil twilight
Position lights required
0819Z (6:19 PM local) → 1941Z (5:41 AM local)
sunset to sunrise (91.209)
Night passenger currency
0919Z (7:19 PM local) → 1841Z (4:41 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

Cairns International Airport is in Cairns, Queensland. Field elevation 10 ft MSL. Airport facts are drawn from OurAirports and the FAA NASR dataset.

OPERATIONS & CONTACT
UseScheduled service
TypeLarge airport
Airline serviceYes
CHARTS & AIRSPACE
ICAO / IATAYBCS / CNS
RegionQueensland
CountryAustralia
Coordinates-16.8789, 145.7495
SERVICES & LIGHTING
Control towerTowered
FREQUENCIES

Communications

118.4
APP/DEP
A/D
113
ATIS
ATIS
121.7
CLNC DEL
CLD
121.7
GND
GND
124.9
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

YCBH Cairns Base Hospital Heliport.
2 NM SE
AU-0297 Koah Airport
14 NM W
YGNI Green Island Helipad
15 NM NE
YMBA Mareeba Airport
22 NM SW
YYAK Yalkulka Airport
25 NM W
YATN Atherton Airport
27 NM SW
OFFICIAL LINKS & SOURCES
↗Official METAR on AviationWeather.gov
↗Official airport website
↗Wikipedia
↗YBCS on OurAirports
FREQUENTLY ASKED
Does YBCS have a METAR?
Yes. YBCS has a current METAR observation, decoded into plain English on this page.
Does YBCS have a TAF?
Yes, a TAF is issued for YBCS; the decoded forecast timeline is shown above.
What is the field elevation at YBCS?
YBCS sits at 10 ft MSL, which factors into the density-altitude estimate on this page.
Is this an official preflight weather briefing for YBCS?
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.