Flight planning: Albuquerque International Sunport ABQ / KABQ
What a pilot looks at before a flight from or to Albuquerque International Sunport in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in plain English. The warnings, reports and winds below come from the government's aviation weather service and the restrictions from the FAA, refreshed every few minutes. For planning, not a briefing: the legal preflight briefing comes from Flight Service (1-800-WX-BRIEF) or the FAA's own tools.
Warnings in force SIGMETs and AIRMETs whose area covers this field
- SIGMET W68W: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 36,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 40 knots, until 7:55 pm MDT (01:55 UTC).
as issued
WSUS33 KKCI 112355 MKCW WST 112355 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 68W VALID UNTIL 0155Z CO NM AZ UT FROM 30W CHE-20NNW TBE-60SE ABQ-40N SJN-30SW MTU-30W CHE AREA TS MOV FROM 23040KT. TOPS TO FL360.
- AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 35,000 ft to 45,000 ft.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft.
A SIGMET warns of weather hazardous to all aircraft (thunderstorms, severe turbulence or icing, volcanic ash); an AIRMET of weather that matters to small aircraft and to flying without instruments (moderate turbulence or icing, low cloud, strong surface wind, mountains hidden in cloud). An area is counted when it covers this field's position.
Pilot reports within 100 nautical miles, last three hours, nearest first
- HDJT at 18,000 ft, 25 nm west, 4:38 pm MDT (22:38 UTC): light rime icing from 16,000 ft to 17,500 ft, -9 °C, remarks: during the climb out of abq zab/fd.
as filed, and in English
ABQ UA /OV ABQ285015/TM 2238/FL180/TP HDJT/TA M09/IC LGT RIME 160-175/RM DURC OUT OF ABQ - ZAB/FD
- Report
- a routine report filed through ABQ
- Where
- 15 nm west (285°) of ABQ
- Time
- 22:38 UTC
- Height
- at 18,000 ft
- Aircraft
- HDJT
- Temperature
- −9 °C
- Icing
- light rime from 16,000 ft to 17,500 ft
- Remarks
- during the climb out of abq zab/fd
- CRJ7 at 10,000 ft, 43 nm northeast, 5:49 pm MDT (23:49 UTC): remarks: light turbulence, bases above 10,000 ft, vsby 3 miles continuously, during the descent rnav RY20 KSAF.
as filed, and in English
SAF UA /OV KSAF/TM 2349/FL100 /TP CRJ7/RM LIGHT TURBULENCE, BASES ABOVE 100, VSBY 3 MILES CONTINUOUSLY, DURD RNAV RY20 KSAF
- Report
- a routine report filed through SAF
- Where
- over KSAF
- Time
- 23:49 UTC
- Height
- at 10,000 ft
- Aircraft
- CRJ7
- Remarks
- light turbulence, bases above 10,000 ft, vsby 3 miles continuously, during the descent rnav RY20 KSAF
- B38M at 37,000 ft, 82 nm northeast, 4:55 pm MDT (22:55 UTC): light to moderate chop turbulence, remarks: zab fdcs.
as filed, and in English
AXX UA /OV CIM210040/TM 2255/FL370/TP B38M/TB LGT-CONS MOD CHOP/RM ZAB FDCS
- Report
- a routine report filed through AXX
- Where
- 40 nm southwest (210°) of CIM
- Time
- 22:55 UTC
- Height
- at 37,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B38M
- Turbulence
- lgt-cons moderate chop
- Remarks
- zab fdcs
- GA6C at 47,000 ft, 95 nm northeast, 3:47 pm MDT (21:47 UTC): light to moderate chop turbulence, remarks: zab fdcs.
as filed, and in English
LVS UA /OV FTI320050/TM 2147/FL470/TP GA6C/TB CONS LGT OCNL MOD CHOP/RM ZAB FDCS
- Report
- a routine report filed through LVS
- Where
- 50 nm northwest (320°) of FTI
- Time
- 21:47 UTC
- Height
- at 47,000 ft
- Aircraft
- GA6C
- Turbulence
- continuous light occasional moderate chop
- Remarks
- zab fdcs
What pilots in the air told air traffic control or Flight Service: turbulence, icing, cloud tops and bases, temperature, wind, and whatever they remarked on (wind shear on final, a smooth ride). An urgent report is one of severe turbulence or icing, wind shear, or similar. Open "as filed, and in English" for the coded report and its translation line by line.
Winds and temperatures aloft forecast point ELP, 194 nm south of the field · for use 20:00–03:00 UTC
| Height | Wind from | Speed | Temperature |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6,000 ft | 200° (south) | 15 knots | |
| 9,000 ft | 200° (south) | 16 knots | 15 °C |
| 12,000 ft | 200° (south) | 17 knots | 6 °C |
| 18,000 ft | 220° (southwest) | 40 knots | -6 °C |
| 24,000 ft | 240° (southwest) | 53 knots | -16 °C |
| 30,000 ft | 230° (southwest) | 62 knots | -27 °C |
| 34,000 ft | 240° (southwest) | 63 knots | -38 °C |
| 39,000 ft | 250° (west) | 59 knots | -49 °C |
Based on data from the 11th at 18:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 00:00 UTC for use 20:00 to 03:00 UTC; temperatures above 24,000 ft are below zero. Heights are above sea level; the lowest rows are left out where the ground is already that high.
Temporary flight restrictions within 50 nautical miles, from the FAA's list
No temporary flight restriction within 50 nautical miles right now.
Each restriction opens the FAA's own page with the exact area, heights and times. Ordinary notices to air missions (a closed runway, lights out, a crane) are not shown here: the FAA's notice search is not open to sites like this one at this time, and the application for the FAA's data feed is in hand.
Radar and forecast charts government pictures, the latest each time the page loads
The radar pictures come from the National Weather Service (the nearest radar, then the region); the surface analysis and the 12- and 24-hour forecast charts from the Weather Prediction Center. They are public-domain government images shown as they are published.
Sources: the Aviation Weather Center's data service (SIGMETs, AIRMETs, graphical AIRMETs, pilot reports, winds and temperatures aloft), the National Weather Service radar, the Weather Prediction Center's charts, and the FAA's temporary flight restriction list and shapes. Fetched when the page is viewed and kept a few minutes. Back to Albuquerque International Sunport, where the current observation and the forecast for the field are.